CERCA Slides: Designing Our Communities

Designing Our Communities

What are the benefits and challenges of different communities, and how do they design solutions to face these challenges? From sports programs to school gardens to transportation, AI in higher education, and water supply – community designs can generate great discussions and argument-building for your students.

CERCA Slides by Grade

Grade 3: A Safer Sport

What are the most convincing pieces of evidence in the text for the argument that there should be an age limit for kids to play tackle football?

CCSS.RI.3.2
CCSS.W.3.1

CERCA Slides

Student Guide

Pear Deck

Grade 4: Unified Sports

According to the evidence in the article, what are the most important benefits of the Special Olympics Unified Sports program for the athletes who participate?

CCSS.RI.4.2
CCSS.W.4.1

CERCA Slides

Student Guide

Pear Deck

Grade 5: Chasing Greatness

Based on the information in the article, is playing in the OTE league worth the risk for young basketball players?

CCSS.RI.5.2
CCSS.W.5.1

CERCA Slides

Student Guide

Pear Deck

Grade 6: Straight from School Gardens to Lunchrooms: Delicious or Dangerous?

Analyze the author's use of the video, subheadings, bullet points, and examples in the text. Do these text features help the author make a strong case for building school gardens?

CCSS.RI.6.7
CCSS.W.6.1

CERCA Slides

Student Guide

Pear Deck

Grade 7: A Surprising Reason Preventing Some Students From Finishing College: Lack of Transportation

Trace the claim and evidence for the author's argument to find solutions to transportation barriers for college students. What is the most effective evidence for his argument: research, expert opinions, or personal experiences?

CCSS.RI.7.1
CCSS.W.7.1

CERCA Slides

Student Guide

Pear Deck

Grade 8: California Just Ran on 100% Renewable Energy, but Fossil Fuels Aren’t Fading Away Yet

How does the author use details and visuals about the California model to appeal to the audience in this argument for using clean energy?

CCSS.RI.8.2
CCSS.W.8.1

CERCA Slides

Student Guide

Pear Deck

Grade 9: Influencers Aren’t Going Anywhere. So What Does That Mean for Today’s Teens?

Trace and evaluate the author’s claim and supporting evidence. What does the author argue could be done to address both the positive and negative impacts of social media influencers on adolescents?

CCSS.RI.9-10.1
CCSS.W.9-10.1

CERCA Slides

Student Guide

Pear Deck

Grade 10: America's Clean Water Crisis Goes Far Beyond Flint. There's No Relief In Sight.

How does the author use descriptive details and anecdotes to appeal to the audience in this argument for safe water access?

CCSS.RI.9-10.2
CCSS.W.9-10.1

CERCA Slides

Student Guide

Pear Deck

Grade 11: Animals Notice—and Adapt—When Humans are in National Parks

Trace and evaluate the author's claim and evidence, including text features, to evaluate whether this information does or does not support the author's argument.

CCSS.RI.11-12.7
CCSS.W.11-12.1

CERCA Slides

Student Guide

Pear Deck

Grade 12: From Admissions to Teaching to Grading, AI Is Infiltrating Higher Education

Based on evidence from the text, how successfully does the writer argue that AI in education is a cause for concern and should be carefully monitored?

CCSS.RI.11-12.6
CCSS.W.1

CERCA Slides

Student Guide

Pear Deck

Designing Our Communities

CERCA Slides by Grade

Grade 3: A Safer Sport

What are the most convincing pieces of evidence in the text for the argument that there should be an age limit for kids to play tackle football? CCSS.RI.3.2CCSS.W.3.1

Grade 4: Unified Sports

According to the evidence in the article, what are the most important benefits of the Special Olympics Unified Sports program for the athletes who participate? CCSS.RI.4.2CCSS.W.4.1

Grade 5: Chasing Greatness

Based on the information in the article, is playing in the OTE league worth the risk for young basketball players? CCSS.RI.5.2CCSS.W.5.1

Grade 6: Straight from School Gardens to Lunchrooms: Delicious or Dangerous?

Analyze the author's use of the video, subheadings, bullet points, and examples in the text. Do these text features help the author make a strong case for building school gardens? CCSS.RI.6.7CCSS.W.6.1

Grade 7: A Surprising Reason Preventing Some Students From Finishing College: Lack of Transportation

Trace the claim and evidence for the author's argument to find solutions to transportation barriers for college students. What is the most effective evidence for his argument: research, expert opinions, or personal experiences? CCSS.RI.7.1CCSS.W.7.1

Grade 8: California Just Ran on 100% Renewable Energy, but Fossil Fuels Aren’t Fading Away Yet

How does the author use details and visuals about the California model to appeal to the audience in this argument for using clean energy? CCSS.RI.8.2CCSS.W.8.1

Grade 9: Influencers Aren’t Going Anywhere. So What Does That Mean for Today’s Teens?

Trace and evaluate the author’s claim and supporting evidence. What does the author argue could be done to address both the positive and negative impacts of social media influencers on adolescents? CCSS.RI.9-10.1CCSS.W.9-10.1

Grade 10: America's Clean Water Crisis Goes Far Beyond Flint. There's No Relief In Sight.

How does the author use descriptive details and anecdotes to appeal to the audience in this argument for safe water access? CCSS.RI.9-10.2CCSS.W.9-10.1

Grade 11: Animals Notice—and Adapt—When Humans are in National Parks

Trace and evaluate the author's claim and evidence, including text features, to evaluate whether this information does or does not support the author's argument. CCSS.RI.11-12.7CCSS.W.11-12.1

Grade 12: From Admissions to Teaching to Grading, AI Is Infiltrating Higher Education

Based on evidence from the text, how successfully does the writer argue that AI in education is a cause for concern and should be carefully monitored? CCSS.RI.11-12.6CCSS.W.1

Introduce ThinkCERCAinto Your Curriculum

What are the most convincing pieces of evidence in the text for the argument that there should be an age limit for kids to play tackle football?

CCSS.RI.3.2
CCSS.W.3.1

According to the evidence in the article, what are the most important benefits of the Special Olympics Unified Sports program for the athletes who participate?

CCSS.RI.4.2
CCSS.W.4.1

Based on the information in the article, is playing in the OTE league worth the risk for young basketball players?

CCSS.RI.5.2
CCSS.W.5.1

Analyze the author's use of the video, subheadings, bullet points, and examples in the text. Do these text features help the author make a strong case for building school gardens?

CCSS.RI.6.7
CCSS.W.6.1

Trace the claim and evidence for the author's argument to find solutions to transportation barriers for college students. What is the most effective evidence for his argument: research, expert opinions, or personal experiences?

CCSS.RI.7.1
CCSS.W.7.1

How does the author use details and visuals about the California model to appeal to the audience in this argument for using clean energy?

CCSS.RI.8.2
CCSS.W.8.1

Trace and evaluate the author’s claim and supporting evidence. What does the author argue could be done to address both the positive and negative impacts of social media influencers on adolescents?

CCSS.RI.9-10.1
CCSS.W.9-10.1

How does the author use descriptive details and anecdotes to appeal to the audience in this argument for safe water access?

CCSS.RI.9-10.2
CCSS.W.9-10.1

Trace and evaluate the author's claim and evidence, including text features, to evaluate whether this information does or does not support the author's argument.

CCSS.RI.11-12.7
CCSS.W.11-12.1

Based on evidence from the text, how successfully does the writer argue that AI in education is a cause for concern and should be carefully monitored?

CCSS.RI.11-12.6
CCSS.W.1

Introduce ThinkCERCA
into Your Curriculum