Arbor Station Elementary fifth graders in Paris Morgan’s science class have been busy with some engaging, hands-on activities using the Claim-Evidence-Reasoning (CER) framework.

One activity involved investigating how water temperature affects the rate at which Skittles dissolve. They tested Skittles in cold and warm water, measured dissolving times, analyzed the data, and used their findings to develop claims supported by scientific evidence and reasoning.

CER trains students to think like scientists. It is an effective way to frame the workflow of questioning through experimentation, evidence and explanation. Students begin to think about how evidence supports their claims and how to explain their findings. All of these are key components of critical thinking.

In another activity, students engaged in tectonic plate modeling. They explored how the movement of tectonic plates creates different landforms. Using Play-Doh, each student built a model based on a landform scenario, identified the type of plate movement involved, and explained how that movement contributed to the landform's creation.

From little Skittles to the earth’s massive tectonic plates, these students are learning how to apply claim-evidence-reasoning in vastly different scenarios to develop the skills for a lifetime of discoveries.