I Can Use the Consider-ContributeConsult-Revise (CCCR) Strategy
H
ave you ever noticed that sometimes you have better ideas when you talk them over
with someone? You probably come up with good ideas often. Sometimes you might
talk about them with a friend, and your friend has some ideas to add. You might
realize that your friend’s ideas are good ones to add to your own ideas. This is the idea behind
the consider-contribute-consult-revise (CCCR) strategy. This strategy is a way to help you
make sense of what you are learning. It can help you improve your answers to questions or
the ideas that you are developing. It also gives both you and your partner a chance to get
feedback on your ideas. You then have a chance to revise your answer to make it as complete
and clear as you can. Your goal is to have the best answer you can, which includes all the
information you know about a question or topic.
There are specific steps for you and your partner to follow when you are using the CCCR
strategy. Use figure 1 to help you learn more about how to use the strategy.
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I Can Use the Consider-ContributeConsult-Revise (CCCR) Strategy
Step in the
strategy
What to do during the step
n
n
Consider
n
n
n
This is an individual step. Work quietly.
Consider, or think about, a question or problem.
Record your best ideas in your science notebook.
If you are using words to record your answer, write in complete sentences.
If you are using sketches or drawings to record your answer, make a clear sketch that includes labels.
Student A
This is a partner step.
n Contribute your ideas to a discussion with your
partner by doing the following:
• If you used words to record your ideas, read
the sentences aloud, word for word. Do not
add any additional explanation.
• If you used sketches to record your ideas,
explain the sketches carefully, including
the labels.
n Answer any questions your partner might have.
n Watch your partner for signs of confusion.
n Take turns so that each partner has an opportunity
to contribute.
n
This is a partner step.
Consult your partner to get feedback on
your answer.
Listen to the feedback from your partner.
Ask questions that would help you understand
your partner’s feedback.
Carefully consider the feedback that your
partner gives.
Take turns so that each partner has an opportunity
to receive feedback.
n
n
Contribute
n
n
n
Consult
n
n
n
n
n
Revise
Student B
n
n
n
This is a partner step.
n Listen quietly as your partner reads or explains
his or her work.
n Ask any questions that would help you understand
your partner’s work.
n Think about the feedback you could give your
partner. If you are having trouble thinking of
feedback, ask yourself the following questions:
• “Was everything correct?”
• “Was everything clear in
the answer?”
• “Would an example help?”
n
n
This is a partner step.
ffer advice to your partner to help improve his
O
or her work.
Answer any questions your partner might have.
This is an individual step. Work quietly.
Revise your work based on any problems you discovered on your own during the contribute and
consult steps.
Decide which advice is useful and would improve your answer. Include any ideas that your partner had
that you thought were good.
Use a different-colored pen or pencil for your revisions.
For any feedback that did not lead to a revision, describe why you chose not to make any changes.
Figure 1: The consider-contribute-consult-revise
(CCCR) strategy. Use these steps to complete the CCCR
strategy. This strategy will help you have a clearer and more
complete understanding of the concepts you learn about.
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I Can Use the Consider-ContributeConsult-Revise (CCCR) Strategy
It may be hard to understand how you are supposed to use the CCCR strategy from just
reading the steps. Read or role-play the Using CCCR scenario to help you understand how
two students used CCCR.
Scenario: Using CCCR
Ms. Garcia’s class has been studying animal behavior. Students in the class did investigations to
see what they could learn about fish behavior. They used guppies, which are a type of small fish,
in their investigations. Russell and Cora were partners for their work. They watched one fish that
was alone in an aquarium. After five minutes, they added two more fish to the tank. They saw
that all the fish began swimming together in the same direction. After five more minutes, the
students added a plant to one side of the tank. All three fish stayed near the plant until the end
of the investigation.
The class was asked to make a claim to answer the question, “Why do fish swim near each other
when there is more than one fish in a tank?” Students had to support their claims with evidence
and reasoning.
Consider Step
The class was completely quiet. Russell and Cora each spent four minutes writing down their
claims, evidence, and reasoning. They wrote their ideas in their science notebooks using complete
sentences. Russell also drew a picture showing the three fish swimming near the plant.
Contribute Step
Russell decided to share his answer first. He read, word for word, what he had written in his
science notebook.
Russell read, “I claim that the fish swim together because it helps them find food more easily. My
evidence for this is that when there is more than one fish, they all stay close to one another. They
change directions at the same time. Once they found the plant, they stayed near it so they could
eat.” Russell then picked up his science notebook and showed his sketch to Cora. He pointed to
the fish and said, “See, I drew all three fish here, next to the plant. I have labeled the fish and the
plant so you can tell what they are.”
Cora took a few seconds to think about what Russell said. She took some notes in her science
notebook about the feedback she would give him.
continued
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Then it was Cora’s turn to read her answer. She began, “I claim that fish swim together for
protection. My evidence is that all the fish stayed near each other and swam in different
directions.” Cora thought to herself, “I think I need to revise that sentence! It didn’t sound right
when I read it out loud.” She continued reading, “One time I put my face close to the tank and
the fish changed direction quickly. Also, once the plant was added, the fish stayed near it. It
probably gives them even more protection.”
Russell had written some notes while Cora was talking. He was ready to go to the consult step.
Consult Step
Russell started by saying, “I hadn’t even thought about protection, but I think you are right.
I am going to change that in my answer.”
Cora said, “I realized I need to make a revision, too. It wasn’t clear when I said that the fish
were swimming in different directions. I meant that they all stayed near each other and changed
direction at the same time.”
Russell then asked, “Do you have some other suggestions that would help improve my answer?”
Cora replied, “It wasn’t clear to me what you meant when you said that the fish stayed near the
plant to eat. Did you mean that they eat the plant?”
Russell answered, “Yes, that is what I meant.”
Cora then said, “I am not sure that fish eat the plants in their tanks. My fish at home eat those
fish flakes.”
“You know, I think that I need to revise a lot of my answer. I did not understand why the fish
were swimming together, but what you said makes a lot more sense. I am going to take out the
part about eating the plant,” Russell explained.
Cora then asked, “Do you have some suggestions on how I could improve my answer?”
Russell replied, “Well, while you were reading, I wrote down that I thought a picture of the fish
would be helpful. It would be an example of what you meant when you said that the fish were
swimming together. If someone had not seen the fish, I am not sure they would know that they
were all going in the same direction at the same time, like they were in a parade or something.”
“That is a good idea. You are right; someone might think that the fish were just hanging out,
facing in all directions.”
continued
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Russell added, “I also think it might help to explain a little more about the protection. Since these
fish are in a tank by themselves, what do they need protection from? Plus, I am not sure the fish
changed direction because your face was near the tank.”
“Thanks for your feedback, Russell. I think I am ready to revise my answer.”
Revise Step
The class was completely quiet again. Russell picked up a green pen. He started his revisions by
drawing a single line through, “it helps them find food more easily.” He continued using the green
pen to add in sentences and draw a line through information he wanted to change.
Cora also began revising her work. She added a picture to her work to show how the fish were
swimming together. She also added a sentence about protection. At the bottom of her work, she
added a note. This note read, “Russell gave me feedback that he was not sure the fish changed
direction because my face was near the tank. I still think that the fish did change direction
because they were swimming toward me until I leaned down. As soon as I leaned down, they
all started swimming the other way. I decided to not make any revisions that were based on
this feedback.”
n
Did you notice how using the CCCR strategy helped both Cora and Russell? Both of them
had revisions that they could make based on their feedback. Cora realized one revision she
should make while she was reading her answer. Then she and Russell both had helpful
feedback for each other. But it is important to realize that you do not have to take all of
the feedback your partner gives. Sometimes you may feel that your answer is better without
making a revision. In those cases, simply write a note that explains why you did not take
one or more pieces of advice.
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