Grade 8 Curriculum Guide
Table of Contents
Introduction / 1
Platform Overview / 2
Research / 4
Teaching Key Skills & Concepts / 5
ELA Curriculum Guide / 6
Science, Social Studies, and Math / 15
Supports for Developing Bilinguals / 16
Results / 18
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Introduction
About ThinkCERCA
What is ThinkCERCA?
ThinkCERCA’s personalized literacy platform helps educators teach critical thinking skills through
argumentative writing. Through standards-aligned close reading and academic writing lessons for
English language arts, science, social studies, and math, our schoolwide approach to literacy
instruction prepares students in grades 4-12 for post-secondary life by building up their analytical skills
in every subject.
Practical Approach, Expert Pedagogy
The designers of ThinkCERCA have authored more than 30 publications on cross-curricular critical
literacy.
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1
Platform Overview
The ThinkCERCA Platform
Schoolwide Literacy Instruction
The CERCA Framework gives teams a common literacy language to collaborate more effectively across
content areas and improve student outcomes.
Close Reading
Our platform includes a lesson library of relevant, leveled texts and tasks that build students’ disciplinespecific knowledge while making close reading engaging and fun.
• Standards-aligned, discipline-specific highlighting and summarizing practice
• In-text vocabulary and audio support
• Automated assessments for comprehension
Writing Across Content Areas
Scaffolded lessons walk students through the process of using evidence and details to support their
argumentative, informational, and narrative writings across disciplines. • Interactive Argument Builder; prewriting tools for narrative and informational writing
• Rigorous writing prompts focused on debatable issues and great literary models
• Standards-aligned sentence frames and supports for English language development
Differentiation
We make personalization simple with theme-based text sets that are differentiated for 10 levels of
readiness and built-in tools that keep teachers at the center of instruction.
• Embedded differentiation tools to auto-assign by readiness level
• Leveling pre-assessments for reading and writing
• Real-time data to monitor student progress [email protected] / (708) 79-CERCA
2
Platform Overview
Standards-Aligned Instruction
Our instructional designs were developed based on the research and practice of master teachers and
nationally recognized literacy experts and meet the demands of new career and college readiness
standards.
• Introductions to standards-aligned key skills and concepts
• Standards-aligned formative assessments and rubrics
Assessment Preparation
Research shows that frequent practice of CERCA increases test scores while building critical thinking
skills. ThinkCERCA’s formative and summative assessments allow teachers to infuse practice with
items found in new state assessments, including PARCC, Smarter Balanced, and ACT, as well as the
new SAT and growth assessments such as NWEA.
• Development of analytical and synthesizing skills
• Practice of providing supporting evidence with discipline-specific language instruction
• Creation of constructed responses to text-based questions
Why Argumentation?
ThinkCERCA prepares students for new standards and state assessments by providing a scaffolded
process that supports the development of argumentation skills.
“The Standards put particular emphasis on the students’ ability to write sound
arguments on substantive topics and issues, as the ability is critical to career and
college readiness.” — CCSS Appendix A
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3
Research
Our Research-Based Approach
Summary
ThinkCERCA was built upon an ever-growing body of research as well as years of practice and
continuous learning. The research behind our approach has been drawn from a number of sources.
Here, we highlight an influential University of Chicago study that clearly illustrates the importance of
writing and discussion in improving student achievement. While traditional models have positioned
technology as the teacher, we position technology as a support for great teaching and collaboration
with peers. The relationship with teachers and peers is what helps to create a context for true
personalized learning and motivate students to persist through challenges.
From High School to the Future: ACT Preparation—Too Much, Too Late (2008)
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4
Teaching Key Skills and Concepts
Direct Instruction to Introduce Key Skills and Concepts
Example ThinkCERCA Direct Instruction Lessons
Direct Instruction Lesson: Why Do We Make Arguments?
In this lesson students will learn about the
importance of making effective arguments in
school, in their careers, and in life.
Direct Instruction Lesson: Making Arguments About Story Structure
In this lesson, students will learn about different
literary techniques that authors use to manipulate a
typical narrative arc, such as flashback,
foreshadowing, and parallel plots.
Direct Instruction Lesson: Making Arguments about Multiple Perspectives
In this lesson students will learn how to analyze
multiple perspectives on a single topic or event,
including how to evaluate sources for bias and how
to make sense of conflicting information.
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5
English Language Arts Curriculum Guide
Example Scope & Sequence: Grade 8
CERCA SET
APPLIED WRITING
PRACTICE
1
School Policy
READING & WRITING
STANDARDS
RI.2, W1
"Freedom of Choice: The Very Best Policy” — Do school uniform
policies and dress codes violate students' rights and undermine
important values?
INDEPENDENT
READING PRACTICE
“Appeals Court Finds Nevada School’s Uniform Policy
Unconstitutional”
SKILLS FOCUS
Summary
CERCA SET
Video Games
APPLIED WRITING
PRACTICE
"The Power of Video Games: Good or Evil?” — Can video games
INDEPENDENT
READING PRACTICE
“Saving the World, One Bottle at a Time”
SKILLS FOCUS
Developing Effective Paragraphs
CERCA SET
Government Role in Health
2
APPLIED WRITING
PRACTICE
3
READING & WRITING
STANDARDS
RI.8, W1
help society solve major world issues?
READING & WRITING
STANDARDS
RI.8, W1
“NYC's Fat Ban Worked” — Should local governments pass laws
focused on nutrition—like bans on artificial trans fats in restaurants—to
keep their residents healthy?
INDEPENDENT
READING PRACTICE
“Trans Fat in American Diets”
SKILLS FOCUS
Claims
CERCA SET
Social Media
APPLIED WRITING
PRACTICE
"The Age of Social Media” — Should there be an age requirement for
INDEPENDENT
READING PRACTICE
“ACLU Wins Settlement for Sixth Grader’s Facebook Posting”
SKILLS FOCUS
Evidence
CERCA SET
Sports & Society
4
APPLIED WRITING
PRACTICE
5
RI.1, W1
social media use?
READING & WRITING
STANDARDS
RI.1, W1
"Lessons Learned in the Losing” — Do you agree with this author’s
argument that “life lessons” gained from losing in team sports are
lessons kids can’t learn anywhere else?
INDEPENDENT
READING PRACTICE
“21st-Century Olympics”
SKILLS FOCUS
Reasoning
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READING & WRITING
STANDARDS
6
English Language Arts Curriculum Guide
Example Scope & Sequence: Grade 8
READING & WRITING
STANDARDS
CERCA SET
The Role of Machines
APPLIED WRITING
PRACTICE
"Can Machines Learn Morality?” — Do machines have the ability to
INDEPENDENT
READING PRACTICE
“Money Factory”
SKILLS FOCUS
Counterargument
CERCA SET
Distracted Driving
APPLIED WRITING
PRACTICE
“To Fix Distracted Driving, Experts Say Target the People, Not the
Tech” — What should society do to stop distracted driving?
INDEPENDENT
READING PRACTICE
"Self-Driving Cars Inch Closer to Mainstream Availability”
SKILLS FOCUS
Audience
CERCA SET
Personal Identity
6
7
APPLIED WRITING
PRACTICE
8
be moral?
READING & WRITING
STANDARDS
READING & WRITING
STANDARDS
SKILLS FOCUS
Organizing Your Argument
CERCA SET
Genetics
READING & WRITING
STANDARDS
various factors discussed in this article that affect a person’s likelihood of
achieving success.
"Robots in Disguise: The Psychology of Addiction”
SKILLS FOCUS
Connections Within a Text
CERCA SET
Family and Influence
10
READING & WRITING
STANDARDS
RL.2, W1
Multiday Short Fiction: “The Lady's Maid” — How does Katherine
Mansfield use the characters of the lady and her maid to explore the
problems of extreme dependency?
INDEPENDENT
READING PRACTICE
“Naomi Shihab Nye and the Power of Stories"
SKILLS FOCUS
Theme
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RI.3, W1
“Nature, Nurture, or Something Else" — Compare and contrast the
INDEPENDENT
READING PRACTICE
APPLIED WRITING
PRACTICE
RI.2, W1
What is the author's central claim about bodybuilding culture among
teenage boys today?
"Does This Look ‘Amateur’ To You?”
9
RI.1, W1
“Muscular Body Image Lures Boys into Gym” and “Obsession” —
INDEPENDENT
READING PRACTICE
APPLIED WRITING
PRACTICE
RI.2, W1
7
English Language Arts Curriculum Guide
Example Scope & Sequence: Grade 8
CERCA SET
APPLIED WRITING
PRACTICE
11
Group Decision-making
READING & WRITING
STANDARDS
"Peer Pressure: Pro and Con” — Which author presents a stronger
argument regarding the pros and cons of peer pressure and group
influence on decision-making?
INDEPENDENT
READING PRACTICE
"The Doll Experiment”
SKILLS FOCUS
Connections Within a Text (spiraled)
CERCA SET
Bullying
APPLIED WRITING
PRACTICE
RI.5, W1
READING & WRITING
STANDARDS
RI.6, W1
"Words Can Hurt You” — Does the author make a convincing case
that bullying can be stopped?
12
INDEPENDENT
READING PRACTICE
“‘Am I Pretty or Ugly’ Videos a Symptom of Toxic Media Culture”
SKILLS FOCUS
Author's Purpose
CERCA SET
Conflict and Dominance
READING & WRITING
STANDARDS
RL.3, W1
Multiday Short Fiction: “The Lottery” — Why does everyone continue
APPLIED WRITING
PRACTICE
to participate in the lottery year after year? Choose a character in “The
Lottery” and analyze his or her choices in relation to the actions and
words of others.
INDEPENDENT
READING PRACTICE
“Hooliganism: The Dark Side of Soccer”
SKILLS FOCUS
Point of View
CERCA SET
Nonverbal Communication
13
APPLIED WRITING
PRACTICE
READING & WRITING
STANDARDS
RI.3, W1
"You Are What You Don't Say: Nonverbal Communication” —
How does nonverbal communication change explicit meanings?
14
INDEPENDENT
READING PRACTICE
“Professor Says Teens’ Social Media Lingo Hurts Writing Skills”
SKILLS FOCUS
Informational and Explanatory Writing
CERCA SET
Communities
APPLIED WRITING
PRACTICE
15
RI.4, W1
Poetry: “He Wishes for the Cloths of Heaven” — Based on the facts
of the poem, do you think the speaker will be successful in appealing to
his beloved with the metaphors he chooses?
INDEPENDENT
READING PRACTICE
“Friendship Secrets”
SKILLS FOCUS
Elements of Language
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READING & WRITING
STANDARDS
8
English Language Arts Curriculum Guide
Example Scope & Sequence: Grade 8
CERCA SET
APPLIED WRITING
PRACTICE
16
21st Century Learning
READING & WRITING
STANDARDS
RI.1, W1
"Disconnect: The Argument Over Cell Phones in Our Schools.” —
Should teachers try to control students' cell phone use in the
classroom?
INDEPENDENT
READING PRACTICE
“ACLU Wins Settlement for Sixth Grader’s Facebook Posting”
SKILLS FOCUS
Central Ideas
CERCA SET
Image & Impact
READING & WRITING
STANDARDS
RI.7, W1
"Looking Through Their Eyes” — Describe the ways in which
APPLIED WRITING
PRACTICE
Dorothea Lange’s photographs of migrant workers were an effective way
to make a case to the American people about government policies
during the Depression.
INDEPENDENT
READING PRACTICE
"A Landmark Concert 75 Years Ago”
SKILLS FOCUS
Text Features
CERCA SET
Risk-taking
17
APPLIED WRITING
PRACTICE
18
READING & WRITING
STANDARDS
"Leaving the Nest” — What can the animal kingdom teach us about
why teens take risks? Trace examples in both the animal kingdom and in
humans as you explore risk-taking behavior and compare the two.
INDEPENDENT
READING PRACTICE
"A Hero Emerges in Italy's Ship Drama”
SKILLS FOCUS
Central Ideas (spiraled)
CERCA SET
Character and Risk
APPLIED WRITING
PRACTICE
RI.2, W1
READING & WRITING
STANDARDS
RL.9, W1
Poetry: “Ode on a Grecian Urn” — How does Keats use the myths of
ancient Greece to communicate his feelings about love?
19
INDEPENDENT
READING PRACTICE
“The Wonders of Ancient Rome”
SKILLS FOCUS
Ideas Across Texts
CERCA SET
Perseverance
APPLIED WRITING
PRACTICE
20
READING & WRITING
STANDARDS
"Homeless to Howard" — How did Ward and Sutherland work
together to give Ward and others better opportunities for higher
education?
INDEPENDENT
READING PRACTICE
"The Cotacachi Honey Fund”
SKILLS FOCUS
Connections Within a Text (spiraled)
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RI.3, W1
9
English Language Arts Curriculum Guide
Example Scope & Sequence: Grade 8
CERCA SET
APPLIED WRITING
PRACTICE
21
Social Responsibility
READING & WRITING
STANDARDS
RI.9, W1
"Mary Ellen Wilson: How One Girl's Plight Started the Child
Protection Movement" and “The Story of Mary Ellen Wilson” —
How do the two articles portray the power of the case of Wilson and the
actions of many people who helped her differently?
INDEPENDENT
READING PRACTICE
"Free Mandela”
SKILLS FOCUS
Author's Purpose (spiraled)
CERCA SET
Conflict and Character
APPLIED WRITING
PRACTICE
Multiday Short Fiction: “War” by Jack London — How does London
INDEPENDENT
READING PRACTICE
"Was He Good or Bad?”
SKILLS FOCUS
Characters
CERCA SET
Civil War Poetry
22
APPLIED WRITING
PRACTICE
23
Theme (spiraled)
CERCA SET
Humor
RI.4, W1
attitude toward humor research? Point to specific examples of where his
bias for and against the researcher and his work reveal the author's bias.
“A Lighter Side”
SKILLS FOCUS
Words and Details
CERCA SET
Technology & Impact
READING & WRITING
STANDARDS
RI.2, W1
"Mobile Banking in Cameroon Increases Access to Financial
Services” — How does mobile banking affect the people of Cameroon
and other developing countries where financial services are not readily
available?
INDEPENDENT
READING PRACTICE
"We The Economy: Recession”
SKILLS FOCUS
Central Ideas (spiraled)
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READING & WRITING
STANDARDS
"Ha! Takes a Serious Look at Humor” — What is the author's
INDEPENDENT
READING PRACTICE
25
RL.2, W1
use contrasting images and repetition to comment on the harsh reality of
the Civil War?
SKILLS FOCUS
APPLIED WRITING
PRACTICE
READING & WRITING
STANDARDS
Poetry: “Bivouac on a Mountain Side” — How does Walt Whitman
“A Poem of the People”
24
RL.6, W1
use the narrator’s point of view to comment on a soldier’s experience of war?
INDEPENDENT
READING PRACTICE
APPLIED WRITING
PRACTICE
READING & WRITING
STANDARDS
10
English Language Arts Curriculum Guide
Example Scope & Sequence: Grade 8
CERCA SET
APPLIED WRITING
PRACTICE
26
Technology and Art
READING & WRITING
STANDARDS
RL.7, W1
“Excerpt from Romeo and Juliet” — How does the choice to use
modern dress impact the audience's interpretation of Romeo and Juliet?
INDEPENDENT
READING PRACTICE
Video lesson: “We The Economy: Recession”
SKILLS FOCUS
Format
CERCA SET
Endangered Animals
APPLIED WRITING
PRACTICE
"Critics Question Zoos' Commitment to Conservation" — What
INDEPENDENT
READING PRACTICE
"A Real Political Animal”
SKILLS FOCUS
Words and Details (spiraled)
CERCA SET
Nature Poetry
27
APPLIED WRITING
PRACTICE
28
READING & WRITING
STANDARDS
RL.2, W1
Poetry: “The Owl” — What particular human experience does Thomas
call the reader’s attention to in “The Owl”?
“Geo-Medicine”
SKILLS FOCUS
Theme (spiraled)
CERCA SET
Cultural Perception
29
RI.1, W1
should zoos be doing to help animal conservation efforts?
INDEPENDENT
READING PRACTICE
APPLIED WRITING
PRACTICE
READING & WRITING
STANDARDS
READING & WRITING
STANDARDS
RI.4, W1
"Who Are We? New Dialogue on Mixed Race” — What problems
do those with multiracial backgrounds face due to the way our society
categorizes race?
INDEPENDENT
READING PRACTICE
"Out of Her Hands”
SKILLS FOCUS
Words and Details (spiraled)
CERCA SET
Intellectual Property
READING & WRITING
STANDARDS
RI.1, W1
"When Stealing Isn't Stealing" — Considering the evidence in this
APPLIED WRITING
PRACTICE
article, should organizations such as the Motion Picture Association of
America use emotionally charged language such as "piracy" to win legal
battles?
INDEPENDENT
READING PRACTICE
"Attempts at Flight Before the Wright Brothers”
SKILLS FOCUS
Reasoning (spiraled)
30
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11
English Language Arts Curriculum Guide
Example Scope & Sequence: Grade 8
CERCA SET
Family History
READING & WRITING
STANDARDS
RI.2, W1
"Muslim Children Join Their Parents in Fasting for Ramadan" —
APPLIED WRITING
PRACTICE
What, according to the author, are the implications of the Ramadan
tradition of fasting for Muslim children, particularly in cultures that are not
predominantly Muslim, such as the U. S.?
INDEPENDENT
READING PRACTICE
"Naomi Shihab Nye and the Power of Stories”
SKILLS FOCUS
Central Ideas (spiraled)
CERCA SET
Cultural Memoirs
31
APPLIED WRITING
PRACTICE
READING & WRITING
STANDARDS
RL.7, W2
"Off the Shelf” — What does the reaction of the store detective and
Smith’s mother tell readers about Smith’s community?
32
Optional Narrative Writing Prompt >>
INDEPENDENT
READING PRACTICE
"Green Corn Ceremonies”
SKILLS FOCUS
Theme (spiraled)
CERCA SET
Growing Up
APPLIED WRITING
PRACTICE
a big risk you took using strong sensory details to describe the
experience and your feelings about it.
“The Doll Experiment”
SKILLS FOCUS
Writing Narratives
CERCA SET
The Best Laid Plans
33
RL.2, W3
Multiday Writing: “Off the Shelf” — Write a personal narrative about
INDEPENDENT
READING PRACTICE
APPLIED WRITING
PRACTICE
READING & WRITING
STANDARDS
READING & WRITING
STANDARDS
RL.3, W3
Multiday Writing: “The Gift of the Magi” — Write a personal narrative
with a twist at the end.
INDEPENDENT
READING PRACTICE
“A Hero Emerges in Italy’s Ship Drama”
SKILLS FOCUS
Plot
CERCA SET
Entrepreneurship
APPLIED WRITING
PRACTICE
"Bill Gates and Steve Jobs" — Compare and contrast Gates's and
INDEPENDENT
READING PRACTICE
“Employ One. Impact Many.”
SKILLS FOCUS
Organizing Your Argument (spiraled)
34
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READING & WRITING
STANDARDS
RI.3, W1
Jobs's careers.
12
English Language Arts Curriculum Guide
Example Scope & Sequence: Grade 8
CERCA SET
APPLIED WRITING
PRACTICE
35
Optional Narrative Writing Prompt >>
Money and Decisions
READING & WRITING
STANDARDS
RL.2, W1
"The Necklace” — How does Guy de Maupassant use the character of
Mathilde to explore the ways in which money shapes our perception of
what it takes to be happy or at least content?
INDEPENDENT
READING PRACTICE
"Troop Cafe Offers Hearty Meals, and Restaurant Training for
Veterans”
SKILLS FOCUS
Theme (spiraled)
CERCA SET
Overcoming Obstacles
APPLIED WRITING
PRACTICE
READING & WRITING
STANDARDS
Multiday Writing: “The Necklace” — Write a personal narrative about a
time you caused a problem for yourself. What personality traits,
habits, attitudes, or desires contributed to the problem?
INDEPENDENT
READING PRACTICE
“Students Get Lessons in Character Building”
SKILLS FOCUS
Characters (spiraled)
CERCA SET
Kid Inventors
APPLIED WRITING
PRACTICE
36
RL.3, W3
READING & WRITING
STANDARDS
RI.5, W1
"SMARTwheel Earns NH Children a Beltway Audience" — Choose
a paragraph in the article and explain why it helps the reader understand a
main idea about the SMARTwheel.
INDEPENDENT
READING PRACTICE
"The Champion of Chocolate”
SKILLS FOCUS
Structure and Organization
CERCA SET
Sounds in Poetry
APPLIED WRITING
PRACTICE
Paired Poetry: “Invictus” and “Much Madness Is Divinest Sense”
— Compare and contrast the way the two poets use rhyme, alliteration,
INDEPENDENT
READING PRACTICE
“A Long, Hard March"
SKILLS FOCUS
Elements of Language (spiraled)
CERCA SET
Student Free Speech
37
APPLIED WRITING
PRACTICE
38
READING & WRITING
STANDARDS
RL.5, W1
and assonance to convey the theme of personal strength.
READING & WRITING
STANDARDS
RI.1, W1
"High School Teams Can Wear ‘I Can't Breathe' Shirts After All”
— Do political protests at school events unfairly overshadow the event?
Why or why not?
INDEPENDENT
READING PRACTICE
“Calling Someone Fat Names Can Make Them Eat More,
Researchers Claim.”
SKILLS FOCUS
Reasoning (spiraled)
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13
English Language Arts Curriculum Guide
Example Scope & Sequence: Grade 8
CERCA SET
APPLIED WRITING
PRACTICE
39
Comparing Traditional Tales
READING & WRITING
STANDARDS
RL.9, W1
“The Weight of the World” and “Atlas” — What can modern
retellings of Atlas’s story teach readers about carrying burdens?
INDEPENDENT
READING PRACTICE
“Hero Cults”
SKILLS FOCUS
Ideas Across Texts (spiraled)
Integration of Longer Works with Recommended CERCA Sets
•
•
•
•
Esperanza Rising — Connections with Personal Identity, Image and Impact, and Family History
Among the Hidden — Connections with Genetics, Government Role in Health, and Role of Machines
Harriet Tubman — Connections with Social Responsibility, Perseverance, and Cultural Perception
A Night to Remember — Connections with Technology and Impact, Group Decision-making, and Risktaking
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14
Literacy Across the Curriculum
Cross-Curricular Literacy Lessons
The above scope and sequence are lessons from our ELA library only. We have lessons in science,
social studies, and math, as well. Below are examples.
Science: NGSS
Contributors to the Next Generation Science Standards,
master teachers, and administrators worked with our
team to develop our approach to differentiated science
literacy content. This debate-centric approach to science
mirrors items on new assessments that ask students to
evaluate peer-to-peer and scientist-to-scientist debates.
Social Studies: C3 Frameworks
We collaborated with key thought leaders, including the
designers of the C3 Framework for Social Studies State
Standards, as we developed our social studies content.
These leveled lessons—aligned to key topics across
geographical locations and time periods—allow teachers
to build discipline-specific background knowledge in a
vertical plan while engaging students who may be ahead
of or behind peers.
Math: Content & Practice
We collaborated with Professor Doug O’Roark, founder
of the Graduate Math and Science Teacher Certification
Program at University of Chicago and current head of
Math Circles Chicago, to design a unique, standardsaligned approach to differentiated math literacy content
that supports the expansion of mathematical knowledge
through its application in writing.
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15
English Language Development Supports
Supporting Developing Bilinguals
ThinkCERCA provides teachers with everything they need to support developing bilinguals in their
academic English fluency. In addition to research-based approaches embedded in the pedagogy of our
software, we provide direct instruction in standards-aligned practices that help developing bilinguals
succeed.
•
•
•
•
Supports for English language development in any classroom setting
Resources for students at a WIDA Level 3 and above
Research-based best practices for developing bilinguals
Online and offline tools and instructional practices, including speaking and listening activities
Full Supports List for Developing Bilinguals
Conventions of
Standard English
- Direct Instruction
Lessons
Personal
Connections
- Applied Reading and
Writing Lessons
ThinkCERCA’s Minilessons help students with conventions of standard
English usage, mechanics and grammar, and parts of speech. They also
provide instruction in discipline-specific, academic vocabulary across
subjects.
Each Applied Lesson provides an opportunity for students to connect
personally with the topics in the text. By encouraging collaboration and
peer-to-peer discussion, in a group, or even whole class, students engage
in meaningful discussions and high-interest topics that expose them to the
language they need to successfully navigate the world.
Tier 2 Vocabulary
- Direct Instruction
Lessons
- Additional Reading
Practice
- Applied Reading and
Writing Lessons
Audio Support
- Direct Instruction
Lessons
- Additional Reading
Practice
- Applied Reading and
Tier 2 vocabulary words with definitions are provided for pre-reading
support. Explicit instruction in academic vocabulary helps students access
content in disciplines.
All ThinkCERCA texts have audio support so students can listen to the text
while reading along. Student have the option of listening multiple times or
even listening to small sections of the text. Real human voices model fluent
and expressive English and allow students to access texts beyond their
independent English reading levels.
Writing Lessons
Non-Print Features
- Direct Instruction
Lessons
- Additional Reading
Practice
- Applied Reading and
ThinkCERCA provides non-print features to support students in connecting
to background knowledge and developing new meaning. The strong visuals
in our Minilessons and the images embedded in our texts, including
infographics, multimedia, and video presentations, support learning for
everyone, including English language learners.
Writing Lessons
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16
English Language Development Supports
Full Supports List for Developing Bilinguals
Sentence Frames
- Applied Reading and
Writing Lessons
Blended Learning &
Small Groups
- Direct Instruction
Lessons
- Additional Reading
Practice
- Applied Reading and
Sentence stems help students crack the code of college- and career-ready
English. By understanding the most common frames and practicing them,
students build confidence in their critical literacy skills.
ThinkCERCA provides a framework for teachers to incorporate into small
group instruction, independent collaboration, and individual personalized
instruction in a blended learning environment. In this dynamic
environment, students are given a variety of opportunities to engage with
language through listening, speaking, reading, and writing.
Writing Lessons
Structure &
Language of Genre
- Additional Reading
Practice
- Applied Reading and
ThinkCERCA exposes students to the language of various genres and
disciplines. The consistency of the text structures in the overview, summary,
sentence frames, and counterargument gives students repeated exposure
and familiarity with both structure and language.
Writing Lessons
Oral & Written
Language
- Direct Instruction
Lessons
- Additional Reading
Practice
- Applied Reading and
Writing Lessons
Applied Reading &
Writing Lesson
Supports
- Applied Reading and
ThinkCERCA supports the critical relationship between oral and written
language by requiring students to discuss and negotiate complex issues
with multiple perspectives. Readings about debatable topics open up
opportunities for structured conversations in small groups, with partners
and as a whole class. Discussions require students to use accurate and
relevant text-based information to support claims and to explain their
reasons as well as reasoning. By toggling back and forth from text to
conversation, and finding evidence to support thinking, students increase
and deepen their understanding of the text at hand.
We have additional ELD lesson supports for our premium Applied Writing
Lessons. These supports provide extra scaffolding in order to help ELD
students access the same great content as their non-ELD peers
Writing Lessons
Culture
- Direct Instruction
Lessons
- Applied Reading and
Readings respect and honor the cultures of multiple groups and offer broad
representation of not only various cultures, but also discussions about
global issues.
Writing Lessons
[email protected] / (708) 79-CERCA
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English
Results Language Development Supports
Proven to Help Student Achieve Two Years of Academic Growth
Third-party efficacy data shows that students gain an average of 1.5 to 2.5 years of reading growth when
ThinkCERCA is implemented with fidelity. More information at www.thinkcerca.com/results.
LEAP Innovations Controlled Study
On average, students using ThinkCERCA gained an extra year's worth of academic growth. This is equivalent to closing the
achievement gap by 264 percent for low-income students, 456 percent for black students, and 749 percent for Latino students.
Read the full study at go.thinkcerca.com/leapstudy
Atlantic Research Partners Third-Party Study
Students in grade levels with significant use of ThinkCERCA outperformed their peers nationally on NWEA growth at different
attainment levels in the 2014-2015 academic school year. Read the full study at go.thinkcerca.com/arpstudy
SRI Education Controlled Study
Gains in student writing scores in the elementary grades were positive across all writing aspects and statistically significant for
five of the six aspects. Read the full study at go.thinkcerca.com/sristudy
[email protected] / (708) 79-CERCA
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