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SCOPE AND SEQUENCE WITH THINKCERCA

Introduction to Writing Across Genres

Suggested Scope & Sequence

Grade 8

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Grade 8: Scope and Sequence

ThinkCERCA | Introduction to Writing

Table of Contents
Unit 1 - An Introduction to Narrative Writing (Jump to Standards Alignment)
Module 1	Introduction to Narrative Writing
Module 2	Beginnings and Characters in Narrative Writing
Module 3	Expanding Your Narrative
Module 4	Dialogue and Endings in Narrative Writing
Unit 2 - An Introduction to Argumentative Writing (Jump to Standards Alignment)
Module 1	Introducing CERCA for Argumentative Writing
Module 2	Developing an Introduction and Claim
Module 3	Supporting Your Argument
Module 4	Strengthening Your Argument
Module 5	Creating Coherence in Arguments
Module 6	Appealing to Your Audience
Unit 3 - An Introduction to Expository/Informational Writing (Jump to Standards Alignment)
Module 1	Introducing CERCA for Informational and Expository
Module 2	Connections and Text Features in Informational and Expository
Module 3	Creating Coherence in Informational and Explanatory Writing

Each module highlights a close reading and writing experience option. Additional choices are available in the Writing Across Curriculum library.

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G8 Unit 1: An Introduction to Narrative Writing

ThinkCERCA | Introduction to Writing

Module	Teacher Guide	Digital Lessons	Student Guide
1	Teacher Guide	Purpose of Narrative Writing Organizing Narrative Writing Types of Narrative Writing	Student Guide
Highlighted Narrative Writing Option		Off the Shelf

Each module highlights a close reading and writing experience option. Additional choices are available in the Writing Across Curriculum library.

Module	Teacher Guide	Digital Lessons	Student Guide
2	Teacher Guide	Beginnings in Narrative Writing Settings in Narrative Writing Characters in Narrative Writing	Student Guide
Highlighted Narrative Writing Option		The Hundred Dresses

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G8 Unit 1: An Introduction to Narrative Writing

ThinkCERCA | Introduction to Writing

Module	Teacher Guide	Digital Lessons	Student Guide
3	Teacher Guide	Using Concrete, Sensory Details in Narrative Writing Developing Events in Narrative Writing Transitions and Linking words in Narrative Writing	Student Guide
Highlighted Narrative Writing Option		Colorful Feast

Each module highlights a close reading and writing experience option. Additional choices are available in the Writing Across Curriculum library.

Module	Teacher Guide	Digital Lessons	Student Guide
4	Teacher Guide	Dialogue in Narrative Writing Endings in Narrative Writing	Student Guide
Highlighted Narrative Writing Option		The Necklace

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G8 Unit 2: An Introduction to Argumentative Writing

ThinkCERCA | Introduction to Writing

Module	Teacher Guide	Digital Lessons	Student Guide
1	Teacher Guide	An Introduction What is CERCA? Purpose of Arguments Organizing Arguments	Student Guide
Highlighted Argumentative Writing Option		Algorithms

Each module highlights a close reading and writing experience option. Additional choices are available in the Writing Across Curriculum library.

Module	Teacher Guide	Digital Lessons	Student Guide
2	Teacher Guide	Summary in Arguments Introductions in Arguments Claims	Student Guide
Highlighted Argumentative Writing Option		“Students Protest Removal of Chocolate Milk from School Lunch Menu” and “USDA Food Labels”

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G8 Unit 2: An Introduction to Argumentative Writing

ThinkCERCA | Introduction to Writing

Module`1	Teacher Guide	Digital Lessons	Student Guide
3	Teacher Guide	Supporting Arguments with Reasons Supporting Claims with Evidence Evaluating Evidence Counterarguments	Student Guide
Highlighted Argumentative Writing Option		School Uniforms - A Threat to First Amendment Rights?

Each module highlights a close reading and writing experience option. Additional choices are available in the Writing Across Curriculum library.

Module	Teacher Guide	Digital Lessons	Student Guide
4	Teacher Guide	Reasoning Integrating Evidence Effectively Issues, Appeals, and Rhetorical Devices	Student Guide
Highlighted Argumentative Writing Option		Freedom of Choice: The Very Best Policy

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G8 Unit 2: An Introduction to Argumentative Writing

ThinkCERCA | Introduction to Writing

Module	Teacher Guide	Digital Lessons	Student Guide
5	Teacher Guide	Conclusions in Arguments Transitions and Linking Words	Student Guide
Highlighted Argumentative Writing Option		The Lottery

Each module highlights a close reading and writing experience option. Additional choices are available in the Writing Across Curriculum library.

Module	Teacher Guide	Digital Lessons	Student Guide
6	Teacher Guide	Audience Characteristics of Formal Style	Student Guide
Highlighted Argumentative Writing Option		Send in the Clones: Using Artificial Intelligence to Digitally Replicate Human Voices

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G8 Unit 3: An Introduction to Expository/Informational Writing

ThinkCERCA | Introduction to Writing

Module	Teacher Guide	Digital Lessons	Student Guide
1	Teacher Guide	Introductions and Organization in Informational Writing Developing Ideas in Informative Writing	Student Guide
Highlighted Expository/ Informational Writing Option		Clara Barton

Each module highlights a close reading and writing experience option. Additional choices are available in the Writing Across Curriculum library.

Module	Teacher Guide	Digital Lessons	Student Guide
2	Teacher Guide	Analyzing Connections within Informational Texts Analyzing Text Features	Student Guide
Highlighted Expository/ Informational Writing Option		The Art of the Renaissance: The Medici Family

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G8 Unit 3: An Introduction to Expository/Informational Writing

ThinkCERCA | Introduction to Writing

Module	Teacher Guide	Digital Lessons	Student Guide
3	Teacher Guide	Conclusions in Informative Writing Transitions in Informative Writing	Student Guide
Highlighted Expository/ Informational Writing Option		Food and Society: The American Bison

Each module highlights a close reading and writing experience option. Additional choices are available in the Writing Across Curriculum library.

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GRADE 8 · ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS

Standards Alignment by State

ThinkCERCA | Introduction to Writing

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Unit 1

An Introduction to Narrative Writing

R Reading standard

W Writing standard

State	Module 1	Module 2	Module 3	Module 4
CCSS	R RL.8.2 W W.8.3	R RL.8.6 W W.8.3	R RL.8.4 W W.8.3	R RL.8.3 W W.8.3
CA CCSS	R RL.8.2 W W.8.3	R RL.8.6 W W.8.3	R RL.8.4 W W.8.3	R RL.8.3 W W.8.3
GA	R ELAGSE8RL2 8.T.T.1.c W ELAGSE8W3 8.T.T.1.e	R ELAGSE8RL6 8.T.T.1.a W ELAGSE8W3 8.T.T.1.e	R ELAGSE8RL4 8.L.V.3 W ELAGSE8W3 8.T.T.1.e	R ELAGSE8RL3 8.T.T.1 W ELAGSE8W3 8.T.T.1.e
FL	—	R 8.R.1.3 W 8.C.1.2	—	—
NY	R 8R2 W 8W3	R 8R6 W 8W3	R 8R4 W 8W3	R 8R3 W 8W3
NM	R RL.8.2 W W.8.3	R RL.8.6 W W.8.3	R RL.8.4 W W.8.3	R RL.8.3 W W.8.3

Codes shown without framework prefixes. FL = Florida B.E.S.T. • GA lists Georgia Standards of Excellence (ELAGSE…) plus Georgia ELA 2025–2026 (8.T…). • — = no standard listed.

ThinkCERCA | Introduction to Writing

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Unit 2

An Introduction to Opinion Writing

R Reading standard

W Writing standard

State	Mod 1	Mod 2	Mod 3	Mod 4	Mod 5	Mod 6
CCSS	R RI.8.2 W W.8.1	R RI.8.2 W W.8.1	R RI.8.1 W W.8.1	R RI.8.2 W W.8.1	R RL.8.3 W W.8.1	R RI.8.2 W W.8.1
CA CCSS	R RI.8.2 W W.8.1	R RI.8.2 W W.8.1	R RI.8.1 W W.8.1	R RI.8.2 W W.8.1	R RL.8.3 W W.8.1	R RI.8.2 W W.8.1
GA	R ELAGSE8RI2 8.T.T.2.a W ELAGSE8W1 8.T.T.3.c	R ELAGSE8RI2 8.T.T.2.a W ELAGSE8W1 8.T.T.3.c	R ELAGSE8RI1 8.T.RA.2 W ELAGSE8W1 8.T.T.3.c	R ELAGSE8RI2 8.T.T.2.a W ELAGSE8W1 8.T.T.3.c	R ELAGSE8RL3 8.T.T.1 W ELAGSE8W1 8.T.T.3.c	R ELAGSE8RI2 8.T.T.2.a W ELAGSE8W1 8.T.T.3.c
FL	R 8.R.2.2 W 8.C.1.3	R 8.R.3.2 W 8.C.1.3	—	—	R 8.R.1.1 W 8.C.1.3	R 8.R.2.4
NY	R 8R2 W 8W1	R 8R2 W 8W1	R 8R1 W 8W1	R 8R2 W 8W1	R 8R3 W 8W1	R 8R2 W 8W1
NM	R RI.8.2 W W.8.1	R RI.8.2 W W.8.1	R RI.8.1 W W.8.1	R RI.8.2 W W.8.1	R RL.8.3 W W.8.1	R RI.8.2 W W.8.1

Codes shown without framework prefixes. FL = Florida B.E.S.T. • GA lists Georgia Standards of Excellence (ELAGSE…) plus Georgia ELA 2025–2026 (8.T…). • — = no standard listed.

ThinkCERCA | Introduction to Writing

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Unit 3

An Introduction to Expository / Informational Writing

R Reading standard

W Writing standard

State	Module 1	Module 2	Module 3
CCSS	R RI.8.1 W W.8.2	R RH.6-8.2 W W.8.2	R RI.8.1 RH.6-8.1 W W.8.2
CA CCSS	R RI.8.1 W W.8.2	R RH.6-8.2 W W.8.2	R RH.6-8.1 RI.8.1 W W.8.2
GA	R ELAGSE8RI1 7.T.RA.2 W ELAGSE8W2 8.T.T.2.d	R 8.T.T.2.a W ELAGSE8W2 8.T.T.2.d	R ELAGSE8RI1 8.T.RA.2 7.T.RA.2 W ELAGSE8W2 8.T.T.2.d
FL	R K12.EE.1.1 W 8.C.1.4	R 8.R.2.2 W 8.C.1.3	R K12.EE.3.1 W 8.C.1.4
NY	R 8R1 W 8W2	R 6-8.RH.2 W 8W2	R 6-8.RH.1 8R1 W 8W2
NM	R RI.8.1 W W.8.2	R RH.6-8.2 W W.8.2	R RH.6-8.1 RI.8.1 W W.8.2

Codes shown without framework prefixes. FL = Florida B.E.S.T. • GA lists Georgia Standards of Excellence (ELAGSE…) plus Georgia ELA 2025–2026 (8.T…). • — = no standard listed.

ThinkCERCA | Introduction to Writing

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ThinkCERCA is a schoolwide literacy framework that allows district and school leadership teams to measure, manage, and improve literacy outcomes across subjects from grades 3–12. If we can improve writing and critical thinking skills, we can empower students for life, opening advanced academic pathways for all. These skills are increasingly valuable in the landscape of AI, because leveraging AI successfully is dependent upon two key skills: critical thinking and communication (written and/or oral).

Writing in science helps make student thinking visible, but it is also a process that helps students deepen their understanding of the texts, hands on experiences, and simulations embedded in the curriculum.

By integrating writing as a strategy for learning, ThinkCERCA is excited to support students in building skills leading to post-secondary credentials.

Writing to Improve Learning, Not Just Prove Learning

(See Our Results)

“Writing should not replace anything—it should amplify everything.”

Dr. PJ Caposey,

Illinois Superintendent of the Year 2023 and Nationally Recognized Author and Leadership Coach

Family Letter in English and in Spanish

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Why Writing?

ThinkCERCA | Introduction to Writing

Today’s assessments are focused on evidence-based writing in response to texts across content areas.
Evidence-based reading and writing is the most effective shared practice to increase literacy outcomes.
The consistent and coherent practice across the team improves skill, but also deepens background knowledge across disciplines, essential for reading development and reading comprehension.
Humans are social, and the social brain learns better and faster than the analytical one.
Writing reinforces literacy skills across every other strand.
We also believe that writing is a wonderful way to get to know your students, so the narrative writing opportunities is where we begin.

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How Does the Introduction to Writing Work with the Platform?

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

ThinkCERCA’s platform provides a targeted assessment so that students are focusing �on skills they lack and not skills they’ve mastered. The Benchmarks can be scored by teachers or by ThinkCERCA’s professional scorers.
Prior to each unit, teachers will have the opportunity to build their capacity as a �reading expert by participating in professional development via video or slideshow so that they can feel confident enough to support their students.
Prior to each lesson students will view a two minute artistically animated instructional video that explicitly and systematically explains the most crucial elements in reading.
During each interactive lesson students will explore and exercise the most essential components of mastering literacy in the English language.
At the end of each module students can engage with a high interest and accessible reading passage in order to apply the skills they are learning and increase their �reading fluency. The entire Writing Across the Curriculum library is also available if teachers prefer to use a different reading selection. New titles are added each year.

ThinkCERCA | Introduction to Writing

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Schools can assess students with beginning, middle, and end of year writing Benchmarks (self-scored or professionally scored by ThinkCERCA

Teachers can use the suggested lessons highlighted in Introduction to writing or choose from hundreds of options at each grade.

Teachers can also create their own lessons, adding instant reading scaffolds and A(=enabled feedback and automatic scoring.

FLEXIBLE TIER 1 2 or 3 IMPLEMENTATION MODELS

See Scheduling Options Here

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AI-Enabled Scoring and Reflection (20+ min)

After receiving AI-enabled feedback and revising students submit their text for instant scoring.

.

Drafting and Revision

(30+ min)

Starting with summarizing students use interactive tools and/or graphic organizers to think critically before drafting a fully evidence-based claim. Using their personalized growth focus lessons, students develop and revise.

Interactive Close Reading (40-60 min)

Students engage in Analyze steps.

Direct Instruction (< 15 min each) Introduce topic, skills, and other background knowledge (Optional implementation models)

Close Reading and Writing Lesson Design

What does a module look like across a week?

ThinkCERCA

20 min per day

10 class periods

(2 weeks)

45 min per day

5 class periods

(1 Week)

90 min per day

2-3 class periods

(Less than 1 week)

See Flexible and Resilient Literacy Routine Templates and Pacing Guides

See Daily Pacing Guide Based on Your Class Length

Interactive Close Reading (40-60 min)

Students engage in Word Study, the Topic Overview,, Connect, Read, and Check

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Introducing Writing Across Genres

Implementation Options

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Session A: Vocabulary & Skills Development

A

ThinkCERCA | Introduction to Writing

Embedded in a Tier 1 Blended Classroom

SUGGESTED ROUTINES

Use personalized learning time to preview background knowledge, skills, and vocabulary for upcoming units.
Encourage students to use self-help tools with on grade level materials (vocabulary, audio support, sentence stems, etc.).
Enable self-paced learning of skills lessons and reading passages during W.I. N. time.
Encourage choice reading when assigned lessons are complete.
Use discussion strategies to enable students to engage with peers.

EMBEDDED IN TIER 1 CENTERS MODEL

Session B: Overview & Connect

Session C: Close Reading, Highlighting & Annotation, Summarizing

B

C

Session D: Drafting and Sharing Your Plan

D

Session E: Editing & Proofreading

Session F: Conferencing/Make Up/What I Need (W.I.N.) Time

Session H: Choice of Longer Works

E

F

H

Weekly Progress Monitoring.

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How do I get to fidelity (7-10 modules) across a year?

ThinkCERCA

Science

ELA + Social Studies or 1 Other Subject

Cross-Curricular Writing

Flexible Models

Depending On Your Curricular Needs

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©Thinkcerca.com Inc 2024

+2024 RATER Challenge Winner!

Will students get personalized feedback automatically? YES!!!!

Winner for Global Competition for AI among hundreds of companies!

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©Thinkcerca.com Inc 2024

CUSTOM LIBRARY OPTIONS

Create and Share Your Own Lessons with Any Text

(Link to Custom Lesson Tool)

+Instant, AI-enabled reading support

+Instant, feedback/scoring

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Additional Resources

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BEST PRACTICES

S.M.A.R.T. Goals

Teachers guide students through the process of setting goals for growth.

Suggested Time: 10-15 minutes

—

Rationale/Research Base

Teaching students various strategies for setting goals and measuring progress allows students to exercise voice, choice, agency, and self-advocacy.

Optimal Application Notes:

Students should choose the framework that works best for them. S.M.A.R.T. Goals is a strategy that students can use to learn the process, but later, they may choose a different strategy.

Before:

Invite students to consider an areas of their academic, personal, or extracurricular lives where there is an opportunity for growth.

During:

Model a S.M.A.R.T. goal, such as I will walk 10,000 steps per day this month
Have students select a specific goal that is high impact, measurable, actionable, realistic, and timely..
After students draft goals, have them workshop the goals.
Have share with the class as they feel comfortable.

After:

Monitor progress weekly.
Reflect after a month and celebrate success.

Scaffolds & Supports:

Provide a suggested goal that applies to your class.
Define key terms in S.M.A.R.T. and provide starter stems.
Some sentence stems for this activity include:

By the end of this unit, I will be able to _______________ in order to ______________.
At the end this unit, I will have learned to ____________________ which will help me ___________________.

Student Tasks:

Consider opportunities for growth
Choose a specific area of growth
Set a measurable and actionable goal.
Check with peers and teachers to be sure it is actionable and timely.
Share goals.

Online ThinkCERCA Resources:

ThinkCERCA Core Curriculum

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Set a S.M.A.R.T. Goal

Overview

P E R S O N A L G O A L S E T T I N G

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Specific	The goal is focused on a particular growth area within a specific aspect of your current life that can easily be described (e.g., a grade in a particular class).
Measurable	The goal can be measured in numbers that indicate progress toward the goal (e.g., 50%).
Actionable	The goal is something you can control by taking steps that have impact on the outcome even if others are involved (e.g., handing in all the homework in the class).
Realistic	The goal can realistically be achieved (i.e., does not require superhuman powers).
Timely	The goal can be achieved in the amount of time available (e.g., 5 weeks).

Goals help you focus your efforts on a specific area of improvement in a particular aspect of your life. Goals also help you understand your ability to direct your own life. Here is a framework for setting goals effectively.

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Set a S.M.A.R.T. Goal

Sample

P E R S O N A L G O A L S E T T I N G

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Quality Goal-Setting	S.M.A.R.T. Planning	Why
Specific	I want to improve two areas of writing.	I understand where I got lower scores and I feel like I could work on those.
Measurable	I got a lower score in evidence and reasoning	I can move those to a score of 4 or 5.
Actionable	I have other assignments coming up so I can get help on these.	I can see my teacher as I am drafting.
Realistic	This is really specific, so I should be able to do it.	I think this is small enough that I could concentrate and get it done.
Timely	If we’re working on this in class it will help my grades too.	We will have class time for working on writing.

Start with the End in Mind: “I want to improve my writing.”

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Set a S.M.A.R.T. Goal for the Unit

Activity

P E R S O N A L G O A L S E T T I N G

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Quality Goal-Setting	S.M.A.R.T. Planning	Why
Specific
Measurable
Actionable
Realistic
Timely

Start with the End in Mind: “I want to _________________________________”

Instructions: Choose a goal that is important to you. Create a plan for achieving it, by ensuring that it is specific, measurable, actionable, realistic, and timely. At the end of this unit, you will reflect on the progress you make toward the goal and your own process of goal setting.

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Quick Journal

S.M.A.R.T. Goal Reflection

OWN YOUR LEARNING

Instructions: Reflect on your S.M.A.R.T. goal.

What can you celebrate?
Were you able to do the action you planned?
Was it specific, measurable, and realistic? If not, how would you change it?
Was it achievable in the given time frame? If not, how would you change it?
How might you revise your planning process for the next set of goals?

Example: The goal I picked may not have been specific enough, but I still achieved a lot…

——————————————————————————————————————————–

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Reflect on Your Success

OWN YOUR LEARNING

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Consider	Specific Description
What are you most proud of so far?
Do you feel like a more effective learner than when you began these cycles? Why? In what way?
What are the best learning conditions for you?
What are some obstacles for you as a learner? Which strategies have you tried to overcome them? Which strategy or strategies worked for you?
What do you want adults around you to understand about you as a person and a learner?

Instructions: Reflect on your success over the course of the unit. Complete the chart below with specific descriptions.

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Celebrate with Others

OWN YOUR LEARNING

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Instructions: “3-2-1” is a strategy that allows you to record your thoughts about your learning throughout the unit in preparation for a discussion. Complete the graphic organizer below with your reflections. Then, share your ideas to celebrate you and your classmates’ learning.

3 parts of this unit I enjoyed…

2 ways that I improved my skills…

1 area of growth I still have…

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Additional Resources:

On Demand Learning for Educators

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Close Reading and Writing Lessons

Onboarding Resources

Our Research Base

Getting Started (Login, Classes, etc.)

Platform Overview

CERCA Now! Overview Video

Core English Language Arts 6-12

Foundational Reading and Linguistics

Implementing ThinkCERCA’s Close Reading and Writing Lessons

A Few Notes about Pacing and Results

Personalized Growth Report

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On-Demand Learning For Educators

Videos on the CERCA Framework for Educators and Families

Summarizing Video�Learn more about the importance of summarizing and the role it plays in academic writing. Ask your child to summarize the news, tv shows, movies, and books and readings in ThinkCERCA.
Claim Video�Learn more about how to make claims. For example, “Dogs make better pets than cats.” Ask your child to make claims about everyday topics such as the news.
Evidence Video�Learn how to support claims with evidence.For example, “Dogs make better pets than cats., because they need to be walked.” Ask your child to support their own arguments with evidence.
Reasoning Video�Understand the importance of providing reasons for your claim and explaining how your evidence supports your claim. Ask your child to express their reasoning to link their evidence. For example, “Dogs are better pets because they have to be walked. That means dogs are pets that cause people to exercise.”
Counterargument Video�Understand the value in listening to and understanding alternative and opposing viewpoints and addressing them with persuasive counterarguments. “While some people say cats are easier to care for, many would agree that they require more work like cleaning a litter box multiple times per day.”
Audience Video�Understand how to appeal to an audience. For example, “Having a dog will help keep me fit and teach me responsibility.”

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Sample Implementation Model

On Demand Learning for Educators

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DAY 1-4	DAY 5	DAY 6	DAY 7-8
(Optional) Day 1 Direct Instruction (Multiple Direct Instruction lessons are provided with additional guided practice activities, based on student readiness, some may be optional.)	Topic Overview Connect (Optional) Think-Pair-Share Read	Check Analyze (Optional) Collaborate to Find Evidence Develop (Optional) Share Your Plan	Draft Scan Revise

Launching Your First Lesson

45-50 Minute Class Pacing Guide

⬤ Goal Setting	⬤ Skills/Concepts Overview	⬤ Close Reading Lessons
*Note that the amount of time devoted to discussion and collaboration varies across classrooms. Students are more engaged and perform better when provided with ample opportunity for academic discourse.

Note that the first module takes more time than later units when teachers and students are familiar with the routines and writing fluency increases.

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Description	Modifications and Engagement Strategies
Students Connect with the Topic Students read the topic overview for their lesson and answer the Personal Connection question.	Ask students to share their response with a classmate.
Students Read the Text Listen to the text as a whole-class (either listen to the audio or do a read-aloud). Once students finish reading, encourage them to talk to peers about what they read. Use prompts such as: What was something interesting that you read? What was something that was confusing to you as you read? What is this text mainly about? Have students complete the comprehension check individually.	Consider providing headphones for students who may need audio support. Make sure students review vocabulary, when needed. Consider having students review their answers with a peer before they submit, and encourage students to dig back into the text to prove their choices. Students can complete an Error Analysis for the questions they got wrong.

Launching Your First Lesson

Engagement and the First Close Reading and Writing Lesson

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Launching Your First Lesson

Engagement and the First Close Reading and Writing Lesson

Description	Modifications and Engagement Strategies
Students Engage with the Text Model for students how to find evidence and annotate in the text. Give a clear expectation for how much highlighting they should do. For example, “two highlights and annotations per prompt.” Evidence should be highlighted and students’ reasoning should be explained in the notes of the highlight.	Here are a few variations for this step: Students partner with a peer and find evidence together. Students get in groups and split the focus: half the group finds the pink highlighted topics, half the group finds the aqua highlighted topics. Consider having students discuss the evidence they found, the notes they took, and any questions they may have. Students can collaborate to find evidence using the organizers provided.

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Launching Your First Lesson

Engagement and the First Close Reading and Writing Lesson

Description	Modifications and Engagement Strategies
Students Summarize the Text Watch elearning video about summarizing as a class. Encourage students to use the sentence frames provided to write their summary.	Try the 3-2-1 Strategy: Have students individually write down the 3 most important points from the article. Work with a partner to determine the 2 most important points. In a small group, come up with one sentence that is the most important point of the article, and write on the board (or graph paper).

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Launching Your First Lesson

Engagement and the First Close Reading and Writing Lesson

Description	Modifications and Engagement Strategies
Argument Builder Model building an argument using Preview, thinking out loud about your thought process as you write. Students begin building their CERCAs individually (claim, reason, evidence, and reasoning). Scaffolding expectations is reasonable. The length of the writing piece can adjust as students become more familiar with the framework (e.g. if students are just learning the skill of writing a claim, have the students write a claim only). Provide clear guidelines for how much writing students need to complete (e.g. one claim, three reasons supported by evidence, etc)	Encourage a turn-and-talk during this step in which students share their claim and the evidence that support their claim.

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Launching Your First Lesson

Engagement and the First Close Reading and Writing Lesson

Description	Modifications and Engagement Strategies
Create your CERCA Students will use the work they have completed up until this point to complete a final version of their writing. Remind students that they can pull up their work and their highlights/notes on the left side of the screen and even copy over their work from the Planning Tool in the Develop Step..	Direct students to the “Need Help Getting Started” tips for the final argument to provide students with suggestions and sentence stems as they work on their final piece of writing. Students can do a peer edit of their work with a partner. In the draft step, students can use CERCA AI to get feedback and revise before submitting.

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Launching Your First Lesson

Engagement and the First Close Reading and Writing Lesson

Description	Modifications and Engagement Strategies
Provide Feedback Provide feedback on student writing. For targeted feedback, provide feedback on the specific component of writing. Guidance to Score Student Writing might be helpful as you get started! Assign a growth focus to guide the area of focus for student writing in the future.	The Feedback Loop strategy or having students reflect on their writing using a Student Reflection sheet can be a great way to highlight areas of improvement for next time.

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