STUDENT GUIDE
Mysterious Cells Found in the Brain of a Genius
Why do scientists reexamine cells they’ve already studied?
View this lesson at ThinkCERCA
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Table of Contents
Skills Focus
Overview and Connect
Read and Check
Analyze / Engage with the Text
Summarize
Develop / Build Your Argument
Draft and Review / Create your CERCA
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Extension Activities
Definition | Facts and Characteristics___ |
Examples | Non-examples___ |
Vocabulary Word:�
NEURONS
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SKILLS FOCUS
Build Your Vocabulary: �Frayer Model — Neurons �
The Frayer Model helps you learn vocabulary from different angles.
Frayer Model
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SKILLS FOCUS
Cornell Notes: Determining and Tracing a Central Idea Through Details
What is a central, or main, idea? | A central, or main idea, is… |
What are some ways to find the main idea in a text? | Some ways to find the main idea in a text are… |
Give an example of a supporting detail. | An example of a supporting detail is… |
Instructions: Take notes on the Direct Instruction lesson using the organizer below. Then summarize and reflect on the next page.
Complete the Direct Instruction lesson online at learn.thinkcerca.com
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SKILLS FOCUS
Cornell Notes: Determining and Tracing a Central Idea Through Details
Summarize and Reflect
In your own words and in complete sentences, write a 3–4 sentence summary of this Direct Instruction lesson. An accurate summary will cover the lesson's central ideas and include important details to support those ideas.
Record your summary here:
OVERVIEW AND CONNECT
Find Your Purpose for Learning
Instructions: When you have finished reading the Overview for this lesson, answer the following questions in the space below:
What more would you like to learn about the study of cells and neurons? What would you like to know about Albert Einstein’s study of cells?
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Read the Overview provided at learn.thinkcerca.com
OVERVIEW AND CONNECT
Share Your Personal Connection
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Complete the Connect section for this selection at learn.thinkcerca.com
Instructions:�
READ
Share Your Reflections
Instructions: During or after you have finished reading, find the questions in the text marked Pause and Reflect. These questions may help you understand the text, or they may help you connect the text to yourself, to other texts, or to the world around you.
Use the space on the left below to answer the reflection questions. Then discuss your answers, noting how they were similar or different.
Record “Pause and Reflect” answers here:
Record discussion reflections here:
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Refer to the Pause and Reflect questions within the Read section of the lesson at learn.thinkcerca.com.
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CHECK
Test Prep Strategy: Prediction
One way to prepare for assessments is to practice looking for the answers in the text before looking at the answer choices. Use prediction strategies as an opportunity to read a text more carefully.
Read each multiple choice question. In your own words, record your prediction of the correct response in the chart below.
Question on ThinkCERCA | What is the question asking you to do? |
Example: Which of the following statements best explains how the passage is structured? | Look for details on the order of ideas in the passage, like order of importance, or cause and effect. |
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Refer to the multiple choice questions for this lesson at learn.thinkcerca.com.
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ANALYZE / ENGAGE WITH THE TEXT
Highlight and Annotate
In this step, you will analyze the text closely, then discuss your findings to begin developing reasoning for your argument.
Return to learn.thinkcerca.com to complete Analyze / Engage with the Text.
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SUMMARIZE
Write a Summary
Summaries help you process your thinking about a text and are often a great way to start off an argumentative or informational essay. A good summary shows you have knowledge about a topic.
Practicing summarizing also helps you prepare for the main idea questions posed on many standardized assessments. In addition, summarizing is a helpful skill for working with others, such as when you need to confirm your understanding of what someone else has said. That's a useful skill for all parts of life.
Return to learn.thinkcerca.com to complete Summarize.
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DEVELOP / BUILD YOUR ARGUMENT
Share your Argument Builder
When you’ve completed the argument building step, share your results with others, and listen to how they responded to the same question. Ask questions, and give feedback to help strengthen your partners’ reasons and evidence.
Why do scientists reexamine cells they’ve already studied? | |
Share Your Argument | Listen and Record Others |
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Complete Develop / Build Your Argument to begin building your argument at learn.thinkcerca.com
DRAFT AND REVIEW / CREATE YOUR CERCA
Peer Editing Activity
Complete your Draft at learn.thinkcerca.com
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DRAFT AND REVIEW / CREATE YOUR CERCA
Reflect on Your Writing
Before you submit your final CERCA, write a brief reflection describing your experience.
An area for growth for me on this piece or in my writing in general is…
The strongest areas of this piece of writing are…
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Through self-assessment and/or peer editing, I learned…
Extension Activities
The following activities can be used as extensions to this lesson.
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OPTIONAL EXTENSION : COMPARE AND CONTRAST
PLANT and ANIMAL CELLS
Background
Cells are the backbone of all living things including all plants and animals. Animals and plants have different parts to their cells.
Compare and Contrast Plant and Animal Cells
Below are two pictures: a plant cell and an animal cell. In the space that follows, find two items that are similar and two parts that are different.
Reflect
What did you learn about cells? Why do you think different cells exist for plants and animals?
Similarities | Differences |
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OPTIONAL EXTENSION : INQUIRY TO RESEARCH
Ask Questions of the Texts
As you engage with texts in any subject, you can actively ask questions about the author’s purpose, intended audience, and occasion to understand the message. The table below provides examples.
Approaches | Example |
Questions about the author | Is the author an authority on this topic? What was the author’s motivation in writing this piece? |
Questions about the audience, purpose, and occasion of the text | Why was this article written? Why was it published at this time? |
Questions about civics, economics, geography, and history | Why is Einstein interesting to study? |
Questions about concepts and ideas | Who might you want to study if you could study a person from history? |
Questions about self and community reflections | What would you do if you learned that something you thought to be true was not? |
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OPTIONAL EXTENSION : INQUIRY TO RESEARCH
Ask Questions of the Texts (continued)
Use the table below to record questions about the text you read.
Approaches | Questions |
Questions about the author | |
Questions about the audience, purpose, and occasion of the text | |
Questions about civics, economics, geography, and history | |
Questions about concepts and ideas | |
Self and Community Reflections | |
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