S T U D E N T G U I D E

​

Building a Better Battery

​

The article presents several problems with batteries and solutions to those problems. Which one is the easiest to follow, and why?

​

​

​

​

thinkcerca.com

Table of Contents

STEP 1: Connect

• Finding Your Purpose for Learning
• Think-Pair-Share

STEP 2: Read

• Pause and Reflect
• Test Prep Strategy: Error Analysis (Optional)

STEP 3: Engage with the Text

• Highlight and Annotate

STEP 4: Summarize

• Write a Summary

STEP 5: Build an Argument

• Collaborate: Share your argument builder

STEP 6: Create your CERCA

• Peer Editing Activity
• Writing Reflection

Throughout the guide, look for the laptop icon to find steps to complete online!

thinkcerca.com

Optional Extensions

• Research: The Building of a Better Battery Illustrated Timeline
• Roundtable Discussion

S T E P 1 : C O N N E C T

Finding Your Purpose for Learning

​

​

​

​

When you've finished reading the overview, answer the following questions in the space below:

​

What more would you like to learn about scientific research and engineering design? What would you like to know about how everyday objects like cell phones work? What do you want to find out about scientific breakthroughs that are leading to new developments in technology?

​

thinkcerca.com

​

When I read this text, I would like to find the answer of, why the phones battery doesn’t last the whole day?

Read the Topic Overview provided at learn.thinkcerca.com

S T E P 1 : C O N N E C T

Think-Pair-Share

​

1. Think: On your own, think about your experiences related to the topic.

​

​

​

​

• Pair & Share: With a partner, group, or a trusted listener, share the parts of your response that you feel comfortable sharing.

• ​
• Reflect: If time permits, reflect on your experience. What ideas did others share that you hadn't considered? How were your ideas alike?

​

Complete the writing activity in Step 1: Connect at learn.thinkcerca.com

thinkcerca.com

S T E P 2 : R E A D

Pause and Reflect

​

​

​

When you’ve finished reading, go back and find the questions in the text marked “Pause and Reflect.” These questions will 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:

One is developing small, heavy-duty batteries.The second problem is being able to recharge such batteries many times without them losing their ability to hold energy.

Record discussion reflections here

Read the text for this lesson at learn.thinkcerca.com

thinkcerca.com

What can happen tis that he batteries can explode or can even be harder to recharge.

thinkcerca.com

S T E P 2 : R E A D

Test Prep Strategy: Error Analysis

​

​

​

Reflect on any multiple choice questions that you got wrong. Taking this step will allow you to avoid making the same mistakes when you see similar questions in the future.

Refer to the reading and multiple choice questions for this lesson at learn.thinkcerca.com.

thinkcerca.com

S T E P 3 : E N G A G E W I T H T H E T E X T

Highlight and Annotate

​

In this step, you will analyze the text closely, then discuss your findings to begin developing reasoning for your argument.

​

1. Read the text again, highlighting and annotating important details. Follow the prompts provided.

​

​

​

​

The highlighting prompts will help you with the final writing task. You will find evidence to support your own argument or informational piece, as well as models of excellence that will help you better understand a writer’s craft in narratives. The evidence you highlight will be available when you begin building your draft in the next step.

​

2. If time permits, pair and share your highlights and annotations with a classmate. Pay close attention to this conversation! Your thinking is important reasoning you may include in your final draft.

​

​

Return to learn.thinkcerca.com to complete Step 3: Engage with the Text.

thinkcerca.com

S T E P 4 : S U M M A R I Z E

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.

​

1. ��Use the sentence stems provided to summarize the text.

Your summary should:

• Be brief
• Include the main idea and key details
• Represent these ideas fairly and accurately �
• If time permits, pair and share with a classmate. Read each other’s summary, and discuss how they are similar or different. What did you say were the main idea and key details? Were your summaries fair and accurate? Why?

​

Return to learn.thinkcerca.com to complete Step 4: Summarize.

thinkcerca.com

S T E P 5 : B U I L D A N A R G U M E N T

Collaborate: 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.

​

​

Complete Step 5 to begin building your argument at learn.thinkcerca.com

S T E P 6 : C R E A T E Y O U R C E R C A

Peer Editing Activity

​

​

​

1. Do a self-assessment of your CERCA. Use the online Rubric for the lesson on learn.thinkcerca.com, checking each box where you find evidence that you have achieved the criteria.�
2. Next, collaborate with a peer or peers to read each other’s drafts. Again, use the Rubric to evaluate each other’s work.�
3. Share insights into what might make your pieces stronger. Find two positive attributes and one area of growth for each draft you review.�
4. Revise your piece using what you learned from your self-assessment and the feedback from your peers.

Complete Step 6 to create your CERCA at learn.thinkcerca.com

thinkcerca.com

S T E P 6 : C R E A T E Y O U R C E R C A

Writing Reflection

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…

thinkcerca.com

Through self-assessment and/or peer editing, I learned…

Optional Extensions

​

The following activities can be used as optional extensions to this lesson.

thinkcerca.com

O P T I O N A L E X T E N S I O N : I N Q U I R Y T O R E S E A R C H

The Building of a Better Battery Illustrated Timeline

Background

Did you know that American scientist and inventor Benjamin Franklin first used the term “battery” in 1749, during his early experiments with electricity? Today —more than 250 years later—scientists and engineers are still working to build a “better battery.”

Create a timeline to imagine, visualize, and tell the story about the humble beginnings of the battery, and to map where the technology is today.

Materials

• Laptops
• Paper (if needed)

Activity

Research online using trusted websites available through your school or local library.

Research

Things to include:

1. Dates
2. Important people involved
3. Work they accomplished
4. How the development of each improvement in battery technology influenced people’s lives
5. Impact batteries had/have on the environment

thinkcerca.com

O P T I O N A L E X T E N S I O N : I N Q U I R Y T O R E S E A R C H

The Building of a Better Battery Illustrated Timeline (continued)

​

Think, Pair, and Share

• On your own, start your research and gather information about how batteries have evolved over time.
• Next, get together with your partner or team and think-pair-share the information that you have gathered.
• Lastly, come to a group agreement about what you want to put on your timeline.

​

Create and Build your Timeline

With your partner or team, make a timeline. Include images and text (either digitally or on paper) that shows important dates, who was involved, the type of work they accomplished, how battery technology developed, and its influence on society. Once your timeline is complete, take a look at the big picture. How did the development of the battery over time impact our planet? Was it good or bad? Do you think it is the same in all societies around the world?

​

Once you have completed your timeline, share or present it to your peers. Your group and your teacher can also share it with ThinkCERCA, but posting it to social media with the hashtag #SparkCourageousThinking.

thinkcerca.com

O P T I O N A L E X T E N S I O N : R O U N D T A B L E D I S C U S S I O N

Sharing Additional Research Findings, Learnings, and Experiences

Roundtable discussions offer you the opportunity to share what you’ve learned, as well as to ask questions and learn from others. Come to the discussion prepared to share your key findings. Use the organizer on the next page.

How the discussion works:

1. Choose a group leader who will help lead the roundtable discussion, and select a member of the group to go first.
2. Go around the group, allowing each participant to share a quick review of their their key findings.
3. When not presenting, take notes, summarizing key findings of your peers. Snap silently to show gratitude, appreciation, or interest!
4. After each presenter, take a moment for participants to ask questions or summarize what they just heard. Each participant should ask at least one question or summarize what someone else presented at least once during the discussion.
5. When complete, the presenter “passes the mic” to the next presenter.

Remember, it’s important to value dialogue and appreciate different perspectives. Learning from and understanding people who think differently or have different experiences is part of the process of growth! You don’t have to agree to learn from another perspective!

thinkcerca.com

O P T I O N A L E X T E N S I O N : R O U N D T A B L E D I S C U S S I O N

Discussion Notes

​

/ 224.412.3722 / thinkcerca.com