Facilitation Guide

Implementing the Case Cracker CER System

Teacher Resource

Learning Objectives

Students will make a clear claim that answers a specific ELA-based question.
Students will identify and cite at least two pieces of textual evidence.
Students will explain the logical link (reasoning) between their evidence and claim.

SpEd Scaffolding Tips

Visual Anchors: Point to the icons (Flag, Search, Brain) consistently to help students transition between steps.
Oral Rehearsal: Have students say their "Reasoning" out loud using the bridge words before they try to write it.
Chunking: Use the 4-page packet for students who get overwhelmed by a full page of tasks at once.

The 3-Day Investigation

Day 1: The Briefing

Goal: Claim & Evidence Gathering

Use the Slide Deck to introduce the text. Students identify the "Mission Brief" and draft a claim on the Case File Worksheet.

Day 2: Analysis

Goal: Reasoning & Bridging

Focus heavily on "connecting the dots." Use the word banks to help students bridge their evidence back to the claim.

Day 3: Final Report

Goal: Paragraph Construction

Students move from the graphic organizer to the Final Report page in the packet, turning notes into a full response.

Common "Cold Cases" (Misconceptions)

Repeating the Evidence as Reasoning

Students often just say the quote again. Fix: Ask them, "Why does this matter?" or "If this were a trial, why would the jury care about this fact?"

Ignoring the Question in the Claim

Students answer with "Yes" or "Because..." Fix: Use the "Claim Rewording" sentence starter provided on the packet's first page.

For Early Finishers:

"Can you find a Counter-Claim? What would a 'defense lawyer' say to try and prove you wrong?"

For Digital Learning:

Assign the Digital Template Slides via Google Classroom. Use the 'Speaker Notes' for additional individual prompts.

Case Cracker Facilitation Guide

Case Cracker Facilitation Guide

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