Collaborating to find evidence is a teaching strategy that encourages students to engage with one another. This process involves different types of participation from students. First, they work individually to apply the CERCA framework to a piece of text. Next, students work in pairs to share and collaborate. And finally, students discuss their claims, reasoning, and evidence in a larger group. Research indicates that this method of learning is effective in increasing achievement on writing and standardized tests. This student-facing presentation walks learners through the process of sharing their ideas. Visit www.resources.thinkcerca.com/collaborating for classroom management tips and handouts. Below are tips for implementing this strategy in your classroom along with downloadable handouts for you and your students.

1. How Sharing Ideas Makes You Smarter

2. It starts with a
great text …

3. … a great question …

4. … and a great mind.

5. It is important to think for yourself.

6. But sometimes, it’s helpful to
think with others, too.

7. COLLABORATING TO LEARN
Here's how to communicate and
share with others in four easy steps.

8. Develop a Shared
Claim
After you have
completed reading,
develop a claim with
your partner.

9. Search for Reasons
Separately, find one reason to support
that claim. Reasons are what you think.
Later, you’ll explain your reasoning, or why
you think it.

10. Search Evidence
Separately, find one piece of evidence to
support that claim.

11. Collaborate
Combine your reasons
and evidence with your
partner’s. Together,
eliminate duplicate
reasons and evidence,
then refine your wording.

12. Practice Explaining Your Reasoning
Explain why you think what you think, or
how your evidence links back to your
reason and claim.
What is your
reasoning?

13. Citing Evidence
Sentence Frames
According to the author _______.
In other words _______.

14. Engaging with Peers
Sentence Frames
I disagree with ______.
______ was wise to point out ______.
To add to it, I would argue ______.

15. Engaging with Peers
Sentence Frames
______, is it fair to summarize
your point by saying ______?
______, I heard you say ______.
Am I getting that right?