Argumentation in History and Science
Boston College professor and scholar Katherine L. McNeill developed a series of resources to support middle school science and social studies teachers’ use of argumentation. The resources are organized in a course format and include a syllabus, slide decks and class materials for each session, and assignments. As teachers work through each session, they learn about the claim, evidence and reasoning (CER) framework, and how to use this framework to engage students in argumentation. The resources support teachers’ understanding of evidence and reasoning, as well as distinctions between science and history. The resources also support teachers’ instructional planning of lessons to support students’ development of argumentation.
The materials included in this resource were developed and used as part of professional learning over the 2012-2013 school year. They are organized in sessions and can easily be used to support educators’ professional learning. The materials include several examples of argumentation in science and history, study of the CCSS, a three-step argumentation lesson-planning tool, and rubrics to assess student work. Teachers will find these materials supportive of their instructional planning and teaching.