How can science teachers use complex text in engaging their students – which research supports is what increases test scores? This session has cross curricular significance. Our aim is to help teachers increase student disciplinary literacy. We will show you how to incorporate authentic texts and model instructional processes to help develop your disciplinary literacy understanding. This would be an excellent way to foster discipline-specific literacy instructional processes, mainly for science teachers, but with extended applicability for social studies. the arts, as well as health and PE.

1. ClEv-R Graphic Organizer & Cl-Ev-R Paragraph
C.Rudolph – 2013 – Graphic Organizer & Cl-Ev-R Paragraph (“Cl-Ev-R” terminology based on Explanation Analysis
from Science Formative Assessment, Keeley 2008. Based on the C-E-R Framework, McNeil et al. 2011.)
Complete the chart below.
Use the chart to complete the ClEvR paragraph below:
My karyotype shows a male/female fetus that has /does not have a genetic disorder. The
evidence proves the fetus is male/female with ________________ syndrome because the data
shows _________ sex chromosomes and ____________________________________________.
The scientific reason for this claim is _______________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________.
CLAIM:
If the karyotype shows 22 pairs of chromosomes with either XX or XY sex chromosomes, then the
baby will be a normal male or female. Any variation of this pattern shows a genetic disorder.
RAW DATA FROM EXPT.
OBSERVATIONS
EVIDENCE
SCIENCE VOCABULARY
REASON
 XX = female
 one of the chromosomes
comes from the mother &
the other comes from the
father
 three #21 = trisomy 21 =
Down’s syndrome
three #21 indicates a
nondisjunction occurred
during meiosis
 nondisjunctions are errors in
meiosis
 nondisjunctions can be detected
on a karyotype when there is
fewer or greater than 2
chromosomes at each location
 meiosis involves sexual
reproduction
 in sexual reproduction the fetus
gets half of its’ chromosomes
from the mother & half from the
father
 A fetus can inherit a genetic
syndrome from various chrsm.
combinations created through
meiosis

2. ClEv-R Graphic Organizer & Cl-Ev-R Paragraph
C.Rudolph – 2013 – Graphic Organizer & Cl-Ev-R Paragraph (“Cl-Ev-R” terminology based on Explanation Analysis
from Science Formative Assessment, Keeley 2008. Based on the C-E-R Framework, McNeil et al. 2011.)
If my karyotype showed the raw data in the chart above, then I could write something like
this…
My karyotype shows a male fetus that has a genetic disorder. The evidence proves the fetus is female with Down’s
syndrome because the data shows XY sex chromosomes and three #21 chromosomes. The scientific reason for
this claim is nondisjunctions are errors in meiosis and can be detected on a karyotype when there is fewer or
greater than two chromosomes at each location. Meiosis involves sexual reproduction. In sexual reproduction the
fetus gets half of its’ chromosomes from the mother and half from the father. The fetus can inherit a genetic
syndrome from chromosome combinations created through meiosis.
CLAIM:
If the karyotype shows 22 pairs of chromosomes with either XX or XY sex chromosomes, then the
baby will be a normal male or female. Any variation of this pattern shows a genetic disorder.
RAW DATA FROM EXPT.
OBSERVATIONS
EVIDENCE
SCIENCE VOCABULARY
REASON
 2 sex chromosomes - X & X
 2 chromosomes (1 pair) for
#1-20 and #22
 three #21 chromosomes
instead of two
 XX = female
 one of the chromosomes
comes from the mother &
the other comes from the
father
 three #21 = trisomy 21 =
Down’s syndrome
 three #21 indicates a
nondisjunction occurred
during meiosis
 nondisjunctions are errors in
meiosis
 nondisjunctions can be
detected on a karyotype
when there is fewer or
greater than 2 chromosomes
at each location
 meiosis involves sexual
reproduction
 in sexual reproduction the
fetus gets half of its’
chromosomes from the
mother & half from the
father
 A fetus can inherit a genetic
syndrome from various
chrsm. combinations created
through meiosis