CER Writing: Weather & Climate
Example CER
Question: How is weather different from climate?
Claim: Weather and climate are different because weather describes short-term conditions while climate describes long-term patterns.
Evidence: Weather changes daily or hourly and includes today's temperature, rain, and wind. Climate is calculated using weather data collected over 30 years or more. A city can have rainy weather today but a dry climate overall.
Reasoning: This shows the difference because weather is what you experience right now, while climate is what you expect over time. For example, it might snow in a desert (unusual weather), but the desert climate is still hot and dry based on decades of data.
Practice Questions
1. Which is the best CLAIM for "Why do temperatures vary throughout the year?"
A) Temperatures are different
B) Temperatures vary because Earth's tilt causes seasons
C) I like warm weather
D) The sun is hot
Answer
B) - This claim directly answers why with a specific scientific reason.
2. Which is the best EVIDENCE for "Clouds affect temperature"?
A) I like clouds
B) Clouds are white
C) On cloudy days, temperatures were 5-10 degrees cooler than sunny days
D) Clouds are made of water
Answer
C) - This provides specific data that supports the claim.
3. A student writes: "The temperature was 75°F on Monday." This is:
A) A claim
B) Evidence
C) Reasoning
D) A question
Answer
B) Evidence - This is a specific data point or fact.
4. Which sentence shows REASONING?
A) It rained 3 days this week
B) Weather changes daily
C) This shows that precipitation affects temperature because rain clouds block sunlight
D) The climate is tropical
Answer
C) - "This shows that... because..." connects evidence to the claim.
5. What makes a strong scientific claim?
A) It expresses your opinion
B) It directly answers the question with a testable statement
C) It uses lots of big words
D) It asks another question
Answer
B) - A strong claim gives a specific, testable answer to the question.
6. Which is EVIDENCE about weather tools?
A) Weather tools are helpful
B) The thermometer showed 82°F, the rain gauge collected 0.3 inches
C) I think it will rain tomorrow
D) Tools are important
Answer
B) - This gives specific measurements (data) from weather tools.
7. What should reasoning explain?
A) What the question is
B) How the evidence supports the claim
C) What tools you used
D) What you ate for lunch
Answer
B) - Reasoning explains the connection between your evidence and claim.
8. "According to my data..." is a good way to introduce:
A) A claim
B) Evidence
C) Reasoning
D) A title
Answer
B) Evidence - This phrase introduces specific data or observations.
9. How many pieces of evidence should support your claim?
A) 0
B) 1
C) 2-3
D) 20
Answer
C) 2-3 - Multiple pieces of evidence make your argument stronger.
10. A complete CER about seasons should include:
A) Just a claim
B) Just evidence
C) Claim, evidence, AND reasoning
D) Just reasoning
Answer
C) - A complete CER needs all three parts to fully explain your thinking.
Your Turn!
Write a CER for this question:
"Why do different parts of Earth have different climates?"
- Claim: Different parts of Earth have different climates because...
- Evidence: (Use facts about the equator, poles, and seasons)
- Reasoning: This explains why...
Next Steps
- Practice writing CERs using your weather journal data
- Share your CER with a partner for feedback
- Continue to the Unit Checkpoint