ThinkCERCA provides a thematic alignment to Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Georgia Collections for English Language Arts, specifically revised for the state of Georgia.
The ThinkCERCA aligned Writing Modules (including Direct Instruction, Skills Lessons, Writing Lessons, and Reading Practice) support the content that students will be focusing on in the Georgia Collections anchor texts, standards, and performance tasks. Additional Direct Instruction resources are provided as an additional support for skills critical for success with the Collection topics and themes.
- Collection 1: Facing Fear
- Collection 2: Animal Intelligence
- Collection 3: Dealing with Disaster
- Collection 4: Making Your Voice Heard
- Collection 5: Decisions That Matter
- Collection 6: What Tales Tell
Collection 1: Facing Fear
Essential Topic Explore how people experience fear and how fear affects the brain and body.
Writing Modules
- Risk-Taking - How do you know when a risk is worth taking?
- Character and Risk - When are tempting rewards worth the risk?
Direct Instruction
- Story Structure
- Plot
- Poetic Structure
- Characters
- Explicit vs. Inferred Information
- Informational and Explanatory Writing
- Central Ideas
- Citing and Documenting
Reading Practice
Create Your Own Lesson Write an expository essay about a fear using information found in selections from the Collection and your own research.
Collection 2: Animal Intelligence
Essential Topic You will explore various perspectives on the intelligence of animals.
Writing Modules
- Endangered Animals - What role should people play in saving endangered animals?
- Nature - How do poets see themselves and their humanity reflected in the natural world?
Direct Instruction
Reading Practice
Create Your Own Lesson Write an expository essay using your research and selections to describe how animals show intelligence.
Collection 3: Dealing with Disaster
Essential Topic Discover how people react in the face of disaster.
Writing Modules
- Perseverance - How do we overcome challenges in our country, our communities, and our lives?
Direct Instruction
Reading Practice
Collection 4: Making Your Voice Heard
Essential Topic Explore the many ways people express their ideas and themselves.
Writing Modules
- Image and Impact - How can a powerful image create change?
- Nonverbal Communication - What are the benefits and drawbacks of nonverbal communication?
Direct Instruction
- Elements of Language
- Characters
- Theme
- Tone
- Author’s Bias
- Evaluating Sound Arguments
- Multiple Perspectives
Reading Practice
Collection 5: Decisions that Matter
Essential Topic How and why people make certain choices in their lives.
Writing Modules
- Paul Revere and the Revolutionary War - What does the story of Paul Revere's ride reveal about the way history is remembered?
- Growing Up - How do authors convey themes about important moments of change in their lives to their readers?
Direct Instruction
Reading Practice
Create Your Own How do people’s decisions shape their lives? Use three pieces of evidence and reasoning to support you claims.
Collection 6: What Tales Tell
Essential Topic How traditional stories reveal the values of a culture.
Writing Modules
- The Art and Architecture of Ancient Greece - What values and beliefs of ancient Greek culture are reflected in its art and architecture?
- Comparing Traditional Tales - How do world cultures express their values through traditional tales?
Direct Instruction
Reading Practice