ThinkCERCA offers a wide variety of lessons expertly aligned to the California Common Core ELA Standards. These lessons include differentiated sets of applied writing lessons—based on both informational and literary texts—as well as direct instruction lessons to introduce or review key literacy concepts with your students. The following English language arts sets and lessons are organized by theme for quick inclusion into units and address a key question for collaborative discussion and debate:

• Policy and Debate
• Personal Identity
• Individuals and Communities
• Family and Relationships
• Social Responsibility
• Catalysts for Change
• Communication
• Freedom and Equality
• Global Conflict
• Culture
• Environment and Nature
• Money and Needs
• Risk and Gain
• Technology and Society

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Theme: Policy & Debate

Differentiated lesson sets (CERCA Sets) and suggested direct instruction lesson pairings for teaching standards-aligned key skills and concepts School Policy: How can we improve student learning? (CA.CCSS.RI.2; CA.CCSS.W.1)

• Suggested Pairing: Summarizing (CA.CCSS.RI.2)

Video Games: What are the benefits and drawbacks of playing video games? (CA.CCSS.RI.8; CA.CCSS.W.1)

• Suggested Pairing: Effective Paragraphs (CA.CCSS.W.4)

Government Role in Health: What role should the government play in regulating health? (CA.CCSS.RI.8; CA.CCSS.W.1)

• Suggested Pairing: Claims (CA.CCSS.RI.2)

Social Media: What are the benefits and drawbacks of using social media? (CA.CCSS.RI.1; CA.CCSS.W.1)

• Suggested Pairing: Evidence (CA.CCSS.RI.8)

Sports and Society: What is the relationship between our culture and sports? (CA.CCSS.RI.1; CA.CCSS.W.1)

• Suggested Pairing: Reasoning (CA.CCSS.RI.8)

The Role of Machines: What are the positive and negative effects of technology? (CA.CCSS.RI.2; CA.CCSS.W.1)

• Suggested Pairing: Counterarguments (CA.CCSS.RI.6)

Distracted Driving: How can engineers and lawmakers improve driver safety and minimize driver distraction? (CA.CCSS.RI.1; CA.CCSS.W.1)

• Suggested Pairing: Audience (CA.CCSS.RI.6)

Intellectual Property: What are the opportunities and challenges in using other people's ideas? (CA.CCSS.RI.1; CA.CCSS.W.1)

• Suggested Pairing: Reasoning (CA.CCSS.RI.8)

Endangered Animals: What role should people play in saving endangered animals? (CA.CCSS.RI.1; CA.CCSS.W.1)

• Suggested Pairing: Words and Details in Informational Texts (CA.CCSS.RI.4)

Rail Infrastructure: What factors should the U.S. government take into account when making decisions about investing in rail infrastructure? (CA.CCSS.RI.8; CA.CCSS.W.1)

• Suggested Pairing: Evidence (CA.CCSS.RI.1)

Student Free Speech: To what extent should students be allowed to exercise free speech? (CA.CCSS.RI.1; CA.CCSS.W.1)

• Suggested Pairing: Reasoning (CA.CCSS.RI.1)

Theme: Personal Identity

Differentiated lesson sets (CERCA Sets) and suggested direct instruction lesson pairings for teaching standards-aligned key skills and concepts Personal Identity: How is our identity shaped by how others perceive us? (CA.CCSS.RI.2; CA.CCSS.W.1)

• Suggested Pairing: Organizing Arguments (CA.CCSS.W.1)

Theme: Individuals and Communities

Differentiated lesson sets (CERCA Sets) and suggested direct instruction lesson pairings for teaching standards-aligned key skills and concepts Group Decision-Making: What is the best way for a group to make a decision? (CA.CCSS.RI.3; CA.CCSS.W.1)

• Suggested Pairing: Connections Within a Text (CA.CCSS.RI.3)

Communities: How do poets use language to help their communities understand and appreciate their experiences and values in ways no one else can? (CA.CCSS.RL.4; CA.CCSS.W.1)

• Suggested Pairing: Elements of Language (CA.CCSS.L.5)

Theme: Family and Relationships

Differentiated lesson sets (CERCA Sets) and suggested direct instruction lesson pairings for teaching standards-aligned key skills and concepts Genetics: How do your genes contribute to who you are? (CA.CCSS.RI.3; CA.CCSS.W.1)

• Suggested Pairing: Connections Within a Text (CA.CCSS.RI.3)

Family and Influence: How do our families help shape the people we become? (CA.CCSS.RL.2; CA.CCSS.W.1)

• Suggested Pairing: Theme (CA.CCSS.RL.2)

Family History: How do family history and traditions contribute to your identity? (CA.CCSS.RI.2; CA.CCSS.W.1)

• Suggested Pairing: Central Ideas (CA.CCSS.RI.2)

Theme: Overcoming Adversity

Differentiated lesson sets (CERCA Sets) and suggested direct instruction lesson pairings for teaching standards-aligned key skills and concepts Bullying: How does bullying affect everyone involved: the victim, the bully, and the bystander? (CA.CCSS.RI.6; CA.CCSS.W.1)

• Suggested Pairing: Author's Purpose (CA.CCSS.RI.6)

Conflict and Dominance: How do conflict and the struggle for dominance affect the human spirit? (CA.CCSS.RL.3; CA.CCSS.W.1)

• Suggested Pairing: Point of View (CA.CCSS.RL.6)

Perseverance: How do we overcome challenges in our country, our communities, and our lives? (CA.CCSS.RI.3; CA.CCSS.W.2)

• Suggested Pairing: Connections Within a Text (CA.CCSS.RI.3)

Overcoming Obstacles: How do characters develop as they face conflicts and overcome obstacles? (CA.CCSS.RL.3; CA.CCSS.W.3)

• Suggested Pairing: Characters (CA.CCSS.RL.3)

The Best Laid Plans: How do authors use their characters’ plans and motives to develop the plot? (CA.CCSS.RL.3; CA.CCSS.W.3)

• Suggested Pairing: Plot (CA.CCSS.RL.3)

Theme: Social Responsibility

Differentiated lesson sets (CERCA Sets) and suggested direct instruction lesson pairings for teaching standards-aligned key skills and concepts Social Responsibility: How do individuals stand up and take responsibility for changing their societies? (CA.CCSS.RI.9; CA.CCSS.W.1)

• Suggested Pairing: Author's Purpose (CA.CCSS.RI.6)

Theme: Catalysts for Change

Differentiated lesson sets (CERCA Sets) and suggested direct instruction lesson pairings for teaching standards-aligned key skills and concepts Image and Impact: How can a powerful image create change? (CA.CCSS.RI.7; CA.CCSS.W.1)

• Suggested Pairing: Text Features (CA.CCSS.RI.7)

Growing Up: How do authors convey themes about important moments of change in their lives to their readers? (CA.CCSS.RL.2; CA.CCSS.W.3)

• Suggested Pairing: Writing Personal Narratives (CA.CCSS.W.3)

Theme: Communication

Differentiated lesson sets (CERCA Sets) and suggested direct instruction lesson pairings for teaching standards-aligned key skills and concepts Nonverbal Communication: What are the benefits and drawbacks of nonverbal communication? (CA.CCSS.RI.3; CA.CCSS.W.2)

• Suggested Pairing: Informational and Explanatory Writing (CA.CCSS.W.2)

Humor: What can humor communicate that other types of communication cannot? (CA.CCSS.RI.4; CA.CCSS.W.1)

• Suggested Pairing: Words and Details in Informational Text (CA.CCSS.RI.4)

Sounds in Poetry: How do poets use the sounds of words to convey themes? (CA.CCSS.RL.5; CA.CCSS.W.1)

• Suggested Pairing: Elements of Language (CA.CCSS.L.5)

Sonnets: How do poets use the traditional form of the sonnet to communicate their ideas in new ways? (CA.CCSS.RL.5; CA.CCSS.W.1)

• Suggested Pairing: Poetic Structure (CA.CCSS.RL.5)

Through Their Eyes: How do authors use point of view and perspective to affect their readers’ experience of a story? (CA.CCSS.RL.6; CA.CCSS.W.3)

• Suggested Pairing: Point of View and Perspective (CA.CCSS.RL.6)

Theme: Freedom and Equality

Differentiated lesson sets (CERCA Sets) and suggested direct instruction lesson pairings for teaching standards-aligned key skills and concepts Civil War Poetry: How does poetry help explore various aspects of conflict and war? (CA.CCSS.RL.2; CA.CCSS.W.2)

• Suggested Pairing: Theme (CA.CCSS.RL.2)

Theme: Global Conflict

Differentiated lesson sets (CERCA Sets) and suggested direct instruction lesson pairings for teaching standards-aligned key skills and concepts Conflict and Character: How do different characters respond to conflict? (CA.CCSS.RL.6; CA.CCSS.W.2)

• Suggested Pairing: Characters (CA.CCSS.RL.3)

Theme: Culture

Differentiated lesson sets (CERCA Sets) and suggested direct instruction lesson pairings for teaching standards-aligned key skills and concepts Cultural Perception: How is our identity defined by how others perceive us? (CA.CCSS.RI.4; CA.CCSS.W.1)

• Suggested Pairing: Words and Details in Informational Texts (CA.CCSS.RI.4)

Cultural Memoirs: How does culture help shape the people we become? (CA.CCSS.RL.2; CA.CCSS.W.1)

• Suggested Pairing: Theme (CA.CCSS.RL.2)

Comparing Traditional Tales: How do world cultures express their values through traditional tales? (CA.CCSS.RL.9; CA.CCSS.W.1)

• Suggested Pairing: Common Ideas Across Texts (CA.CCSS.RL.3)

Theme: Environment and Nature

Differentiated lesson sets (CERCA Sets) and suggested direct instruction lesson pairings for teaching standards-aligned key skills and concepts Nature: How do poets see themselves and their humanity reflected in the natural world? (CA.CCSS.RL.2; CA.CCSS.W.2)

• Suggested Pairing: Theme (CA.CCSS.RL.2)

Theme: Money and Needs

Differentiated lesson sets (CERCA Sets) and suggested direct instruction lesson pairings for teaching standards-aligned key skills and concepts Entrepreneurship: How can entrepreneurs change the world? (CA.CCSS.RI.3; CA.CCSS.W.1)

• Suggested Pairing: Organizing Arguments (CA.CCSS.W.1)

Money and Decisions: How does money affect our moral decision-making? (CA.CCSS.RL.2; CA.CCSS.W.1)

• Suggested Pairing: Theme (CA.CCSS.RL.2)

Theme: Risk and Gain

Differentiated lesson sets (CERCA Sets) and suggested direct instruction lesson pairings for teaching standards-aligned key skills and concepts Risk-taking: How do you know a risk is worth taking? (CA.CCSS.RI.2; CA.CCSS.W.2)

• Suggested Pairing: Central Ideas (CA.CCSS.RI.2)

Character and Risk: What are tempting rewards worth the risk? (CA.CCSS.RL.9; CA.CCSS.W.2)

• Suggested Pairing: Common Ideas Across Texts (CA.CCSS.RL.3)

Theme: Technology and Society

Differentiated lesson sets (CERCA Sets) and suggested direct instruction lesson pairings for teaching standards-aligned key skills and concepts  21st Century Learning: What is the best way to learn in the 21st century? (CA.CCSS.RI.2; CA.CCSS.W.1)

• Suggested Pairing: Central Ideas (CA.CCSS.RI.2)

Kid Inventors: How have young people's inventions made an impact on the world? (CA.CCSS.RI.5; CA.CCSS.W.1)

• Suggested Pairing: Organizing Arguments (CA.CCSS.W.1)

Technology and Impact: What problems has technology helped us solve, and what new problems has the introduction of technology created? (CA.CCSS.RI.2; CA.CCSS.W.1)

• Suggested Pairing: Central Ideas (CA.CCSS.RI.2)

Technology and Art: How does our experience of literature change when it is delivered in different mediums? (CA.CCSS.RL.7; CA.CCSS.W.1)

• Suggested Pairing: Format (CA.CCSS.RL.5)