Thermal Energy Transfer
Claim-Evidence-Reasoning (CER)
Rubric and Example Responses
CER Rubric
0
1
2
3
Claim
Statement that
answers the
Guiding
Question
Not
attempted
Claim is attempted but it:
Does not answer the
Guiding Question
Is not accurate or relevant
Claim attempts to answer the
Guiding Question but it:
Is incomplete
Is not completely accurate
Claim is present and it:
Completely answers the
Guiding Question
Is scientifically accurate
Evidence
Scientific data
and
observations
that support
the claim
Not
attempted
Evidence is attempted
Evidence is inaccurate,
inappropriate, or
irrelevant
Has at least one piece of
evidence that supports the
claim
Some evidence is missing,
inaccurate, or irrelevant
Has two or more pieces
of evidence that
sufficiently support the
claim
Does not include any
inaccurate or irrelevant
evidence
Reasoning
Scientific
principle(s),
concepts, and
definitions that
connect
evidence to
the claim
Not
attempted
Reasoning is attempted but it:
Does not link the claim to
the evidence
Includes unrelated
scientific principles
Is not scientifically
accurate
Reasoning is present but it:
Only connects some
evidence to the claim
Only cites some of the
relevant scientific
principles
Includes some
inaccuracies
Reasoning is present and it:
Sufficiently and clearly
links all evidence to the
claim
Includes only relevant
scientific principle(s)
Is scientifically accurate
Example CER Responses
The following are three sample student responses (Meets Expectations, Approaches Expectations, and Needs
Improvement). Please note that student claims, evidence, and reasoning will vary and should be assessed
individually using the rubric above.
Guiding Question: Why does the outside of an ice cream sandwich melt before the inside does?
Meets Expectations:
Claim
A convection current forms when warm air collides with the sides of an ice cream sandwich, causing
those areas to melt while the unexposed ice cream in the middle remains solid.
Source
Evidence
Thermal Energy: Molecules
simulation
Heat is transferred from the flame to the molecules in the container
without directly touching them.
Thermal Energy Transfer “Did You
Know?” Related Reading
Heat is the transfer of thermal energy. Thermal energy always flows
from high energy to low energy. Conduction, convection, and
radiation are forms of heat transfer.
Thermal Energy Transfer “Did You
Know?” Related Reading
Lava lamps work by convection currents. The lightbulb heats the cold
wax that rises as it warms. Colder wax sinks to replace it, and it is then
heated, forming a convection current.
Heat Transfer movie
When faster molecules collide with slower molecules, the faster one
slows down and the slower one speeds up.
Heat Transfer movie
A hot drink cools off through convection currents formed in the air
near the hot drink’s surface.
An ice cream sandwich has less thermal energy than the air around it. This means that its
molecules are moving more slowly than the air molecules are. We know this because the ice
cream feels colder than the air. During conduction, air molecules collide with the outside of
the ice cream sandwich. This causes air molecules to slow down and the ice cream molecules
to speed up. The cooled air gets dense and sinks. More warm air moves near the ice cream
sandwich and collides with it, melting it. This forms a convection current. The ice cream in the
middle of the sandwich only melts when the air in the convection current can reach it, after the
sides have melted away.
Scoring Rationale:
● Claim (3 points) - The student’s claim is scientifically accurate and fully answers the Guiding Question.
● Evidence (3 points) - The response includes at least two pieces of evidence that are scientifically
accurate and clearly relate to the claim. The claim is sufficiently supported by the evidence provided.
● Reasoning (3 points) - The student’s reasoning thoroughly explains how the evidence supports the claim.
The reasoning is scientifically accurate and explicitly mentions relevant scientific principles (shown above
in bold).
Approaches Expectations:
Claim
The ice cream sandwich melts because the air around the outside gives it temperature.
Source
Evidence
Thermal Energy: Molecules
simulation
Adding energy to the molecules in the container causes an increase in
temperature.
Thermal Energy Transfer “Did You
Know?” Related Reading
Something that feels warm has a high temperature. Temperature
changes until equilibrium is reached.
Reasoning
The ice cream sandwich has a lower temperature than the air around it. The air all around the
ice cream sandwich gives its temperature to the ice cream sandwich until equilibrium is
reached. The first place temperature goes is to the outside of the sandwich, and then it makes
its way in.
Scoring Rationale:
● Claim (2 points) - The claim attempts to answer the Guiding Question but it is not entirely accurate.
● Evidence (2 points) - There is at least one piece of evidence that is scientifically accurate and clearly
relates to the claim. However, there is some evidence missing.
● Reasoning (2 points) - The student’s reasoning connects some of the evidence to the claim and is
generally accurate. However, it does not mention all relevant scientific principles.
Needs Improvement:
Claim
The outside of the ice cream sandwich lost its cold to the air first, making it melt.
Source
Evidence
Heat Transfer movie
Cold is the opposite of heat. Heat moves toward the warmer object.
Reasoning
The air pulled all of the cold from the outside of the ice cream sandwich, so it melted first.
Scoring Rationale:
● Claim (1 point) - A claim is present but it is not scientifically accurate.
● Evidence (1 point) - One piece of evidence is included but it is not relevant to the claim.
● Reasoning (1 point) - Reasoning is attempted but it is scientifically inaccurate. It does not explain how the
evidence supports the claim, nor does it mention the relevant scientific principles.