Table 1.

Key Components and Example Learning Activities Found In Multimodal STEM Text Sets

Key component	Definition	Example learning activities from text sets
Anchor text (complex text)	Foundational text that serves as the line of inquiry/phenomena the text set is conceptually organized around.	Each student will be given a copy of the Anchor text. In table groups, students create questions that they want to answer from the titles and headings of the text on chart paper. Pass out the anchor text, have them begin by doing a walk through the text, discuss any questions they have prior to reading text, then have them read on their own (tell them to underline any words that they aren’t sure of) as they read have them underline in pencil anything that is new or important to them.
Claim-Evidence-Reasoning (CER)	Primary strategy used for the practice of argumentation.	Students will investigate events around the world and identify if such events are making a significant contributing factor to change the climate. Examples include: polar bears, cattle and car emissions, factories and smog. Title of event: Brief description: Claim: Evidence of contributing factors: Reasoning that links evidence with Claim Read through the anchor text identifying and highlighting claims, evidence, and reasoning. Discuss claims identified with team. Choose one claim to write out, support it with evidence and then connect it with reasoning from the anchor text.”
Multimodal Scaffolds	Content and instructional scaffolds designed as intentional supports to increase content knowledge and text comprehension.	Video: The Amazing Human Body. Poem by Sam Illingsworth. What mental images do you form when reading the poem? How do the words affect you? What words have the biggest impact?”