

Tuesday, August 13, 2013
Seascape Golf Club

(You can  rearrange the order of these elements)
Q: Quotation – choose a quotation from the documents that
supports what you are saying – (introduce it properly)
E: Explain the quotation – What does the author mean?
R: Respond & Reliability – What do you think? Discuss its
credibility– primary or secondary – point of view?
M: My example – Use facts from other episodes in history,
expert opinion, narrative from your life or another person’s
T: Tie your example to your thesis and/or the quotation






Q.E.R.M.T. How to analyze quotes to support your
arguments with evidence




CCSS RH.1. Cite specific textual evidence to support
analysis of primary and secondary sources, connecting
insights gained from specific details to an understanding of
the text as a whole
CCSS RH.2. Determine the central ideas or information of a
primary or secondary source…
CCSS WHST.1.b. Develop claim(s) and counterclaims fairly
and thoroughly, supplying the most relevant data and
evidence for each while pointing out the strengths and
limitations of both claim(s) and counterclaims…
CCSS WHST.9. Draw evidence from informational text to
support analysis, reflection, and research






Seamless way for them to learn the content: teacher
provides current standards based text students have to
read as they hunt for quotations to support their arguments
Inviting way to begin writing as quotations become anchors
Allows greater creativity than other writing scaffolds since
students are encouraged to arrange elements to suit
Gives teacher an easy tool for teaching primary vs.
secondary sources and checking for their understanding
Provides an effective scaffold for greater levels of analysis
Helps students develop practice using examples in their
writing which often come from historical connections






Guide the whole class through an analysis of the
documents before they hunt for quotations
Provide a mentor text. Build your own so you understand
how to use this scaffold – find mine at www.theschool.org
Allow students to work in small groups to share ideas and
get immediate feedback on their work
Ask groups to pick their favorite writing to share with the
class, and allow the author to determine who reads it
Coach while they write – call individual students up to your
desk and discuss their work
Provide a quick and easy rubric for them to evaluate each
other and most importantly to self evaluate



Have a look at the Smarter Balanced Rubrics:
http://www.smarterbalanced.org/wordpress/wpcontent/uploads/2012/05/TaskItemSpecifications/English
LanguageArtsLiteracy/ELARubrics.pdf
http://www.ccwritingproject.org/ (QERMT was created by
CCWP Co-Director Louann Baker in 2005)
QERMT’s for Modern World History and U.S. Government
are available in the locker section of my home page:
www.theschool.org
Barrett Vitol
(browsers may need to load this page twice)
Aptos High School
Teacher@TheSchool.org