Claim–Evidence–Reasoning (CER) with Orchid Fever: Scaffolded Writing Strategies for the Middle School Science Classroom 🌿

Why CER Writing Matters in Science Education

CER—Claim, Evidence, Reasoning—is the go-to framework in middle school science classrooms and using real-world topics like Orchid Fever is a great way to engage students. Teachers and researchers praise CER writing in science for helping students think and write like scientists. In fact, science education leaders recommend CER as a scaffolded way to teach the scientific method, foster deeper understanding, and increase lesson rigor

Telling the Story of Orchid Fever

Orchid Fever captures a dramatic moment in plant conservation . It’s a gripping narrative of Victorian obsession, wild orchid collecting, forbidden smuggling, and environmental consequences.

This rich real-world story provides the perfect anchor for CER writing—and it’s full of fascinating science and ethics.

Click HERE to learn more

Scaffolded CER Writing: A Classroom Example

1. Pose a Guiding Question
For example: What are the causes and effects of Orchid Fever?

Claim: “Orchid Fever harmed wild orchid populations.”

2. Gather Evidence

The Orchid: Plant Structures, Ecosystems, Pollinators, Symbiosis resource included scaffolded notes and a slideshow to help students. Click HERE to see the resource.

3. Guide Reasoning using scientific principles

Apply ecological ideas: When wild orchids are removed faster than they can reproduce, their populations decline.
Discuss conservation ethics: Human actions can drive species toward extinction.

4. Optional Rebuttal or Counterclaim
Following advanced CER strategies, students can address alternative perspectives, such as collectors claiming orchids were preserved by being saved, and then refute them with evidence.

Sample CER Response

Claim:
Orchid Fever led to declines in wild orchid populations because extensive collecting was unsustainable.

Evidence:
Victorian collectors traveled to distant jungles to find exotic orchids, leading to illegal harvests and habitat destruction. Conservation reports show many rare orchid species were lost due to overcollection .

Reasoning:
Removing orchids at a rate faster than they can reproduce destabilizes ecosystems. Without enough orchids growing and spreading, species cannot maintain population stability, ultimately risking extinction.

Rebuttal:
Some argue that collecting helped preserve orchids in greenhouses, but this ignores habitat loss and illegal trade—factors that science shows cause irreversible decline.

Classroom Tips for CER with Orchid Fever

Model the process: The resource has six CER options so there are opportunities to do CERs together, in groups, and individually. A rubric and sample answers are included. Click HERE to learn more.
Use sentence starters: “The evidence shows…”, “This suggests… because…”.
Encourage deeper thinking: Discuss ecological impact, ethics of conservation, and modern parallels (e.g., illegal wildlife trade).

Why Orchid Fever Works for CER

Engaging: A compelling narrative hooks student interest.
Rich in evidence: Historical accounts provide ample quotes and facts.
Multi-layered reasoning: Students explore ecology, ethics, and conservation science.
Alignment with NGSS: Ties directly into standards like MS‑LS2‑2 (ecosystem interactions) and MS‑LS4‑4 (adaptation and extinction).

Ready to Build Deeper Scientific Writing?

If you want fully scaffolded CER worksheets, lesson plans, texts, and visuals using Orchid Fever, check out the Orchid Adaptations & Ecosystem guided notes with 6 CER options in my store. With NGSS alignment and classroom-ready resources, it’s everything you need to help students think—and write—like scientists.