This tool "teachers students to explain the thinking behind their ideas by training them to support their hypotheses, predictions, conclusions, and inferences with 'becauses'."
It can be used to:
- get students in the habit of supporting their ideas with reasons and evidence
- help students extend and elaborate on their thinking
- develop and assess students' understanding of key content
More information and examples of how to use this tool can be found on pages 218-220 in Tools for Classroom Instruction That Works.