RACE Writing Strategy for Text Dependent Questions 2nd-3rd Grade

Print and Digital! With free optional student instructional video lessons! This resource will help your students gradually learn how to use the RACE or RACES strategy for constructed responses to text dependent questions. The RACE(S) strategy is an acronym (Restate question, Answer the question, Cite text evidence, Explain the evidence, and optional Sum it up) that helps students structure their response to a question in a thoughtful, organized way that draws from the text.

This resource includes a list of steps for teaching the strategy effectively. Go right down the list, using the materials included! Posters are included to help students remember and apply the strategy, and small cards identical to the posters are included too for individual student use if desired. This resource includes both fiction and nonfiction reading passages with a text-dependent question. As you proceed, you gradually build the strategy (starting with just RA, then RAC, then RACE, then optional RACES).

Written answer samples at each stage are also included to examine as a class. These writing samples include both good examples as models and not-as-good samples to critique. All the reading passage/question pages have two options for writing lines: handwriting lines and regular lines so that you can choose which suits your students best.

Also included are blank lined pages (for each stage) with a space for you to write your own question relevant to a text of your choice. Answer keys are included for all pages (to use as a guide) as well as rubrics for each stage (in 2 versions).

Purchasing this resource will enable you to download the traditional PDF version to be printed as well as have access to a digital version to be used with Google Classroom™ or any LMS (through TpT's digital tool, Easel)! I have already prepared a student digital version of this resource for your convenience (deleted answer keys, added instructions and text boxes for student answers, etc.). But you can also make your own changes (in terms of text boxes, instructions, etc., but note the content of the pages is not editable). For more information about how TpT's digital tool Easel works, please click here! Also check out the preview above for a glimpse of this digital version!

This resource has proven to be very effective, and it includes all the materials needed for teaching the strategy. But as an optional added bonus, you may also like my free RACE instructional video lessons! There are 11 videos in the series [Lesson 11 (S for Sum It Up) is optional], and I teach the strategy one step at a time with student independent practice in between some of the video sessions. The practice pages and materials needed are included in this resource (print and digital). The videos can be found on my YouTube channel (name: Erin Guge; playlist: RACE Writing Strategy Instructional Videos), and a convenient link to the video playlist is included in this resource. To get a glimpse into the video series, see my informational video HERE.

This resource is geared toward 2nd-3rd graders, but this can be flexible. The reading passages are short and fairly simple (and enjoyable!) so that the focus is on learning to apply the RACE strategy (and not on text difficulty). Some first graders may be ready for this, and this also would work well for upper elementary students who are struggling with written responses and need the process broken down more. You can proceed at your own pace and move on to the next step as students are ready.

Also check out my RACE(S) Writing Strategy All Year resource that is a wonderful supplement and provides even more practice passages! Click here to check it out!

Also check out my Paired Passages Using the RACE(S) Writing Strategy that is the next step after learning the RACE strategy: comparing and contrasting two texts! Click here to check it out! Also has free instructional videos!

If you are looking for a RACE resource geared more specifically toward K-1st grade, check that out here!

Grab all of my RACE resources in a money-savings mega bundle here!

This product includes the following:

-A list of steps for teaching the RACE(S) strategy, which makes use of the materials listed below

-Questions for oral practice (to practice orally answering a question in a complete sentence by first restating the question)

-Question/Answer matching page

-Questions for oral practice using picture books

-RACE(S) posters (different layout and color options)

-RACE(S) posters in small card size (9 per page), also in black/white

-2 simple activities to help students understand what it means to state evidence to prove your answer

-8 passages (4 fiction, 4 nonfiction), each with a good written sample answer and a not-as-good written sample for critique (2 for the RA stage, 2 for the RAC stage, 4 for the RACE stage, and sample endings for the optional RACES stage)

-16 passages (8 fiction, 8 nonfiction) with a question for student response (2 for the RA stage, 6 for the RAC stage, 6 for the RACE stage, and 2 for the optional RACES stage)

-Blank lined pages with space for your own question (for each stage)

-Answer keys for all pages

-Rubrics for each stage in 2 versions

- Video lessons guide

If you have questions or ideas for how I can improve my products, feel free to email me at erinteachermom@gmail.com. If you like this product, please leave positive feedback in order to receive credit toward future purchases! Also, consider following me on TpT!

Also check out these other resources:

Differentiated Writing Resource Notebook in 3 Formats

Writing Conventions Notebook and Posters (Grammar, Capitalization, Punctuation)

Vocabulary Interactive Notebook

Writing Paper for Holidays, Seasons, and Everyday Use

Poetry Bundle (Alliteration Pyramid Poem, Monster Simile Poem, Bio Poems, List Poems)

Thank you and happy teaching!

Erin Guge

© Erin Guge – All Rights Reserved

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• This product is for one teacher use only. If others like the product, please send them to my TpT store.