RACE to Writing Success! Strategies for teaching students to write text-based answers.

“My aunt, who I live with, has a parrot named Perseverence.” When not provided clear instruction for informative writing, students will often default to familiar patterns. “My aunt, who I live with, has a parrot named Perseverence.” Click photo to watch video.

When asked to write a text-based answer, students often write a summary or a simple explanation instead. For example... After reading a short story about a little girl who protects a family of birds nesting on her front door, third graders are asked, “What inference can be made about the author’s message about animals? Include information from the passage to support your answer.” *From CAASPP practice test site, grade 3 A Student writes: The little girl found a bird nest in the wreath on the front door. So when the movers came she opened the side door so the baby birds wouldn’t get hurt. SUMMARY, NOT INFERENCE!

Text-based Constructed Response: Students must provide evidence to support their answers. Emphasis is on application of learning, rather than memorization of facts or events. Guessing is not an option!

“RACE” Writing Strategy “R” and “A” can often be done in one sentence. R: Restate the question A: Answer the question C: Cite evidence from text E: Expand your answer variations: Explain, Extend I can do this!

Restate and Answer the question Read the question carefully, and underline key words: “What inference can be made about the author’s message about animals? Include information from the passage to support your answer.” 2. While reading, highlight words or phrases that will help you answer the question. 3. Use Key words from #1 to restate the question: “An inference I can make about the author’s message about animals is that animals are our friends and should be protected.” Discuss academic words, and provide sentence frames when needed.

Cite evidence from the text Use your text highlights to write quick notes: *Protected birds *blocked front door *opened side door *Movers said birds were lucky 2. Use notes to write sentences that support your answer: “An inference I can make about the author’s message about animals is that animals are our friends and should be protected.” In the story, Jesse tried to think of ways to protect the baby birds. At first she stood in front of the movers and told them they couldn’t go through the front door. Then she opened the side door for the movers. The movers said, “Those baby birds are lucky to have you protecting them.”

Expand your answer Back up the information from the text with your personal experience or prior knowledge you have about the topic. Explain why this information is important or significant. An inference I can make about the author’s message about animals is that animals are our friends and should be protected. In the story, Jesse tried to think of ways to protect the baby birds. At first she stood in front of the movers and told them they couldn’t go through the front door. Then she opened the side door for the movers. The movers said, “Those baby birds are lucky to have you protecting them.” I agree with the author’s message, because I love animals too, and I think people should protect them.

One last look through for editing purposes… An inference I can make about the author’s message about animals is that animals are our friends and should be protected. In the story, Jesse tried to think of ways to protect the baby birds. At first she stood in front of the movers and told them they couldn’t go through the front door. Then she opened the side door for the movers. The movers said, “Those baby birds are lucky to have you protecting them.” I agree with the author’s message, because I love animals too, and I think people should protect them. Can we choose a different word so that we are not sounding repetitive?

What words are synonyms for “about”? ABOUT = apropos, as concerns, as respects, dealing with, in connection with, in relation to, in respect to, referring to, regarding, relative to, touching on… Let’s use… REGARDING An inference I can make regarding the author’s message about animals is that animals are our friends and should be protected.

And there you have it… An inference I can make regarding the author’s message about animals is that animals are our friends and should be protected. In the story, Jesse tried to think of ways to protect the baby birds. At first she stood in front of the movers and told them they couldn’t go through the front door. Then she opened the side door for the movers. The movers said, “Those baby birds are lucky to have you protecting them.” I agree with the author’s message, because I love animals too, and I think people should protect them.