1. The road to answering open-ended reading questions
RACE!
The road to answering open-ended reading questions

2. What is this for? Comprehension Check Reader Response Journals
Where should I use R.A.C.E. to answer open-ended reading questions?
Comprehension Check
Reader Response Journals
PARCC questions
Any time you are asked to write about what you have read

3. What does R.A.C.E. stand for?
Restate the question
Answer ALL parts
Be Clear
Include Examples

4. Sample Question & Answer
Question: After reading “Goldilocks and the Three Bears,” were you satisfied with the ending? How else might the story have ended? Would that have been a better ending? Why or why not?
Answer: No, because Goldilocks should have gotten in trouble instead of just running away. The bears could have eaten her.

5. Our First Try That answer was… Now let’s fix it with R.A.C.E.!
Not good enough! Booo!
Now let’s fix it with R.A.C.E.!

6. R.A.C.E.: Restate Start by restating the question
Do this for EACH question if there is more than one
No, I was not satisfied with the ending, because Goldilocks should have gotten in trouble instead of just running away. The story might also have ended with the bears eating her.

7. R.A.C.E.: Answer ALL parts
Check to make sure you answered ALL parts of the question.
Question: After reading “Goldilocks and the Three Bears,” were you satisfied with the ending? How else might the story have ended? Would that have been a better ending? Why or why not?
Oops! We missed the last parts of the question!

8. R.A.C.E.: Answer ALL parts Let’s try again, remembering…
Restate the question
Answer ALL parts
No, I was not satisfied with the ending, because Goldilocks should have gotten in trouble instead of just running away. The story might also have ended with the bears eating her. I think that would have been a better ending because it would teach that there are consequences to being rude and entering a stranger’s house.

9. R.A.C.E.: Be CLEAR What can I do to make my response CLEAR?
Organize ideas
Include a topic sentence for each new idea (usually just by turning each question around)
Focus on one idea at a time, don’t jump back and forth
Explain your thinking
Remember that the reader may not have read the text. You have to clearly explain all of your ideas.
Check grammar and spelling
Make connections
This is a powerful way to explain and clarify your ideas, but ONLY if it is a relevant and strong connection. You will not be able to think of a good connection for EVERY prompt, but this one should definitely include a connection…

10. R.A.C.E.: Clear Connections
What kind of connections can I make?
Connect to myself
I know that when I am rude to other people, my parents always make me face the consequences. I think that is the only fair way to help me learn to be respectful.
Connect to the world
Kids these days think they can get away with anything. That makes me think that if Goldilocks had been eaten by the bears, it would have helped teach readers a valuable lesson.
Connect to another text
In “The Boy Who Cried Wolf,” the boy got eaten by the wolf at the end. This was a consequence that he had to face because he lied. That story teaches readers not to lie, just like I think this story should teach kids not to be rude or enter a stranger’s house.
Which one do we like the best?
Note: Connections usually work best at the END.

11. R.A.C.E.: Include Examples
Use examples from the story to PROVE what you are saying.
Ask yourself: “What do I need to prove?”
That Goldilocks is rude, and deserves to face consequences.
Ask yourself: “What part of the story proves my point?”
When Goldilocks rudely goes to the bears’ house and uses all their stuff.

12. Putting It All Together
Question: After reading “Goldilocks and the Three Bears,” were you satisfied with the ending? How else might the story have ended? Would that have been a better ending? Why or why not?
Answer: No, I was not satisfied with the ending, because Goldilocks should have gotten in trouble instead of just running away. Goldilocks was rude, and deserved to face consequences. I know she was rude because in the story she broke into the bears’ house and used all of their stuff without asking. The story could have ended with the bears eating her. I think that would have been a better ending because it would teach that there are consequences to being rude and entering a stranger’s house. In “The Boy Who Cried Wolf,” the boy got eaten by the wolf at the end. This was a consequence that he had to face because he lied. That story teaches readers not to lie, just like I think this story should teach kids not to be rude or enter a stranger’s house.

13. The End Result… AWESOME! How did we do this time?
So remember, whenever you see an open-ended reading question, use R.A.C.E.!