Constructed Response RACES Strategy | Writing Passages & Prompts | Text Evidence

Looking for a way to make teaching RACES engaging and unforgettable? Transform your classroom into a detective agency and turn your students into Text Detectives! In this interactive, fun, and engaging unit, students will use a detective theme while learning how to write clear and organized responses, using RACES. Using the RACES strategy teaches students what good writers do, in all content areas- restating the question in a complete sentence, answering all parts of the question(s) / or prompts, citing text evidence, fully explaining what it means, and summarizing the main ideas.

Students will get one mission for each letter of the RACES acronym. All five missions include an engaging informational text that students must read and complete correctly, before passing to the next.

Missions include 

• Mission One: Re-state the question
• Mission Two: Answer all parts of the question(s)/prompt
• Mission Three: Cite the text to provide evidence
• Mission Four: Explain your citation
• Mission Five: Summarize your main ideas

When detectives in training (your students!) successfully complete and pass all missions, they are awarded with the official Text Detective status.  All text detectives get sworn in by the head of the department, their name and picture (with me!) gets posted on the “Meet the Text Detective” bulletin board. Families are notified of the official news, they are sworn in, and receive their official badge.

This resource is interactive, creative, and perfect for teaching:

• RACES writing strategy
• Constructed reading response
• Well-written paragraphs
• Short response for state testing
• Well-written essays
• Test prep

Excellent for RACES strategy practice and teaching and practicing short constructed responses!

Resource includes:

1. Detailed, step-by-step directions for how to transform your classroom into a Detective Agency
2. Pictures showing this resource in action inside my own third-grade classroom
3. 8 Color posters to print and display for the Detective Agency: Case Files, Detective Hats, Highlighters, Magnifying Glasses, Highlighters, Chief Detective Gear, Detective Gear, Detective Notebooks, Detective Badges
4. Detective Badges to print- Two different options
5. Meet the Text Detectives Bulletin Board Letters in BW
6. Top Secret Case Files- color and BW option
7. Private Detective Status Packet- The Chief of Detective (that’s you!) checks “pass” or “retest” as students complete each mission. This is a great way to keep track of each student’s status.
8. RACES strategy posters to print and display- color and BW option
9. RACES student bookmarks- This is an effective tool for students to reference as they write a constructed response.
10. RACES graphic organizer- This handout will help students organize their writing and learn to write the perfect response while citing text evidence and responding to a writing prompt or a constructed response question.
11. RACES writing rubric
12. RACES checklists for
13. RACES self-assessment- The perfect interactive tool for writers to take ownership over their writing.
14. RACES highlighter strategy lesson and materials
15. TOP SECRET
16. RACES bulletin board posters
17. Scaffolded Options  – graphic organizer, sentence stems,
18. Say goodbye to short, one-sentence answers and hello to strong, detailed paragraphs!

The RACES Constructed Response Paragraph Writing Resource is here to turn even the most hesitant writers into confident, capable responders. With this resource, your students will master the art of answering text-dependent questions with clear, well-structured responses that showcase their understanding. Get ready to see their writing skills take off!