RACE

 Oh YES 😄 — this is exactly the kind of RACE practice that sticks!

Below are four short, funny 8th-grade-friendly mini-texts with easy constructed-response questions — designed to keep the focus on using RACE format while making students actually enjoy the exercise.

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🥣 1. “The Cereal Disaster”

Text:
This morning, Liam tried to pour cereal into a bowl but forgot one small detail — the bowl.
He stared proudly at his “mountain of Frosted Flakes” on the counter before realizing they weren’t staying in one place because, well, gravity.
As he scrambled for paper towels, his dog looked up like, “Bold choice, human.”
It was not a strong start to the day.

Question:
According to the text, what mistake did Liam make while making breakfast?

Answer is obvious: He forgot the bowl.

RACE Example:
R – The text tells about a mistake Liam made while making breakfast.
A – Liam forgot to put a bowl down before pouring cereal.
C – The text says, “He tried to pour cereal into a bowl but forgot one small detail — the bowl.”
E – This shows that Liam ended up pouring cereal all over the counter instead of into the bowl.

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🐸 2. “The Frog in the Backpack”

Text:
When Amira opened her backpack in science class, everyone screamed.
Inside was a large, very confident frog sitting on her math homework like it owned the place.
Turns out, she had left her backpack open during lunch by the pond.
The frog had apparently seen an opportunity for higher education.

Question:
According to the text, why was there a frog in Amira’s backpack?

Answer is obvious: She left her backpack open by the pond.

RACE Example:
R – The text explains why a frog ended up in Amira’s backpack.
A – The frog got in because she left her backpack open by the pond.
C – The text says, “She had left her backpack open during lunch by the pond.”
E – This shows that the frog hopped in while she wasn’t paying attention.

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🧦 3. “Sock Catastrophe”

Text:
Jamal thought he had a genius idea: wear mismatched socks on purpose and start a trend.
Unfortunately, halfway through the day, he realized one was his sock and the other belonged to his little sister — complete with sparkly unicorns.
He tried to cover it with his shoe, but the unicorn kept peeking out like it had business to attend to.

Question:
According to the text, why did Jamal’s sock plan not work out?

Answer is obvious: One of his socks was his sister’s unicorn sock.

RACE Example:
R – The text describes why Jamal’s sock plan didn’t work out.
A – His plan failed because one sock was his little sister’s unicorn sock.
C – The text says, “One was his sock and the other belonged to his little sister — complete with sparkly unicorns.”
E – This shows that instead of looking cool, Jamal looked like he lost a battle with a unicorn.

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🦸 4. “The Invisible Cape Incident”

Text:
Dylan told everyone he had invented an invisible superhero cape.
To prove it worked, he ran full speed into the classroom door — which was, unfortunately, very visible.
The good news: he’s now famous.
The bad news: the door won the fight.

Question:
According to the text, what happened when Dylan tried to test his invisible cape?

Answer is obvious: He ran into the door.

RACE Example:
R – The text shows what happened when Dylan tested his invisible cape.
A – He ran into the classroom door.
C – The text says, “He ran full speed into the classroom door — which was, unfortunately, very visible.”
E – This shows that his “invisible cape” idea didn’t work and the door was undefeated.

🎯 LESSON PLAN: “RACE to the Laugh Line!”

Grade Level: 8th Grade
Duration: One class period (45–60 minutes)
Focus: Writing constructed responses using the RACE strategy
Tone: Engaging, humorous, and low-pressure

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💡 OBJECTIVE

Students will learn how to write complete constructed responses using the RACE format (Restate, Answer, Cite, Explain) while practicing with funny, easy-to-understand reading passages.

By the end of class, students will be able to:

• Identify each step of the RACE format

• Write a clear, structured response that uses textual evidence

• Enjoy writing without fear of “getting it wrong”

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🧰 MATERIALS

• Printed RACE Practice Packet: “RACE to the Laugh Line!”
  (each funny story with a space for R, A, C, E)

• Chart paper or digital slide showing RACE breakdown

• Highlighters or colored pencils

• Optional: timer for a “RACE Writing Challenge”

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🧩 LESSON FLOW

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1. Warm-Up (5–7 minutes): “What’s Missing?”

Purpose: Activate prior knowledge about writing structure.

Directions:
Display a simple answer like:

“She fed her cat before breakfast.”

Ask:

• Is this a complete answer?

• What’s missing? (Restating, citing evidence, explaining)

Then introduce the RACE acronym on the board:

R – Restate the question
A – Answer the question
C – Cite evidence from the text
E – Explain your evidence

Example (Model it quickly):

The text explains what Maya does before she eats breakfast. Before she eats breakfast, she feeds her cat. The text says, “Every morning, Maya feeds her cat before she eats breakfast.” This shows that feeding her cat is the first thing she does each morning.

Tell them:
🧠 “RACE helps you sound smart and write strong. And today, we’re going to RACE through some hilarious situations.”

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2. Mini-Lesson: Teacher Modeling (10 minutes)

Use the first passage: “The Cereal Disaster.”

Step 1: Read aloud dramatically — maybe sprinkle cereal on a desk for effect!
Step 2: Ask, “What’s the question?” (What mistake did Liam make?)
Step 3: Model filling in the RACE response together:

• R: The text tells about a mistake Liam made while making breakfast.

• A: Liam forgot to put a bowl down before pouring cereal.

• C: The text says, “He tried to pour cereal into a bowl but forgot one small detail — the bowl.”

• E: This shows that Liam ended up pouring cereal all over the counter instead of into the bowl.

Step 4: Highlight each RACE section in a different color to visually reinforce structure.

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3. Guided Practice (15 minutes)

Group work (pairs or trios)

Each group gets one of the next three stories:

• “The Frog in the Backpack” 🐸

• “Sock Catastrophe” 🧦

• “The Invisible Cape Incident” 🦸

Directions:

1. Read the story together.

2. Identify the question.

3. Work as a group to write a RACE response.

4. Highlight or label each part (R, A, C, E).

Encourage creativity — tone can be funny, but structure must stay correct.

Teacher Circulation Prompts:

• “Where’s your restatement?”

• “Can you find the sentence that supports your answer?”

• “What does your explanation add beyond your evidence?”

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4. Share Out & Laugh Break (10 minutes)

Groups share their responses dramatically — funny voices encouraged!
After each group reads, have the class “score” it using hand signals:
👍 “Has R,” ✌️ “Has R + A,” 🤘 “Has all 4 parts.”

Teacher tip: Laugh with them, but always point back to the writing structure.

“Notice how funny AND organized that was? That’s good writing.”

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5. Independent Practice (10 minutes)

Have students choose their favorite story and rewrite their RACE response solo in neat paragraph form.
Encourage them to add one more sentence of explanation to make it their own.

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6. Exit Ticket (5 minutes)

Ask students to complete this reflection:

“Which part of RACE is easiest for you? Which part do you want to practice more?”

Collect these for formative feedback.

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🏁 ASSESSMENT

• Formative: Observation during group work, exit ticket responses

• Summative (optional): Independent RACE paragraph graded on a simple 4-point checklist:

  R	A	C	E
  Restated question	Answered clearly	Cited evidence	Explained thinking

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🧠 EXTENSION IDEAS

• “Create Your Own Funny RACE”: Students write their own mini text (4–5 sentences) about a silly mistake, then swap and write RACE responses to each other’s stories.

• “RACE Relay”: Each group writes only one part (R, A, C, or E), then passes the paper to the next group to continue.

• “Serious Spin-Off”: Transition to a real text next class — show how RACE works just as well for serious passages.

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❤️ TEACHER NOTE

This lesson builds confidence and routine.
By lowering the “thinking load” (the answer is obvious) and raising the “fun factor,” students practice the structure of academic writing without anxiety — and they’ll remember it every time they see the word “RACE.”