The R.A.C.E. strategy is an effective way to assist students in appropriately structuring a more formal writing response to a writing topic. Although more standardized, the R.A.C.E. strategy can be adapted to quick writing exercises, closing lesson strategies, and even more formal essay assignments. If multiple teachers or departments adopt this strategy, students can carry over organized writing skills to multiple/all classrooms to help further cement effective writing in multiple contexts, classrooms, and situations. Consistency in this manner can help raise overall student literacy in part due to this standard practice across multiple classrooms.
Below are multiple R.A.C.E. examples for elementary, middle, and high school contexts. Be sure to read the What to Notice at the end of each example to focus on different aspects to citing, writing, and overall execution.
Below are multiple R.A.C.E. examples for elementary, middle, and high school contexts. Be sure to read the What to Notice at the end of each example to focus on different aspects to citing, writing, and overall execution.
Elementary Examples
R.A.C.E. Example: Responding to an Article's Main Idea
Writing Question: How did James' feelings about recess change during the last school year? James' feelings about recess changed quite a bit during the last school year. James was no longer nervous about going to recess, and was actually looking forward to it. According to the text, James was now included in games like football, and he had friends to each lunch with every day. This shows how the kindness of James' new friends has changed his feelings about recess. What to Notice: The student turned the Writing Question into the topic sentence (R). Two sentences were used to answer the Writing Question based on the student's knowledge (A). The student used the phrase "According to the text" as a form of citation (C). The student used the phrase "this shows" to indicate an analysis of understanding (E). |
Middle School
|
High School
|