RATES Writing Anchor Chart
R.A.T.E.S.
Deep Sea Writing Strategy
5th Grade ELA Anchor Chart
Dive deep into writing complete, evidence-based responses!
R Step 1
Restate the Question
Topic Starter
Turn the question into the beginning of your answer. Use important words from the prompt!
💡 Tip: Remove the question words (Who, Why, How, What...)
A Step 2
Answer the Question
Your Claim
Give a clear answer. Tell the reader exactly what you think and directly respond to the prompt.
💡 Tip: Combined with Restate, this forms your main thesis sentence!
T Step 3
Text Evidence
Prove It
Find a specific detail from the text that proves your answer. Quote it directly or describe it.
Evidence Stems: "According to the text, ..." "The text states, ..." "The author explains ..."
E Step 4
Explain the Evidence
So What?
Explain how the evidence proves your answer. Connect the quote back to your claim (don't just repeat it!).
Explanation Stems: "This shows that ..." "This is important because ..." "This helps the reader understand that ..."
S Step 5
Summarize Response
Wrap It Up
Finish your response by briefly returning to your main idea. Wrap up your thinking nicely.
Summary Stems: "Overall, ..." "In conclusion, ..." "Therefore, ..."
The Golden Rule of Reading & Writing
"Strong readers don't just find evidence—they explain how the evidence proves their thinking!"
Deep Sea Writing Student Packet
Deep Sea Writing Lesson Packet
Discoveries in the Deep: Losing Alvin
Student Packet
Name:
Date:
Discoveries in the Deep: Losing Alvin
by Caitlyn Meagher
It was October 16, 1968, when Alvin, a human-operated submersible, accidentally sank to the bottom of the ocean. This submersible was developed to explore deep ocean depths. Alvin was originally made out of special foam strong enough to keep its shape under extreme water pressure. It had robotic arms to pick up samples like rocks and marine life. It also had sonar technology for navigation. It even had enough air for crewmembers to explore the ocean for three days! But now it was stuck on the ocean floor, thousands of feet below the surface.
How did Alvin end up at the bottom of the ocean?
On that day in October 1968, crewmembers Ed Bland, Roger Weaver, and Paul Stimpson were inside Alvin. They were about to do a dive off the coast of Massachusetts. The submersible was being lifted out of Lulu, a ship that often helped with Alvin's dives. Suddenly, the steel cable connecting Alvin to Lulu snapped. Alvin's hatch was still open! Water quickly rushed in. The crew inside scrambled out to safety, but Alvin filled with water. It soon sank to the bottom of the ocean. It would take almost a year to recover this submersible. Strong underwater currents and a lack of equipment delayed this process. Engineers and scientists had to find a way to overcome these difficulties, locate Alvin, and lift it back to the surface.
The recovery process took a lot of planning and equipment...
First, the crew used the advanced navigation technology of another deep-sea submersible, Aluminaut, to locate Alvin on the ocean floor. Then, they drove Aluminaut close to Alvin. Using Aluminaut, they attached a large bar to Alvin that would help lift it to the surface. This bar was connected to a cable on a ship. The ship lifted Alvin off of the ocean floor using the bar and cable. Then, the ship pulled Alvin to shallower water. Slowly and carefully, a crane on another boat lifted Alvin to the surface. Finally, the recovery crew drained Alvin of water and inspected it for any damage.
What the crew found next was surprising and exciting! Ten months earlier, when the crew scrambled to safety during the accident, they left their lunches inside Alvin. Surprisingly, their sandwiches and apples still looked almost as fresh as the day they had sunk to the bottom of the ocean! What caused this strange phenomenon? At first, scientists thought the freezing temperatures at the bottom of the ocean had preserved the lunches. However, they later learned that the extreme water pressure at the ocean floor had slowed down decomposition.
Decomposition is the process of rotting. This process is carried out by microbes like bacteria. One reason decomposition slows down at the bottom of the ocean is because most of the microbes there are not actually well-suited for that extreme environment. They aren't able to carry out decomposition as well in such high pressure. As a result, this process can slow down or even stop! If the Alvin accident had not occurred, scientists may not have discovered this for many years.
Unit 1: Weeks of Writing Page 1 of 4
Step-by-Step Writing
Guided Practice: R.A.T.E.S.
With Teacher Support
Prompt
Guided Challenge
How did the scientists and engineers successfully recover Alvin after it sank?
R + A Restate & Answer
Turn the prompt into your claim!
Scientists and engineers successfully recovered Alvin by...
T Text Evidence
Cite specific recovery steps!
💡 Suggested stems: "According to the text, ..." | "The author explains that ..."
E Explain Evidence
Connect the step back to "success"!
💡 Suggested stems: "This shows that ..." | "This was important because ..."
S Summarize Response
Wrap up your response!
💡 Suggested stems: "Overall, ..." | "In conclusion, ..."
Unit 1: Weeks of Writing Page 2 of 4
Deep Sea Solo
Independent Writing
Going Solo
Prompt
Independent Challenge
How did Alvin's accident lead to an unexpected scientific discovery? Use evidence from the text to support your answer.
R.A.T.E.S. Checklist
R - Restate
I turned the question into the start of my answer.
A - Answer
I clearly answered what the discovery was.
T - Text Evidence
I quoted facts about the sandwiches/apples.
E - Explain
I explained why water pressure slow-down matters.
S - Summarize
I ended with a neat summary sentence.
Self-Assessment
Check off each step as you write it in your response on the right!
R/A:
T:
E:
S:
Unit 1: Weeks of Writing Page 3 of 4
Show What You Know
Exit Ticket: Spotting R.A.T.E.S.
Quick Check
Your Task:
Read the student response below. Match each sentence to its corresponding **R.A.T.E.S.** part by reading the letter in the margin or answering the questions below.
Student Sample Response
Sentence [1] Recovering Alvin was important to scientists because it was an essential tool for deep-sea exploration and discoveries.
Sentence [2] According to the text, over its life, Alvin completed thousands of dives and played a large role in many ocean discoveries.
Sentence [3] This shows that recovering the submersible allowed scientists to continue utilizing advanced technology instead of losing it.
Sentence [4] Overall, recovering Alvin was critical because it saved a valuable explorer and allowed important scientific progress to go on.
1. Which sentence is the **Restate & Answer (R/A)**?
Sentence [1] Sentence [2] Sentence [3]
2. Which sentence is the **Text Evidence (T)**?
Sentence [2] Sentence [3] Sentence [4]
3. Which sentence is the **Explanation (E)**?
Sentence [1] Sentence [3] Sentence [4]
4. Which sentence is the **Summary (S)**?
Sentence [2] Sentence [3] Sentence [4]
Deep Thinking Question:
Why is text evidence NOT enough on its own? Why must a strong writer always include an **Explanation**?
Unit 1: Weeks of Writing Page 4 of 4
Deep Sea Writing Slides
Unit 1 • Week 1
5th Grade ELA
Deep Sea Writing
Mastering Constructed Responses with the R.A.T.E.S. Strategy
Anchor Text: Discoveries in the Deep: Losing Alvin
Slide 1 of 6
What is R.A.T.E.S.?
Strategy Map
R
Restate
Turn the prompt into the start of your answer.
A
Answer
Directly state your main claim or answer.
T
Text Evidence
Quote specific details to prove your answer.
E
Explain
Explain how the quote proves your claim.
S
Summarize
Wrap up your thoughts neatly at the end.
Let's see how these five letters fit together to make an amazing paragraph!
Slide 2 of 6
Teacher Model
Watch & Learn
Model Question
Why was recovering Alvin important to scientists?
Orange = Restate & Answer
Green = Text Evidence
Blue = Explanation
Purple = Summary
R + A Recovering Alvin was important to scientists because it was a valuable tool for exploring the deep ocean and making scientific discoveries.
T According to the text, after Alvin was recovered, scientists updated it so that it could reach even deeper parts of the ocean.
E This shows that recovering Alvin allowed scientists to continue using the submersible instead of losing an important piece of technology.
S Overall, recovering Alvin was important because it allowed scientists to continue exploring the ocean and contributed to new scientific discoveries.
Notice how the quote and explanation work hand-in-hand to build a strong argument!
Slide 3 of 6
Guided Practice
Do It Together
Our Group Question
How did scientists and engineers successfully recover Alvin after it sank?
Look at paragraph 3. Let's list the steps: 1. Located with Aluminaut, 2. Attached bar, 3. Lifted with cable, 4. Pulled to shallow, 5. Lifted with crane!
R + A
Scientists and engineers successfully recovered Alvin by [your answer here]...
T
According to the text, the crew first used Aluminaut to locate Alvin on the ocean floor and attached a large bar.
E
This was important because it allowed them to [explain how this helped]...
Deep Sea Writing Teacher Guide
Professional Teaching Resource
Deep Sea Writing Lesson Plan
Teacher Guide
Standard: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.5.1 / W.5.1
Grade Level: Incoming 5th Grade (Week 1)
Pacing: 70 Minutes (Single Block)
Lesson Objective
I can use the **R.A.T.E.S.** writing strategy to construct a complete, evidence-based response using details from the text.
Success Criteria
- Restate the prompt in ELA responses.
- Answer the question directly.
- Cite relevant, accurate details.
- Explain the connection back to the claim.
- Summarize main ideas in a wrap-up sentence.
Lesson Pacing & Block Breakdown
| Time | Phase | Description & Deliverables |
|---|
| 15 Mins | Hook & Strategy Intro | Introduce R.A.T.E.S. with Anchor Chart. Display Slide 1 & 2. Set expectation: **evidence is nothing without explanation**. |
| 15 Mins | Anchor Reading & Model | Read 'Losing Alvin' together. Project Slide 3. Teacher models thinking aloud to answer "Why recover Alvin?" Label each R-A-T-E-S part. |
| 15 Mins | Guided Collaboration | Facilitate recovery prompt together (Slide 4). Students draft in Student Packet (Page 2) with heavy sentence frame scaffolding. |
| 15 Mins | Going Solo Practice | Students respond to the "unexpected discovery" prompt on Page 3. Checklists help them self-monitor as they write. |
| 10 Mins | Exit Ticket & Wrap Up | Students complete Exit Ticket (Page 4). Review the ELA Golden Rule. Gather booklets for quick formative grading. |
Materials Preparation Checklist
☐ 1 copy of the **Student Packet** per student
☐ Display **RATES Writing Anchor Chart** in class
☐ Project **Deep Sea Writing Slides** on screen
☐ Prepare blue, green, and orange highlighters (optional)
Teacher Guide: Deep Sea Writing Page 1 of 3
Instructional Facilitation Guide
Modeling & Collaboration
Teacher Guide
Teaching Script
Phase 1: Hook & Strategy Intro
"Welcome to our 5th Grade Writing Lab! Today we are diving deep into the ocean to meet a submersible named Alvin. But we're also going to learn a superpower that will make your writing strong all year. It's called the **R.A.T.E.S.** strategy. When a question asks you to write a paragraph, you can't just give a quick one-word answer anymore. You have to back it up! R.A.T.E.S. gives us a map: Restate, Answer, Text Evidence, Explain, and Summarize."
