RACES Six Week Workbook
Week 1 of 6 • Skill: Question Flip Surgery
Restate Detectives
Name:
Date:
The 3-Step Question Flip Formula
1 Snip Question Words
Cross out Why, How, What, Where, When.
2 Capture Keywords
Underline the subject and main verb.
3 Flip Into a Stem
Start your response with the keywords!
Part A: Mentor Model Study This
QUESTION: Why do honeybees do a waggle dance in their hive?
FLIPPED STEM: Honeybees do a waggle dance in their hive because...
Part B: Question Stem Surgery
1. How do sea otters keep from drifting away while sleeping?
Write your flipped sentence starter (do not write the answer yet):
2. Why are cactus plants able to survive in hot, dry deserts?
Write your flipped sentence starter (do not write the answer yet):
3. Where do monarch butterflies travel during their autumn migration?
Write your flipped sentence starter (do not write the answer yet):
RACES 6-Week Mastery Bundle • Grade 3–6 Turn to Page 2 for Passage & Response → Page 1 of 14
W1
Weekly Passage & Full RACES Response
Read carefully and cite direct evidence
Passage: The Secret Rumble of Elephants Lexile 680L
African elephants produce deep, powerful rumbles known as infrasound. These sound waves vibrate at frequencies below 20 hertz, which is completely silent to human ears. However, an infrasound rumble can travel through the air and ground for over six miles. Elephants detect these distant vibrations through sensitive nerve cells in their feet and trunks. By using silent rumbles, mother elephants can instantly alert nearby herds about approaching predators or summon lost calves across vast savannah plains.
Prompt:
Why do African elephants rely on infrasound rumbles to communicate?
W1 GOAL
R Restate (Flip question into sentence stem)
A Answer (Give your direct reason)
C Cite Evidence (According to the text, "...")
E Explain Evidence (This proves that...)
S Sum It Up (In conclusion, ...)
Self-Check:
R A C E S
RACES 6-Week Mastery Bundle Score: _____ / 10 pts Page 2 of 14
Week 2 of 6 • Skill: Restate + Answer Fusion
Evidence Builders
Name:
Date:
Bust the "Because" Trap!
Never start your answer with "Because...", "So...", or "It..."! Starting this way creates an incomplete fragment. Connect your flipped stem directly into your answer.
× Sentence Fragment (Trap!)
"Because they need to keep their body warm."
✓ Complete Fused Sentence
"Sea otters groom their fur because they need to stay warm."
Part A: Fuse the Flipped Stem + Answer
1. Question: Why do chameleon lizards change the color of their skin?
(Clue: To camouflage from predators and regulate body heat.)
2. Question: How do honeybees communicate the location of flower nectar?
(Clue: By performing a special waggle dance inside the dark hive.)
RACES 6-Week Mastery Bundle • Grade 3–6 Turn to Page 4 for Passage & Response → Page 3 of 14
W2
Weekly Passage & Full RACES Response
Combine Restate + Answer into Sentence 1
Passage: Nature’s Master Engineers Lexile 710L
Beavers are unmatched builders in the animal kingdom. Using their strong, orange teeth coated in iron, beavers can gnaw through tree trunks in under fifteen minutes. They stack branches, mud, and heavy stones across flowing streams to construct solid dams. These dams slow down raging water, turning shallow creeks into calm, deep ponds. Within these protected ponds, beavers build dome-shaped lodges with underwater entrances that keep their families completely safe from hungry wolves and bears.
Prompt:
Why do beavers build dams across swift streams?
W2 GOAL
R A Restate + Answer (Sentence 1)
C Cite Evidence (Quote exact text)
E Explain Evidence (This shows that...)
S Sum It Up (In conclusion, ...)
Self-Check:
R A C E S
RACES 6-Week Mastery Bundle Score: _____ / 10 pts Page 4 of 14
Week 3 of 6 • Skill: Tricky "Does / Can / Is" Stems
Tricky Stem Masters
Name:
Date:
How to Flip "Does", "Can", or "Is/Are" Questions
Questions starting with helper verbs like Does, Can, Is, Are confuse many students. Do NOT answer "Yes" or "No"! Instead, drop the helper verb and shift the main verb!
QUESTION:
"Does camouflage help animals survive?"
FLIPPED STEM:
"Camouflage helps animals survive because..."
Part A: Transform the Helper Verbs
1. Question: Does the Arctic fox change its coat color between seasons?
(Remember: Turn "Does ... change" into "changes"!)
2. Question: Can solar energy replace fossil fuels in heating homes?
(Remember: Put "can replace" after the subject!)
3. Question: Is regular exercise important for keeping your heart healthy?
(Remember: Put "is important" after the subject!)
RACES 6-Week Mastery Bundle • Grade 3–6 Turn to Page 6 for Passage & Response → Page 5 of 14
W3
Weekly Passage & Full RACES Response
Transform the question stem smoothly
Passage: Shapeshifter of the Coral Reef Lexile 730L
The mimic octopus is one of the most astonishing creatures in the sea. While most animals rely on standard color-matching camouflage, this clever cephalopod can impersonate more than fifteen different toxic marine creatures. By contorting its eight arms and shifting its skin texture, it can mimic venomous sea snakes, lionfish, and stingrays. When threatened by a predator, the octopus chooses the exact disguise that frightens that specific enemy, allowing it to escape unharmed without ever fighting.
Prompt:
How does the mimic octopus use camouflage to protect itself from predators?
W3 GOAL
R A Restate + Answer
C Cite Evidence (Use quotation marks)
E Explain Evidence (This proves...)
S Sum It Up (In conclusion, ...)
Self-Check:
R A C E S
RACES 6-Week Mastery Bundle Score: _____ / 10 pts Page 6 of 14
Week 4 of 6 • Skill: Two-Part Question Stems
Double Clue Investigators
Name:
Date:
Tackling Questions with "And" or Two Targets
State tests love two-part questions! When a prompt asks "Why... AND how...", you must capture both parts in your restate stem so neither gets forgotten.
TWO-PART PROMPT:
"Why do bears hibernate in winter, and where do they sleep?"
COMPLETE TWO-PART STEM:
"Bears hibernate in winter to survive the freezing cold, and they sleep inside insulated dens."
Part A: Craft Two-Part Restatements
1. Question: Why do trees lose their leaves in autumn, and what happens to them in spring?
(Capture both the autumn leaf drop and the spring regrowth in your stem)
2. Question: How does exercise strengthen the heart, and why does it give you more energy?
(Capture both heart strength and daily energy in your stem)
RACES 6-Week Mastery Bundle • Grade 3–6 Turn to Page 8 for Passage & Response → Page 7 of 14
W4
Weekly Passage & Full RACES Response
Address both parts of the question
Passage: The Carnivorous Venus Flytrap Lexile 740L
The Venus flytrap thrives in coastal bogs where the soil lacks essential nutrients like nitrogen. To survive, this carnivorous plant consumes live insects. The plant’s leaves feature sensitive trigger hairs. If an unsuspecting insect touches two trigger hairs within twenty seconds, the trap slams shut in one-tenth of a second. Interlocking spiked teeth lock the prey inside while digestive enzymes break it down into rich nutrients.
Prompt:
Why does the Venus flytrap catch insects, and how does its trap snap shut?
W4 GOAL
R A Restate + Answer (Include why AND how)
C Cite Evidence (Quote exact text)
E Explain Evidence (This demonstrates...)
S Sum It Up (All in all, ...)
Self-Check:
R A C E S
RACES 6-Week Mastery Bundle Score: _____ / 10 pts Page 8 of 14
Week 5 of 6 • Skill: Leveling Up Openings
Sentence Stylists
Name:
Date:
The Restate Spectrum
Style Levels
Prompt: "Why do nocturnal owls fly almost completely silently?"
Level 1: Weak "Because their feathers are soft." (Fragment!)
Level 2: Good "Nocturnal owls fly silently because their feathers muffle wind."
Level 3: Champion "Due to their velvety feathers, nocturnal owls are able to fly in near-total silence."
Part A: Restate Makeover Lab (Upgrade to Level 3)
1. Question: How does blubber protect Arctic seals from freezing water?
Weak Start: "Because it has a thick fat layer that keeps them warm."
Your Level 3 Champion Opening:
2. Question: Why is recycling aluminum cans important for conserving energy?
Weak Start: "It saves 95 percent of the energy compared to making new ones."
Your Level 3 Champion Opening:
RACES 6-Week Mastery Bundle • Grade 3–6 Turn to Page 10 for Passage & Response → Page 9 of 14
W5
Weekly Passage & Full RACES Response
Aim for a Level 3 Champion opening!
Passage: The Acrobats of the Sky Lexile 740L
Hummingbirds are among the most remarkable fliers on Earth. Unlike other birds whose wings flap strictly up and down, hummingbirds rotate their flexible wings in a swift figure-eight motion. This aerodynamic trick produces lift during both the forward and backward strokes. Because of this ability, hummingbirds are the only birds capable of hovering still in midair, flying backward, and even flying upside down. This extreme agility lets them feed on delicate tropical flower nectar without landing.
Prompt:
How does the unique wing movement of hummingbirds help them survive?
W5 GOAL
R A Restate + Answer (Champion Opening)
C Cite Evidence (Quote exact text)
E Explain Evidence (This shows why...)
S Sum It Up (In summary, ...)
Self-Check:
R A C E S
RACES 6-Week Mastery Bundle Score: _____ / 10 pts Page 10 of 14
Week 6 of 6 • Skill: Full Independent Paragraph Flow
Response Champions
Name:
Date:
The Independent Champion Checklist
FINAL MASTERY
1. Seamless Openings
Zero fragments; Restate + Answer fused smoothly.
2. Punctuation Proof
Quotes wrapped inside quotation marks with stem.
3. Powerful Clincher
Sum sentence echoes main point without copying.
Part A: Independent Stem Construction
1. Question: Why do fireflies produce their own biological light during summer?
Write your independent Champion Restatement below:
2. Question: How does gravity keep the planets in our solar system orbiting the sun?
Write your independent Champion Restatement below:
RACES 6-Week Mastery Bundle • Grade 3–6 Turn to Page 12 for Final Paragraph → Page 11 of 14
W6
Weekly Passage & Independent Paragraph
Synthesize all 5 RACES parts into one fluid paragraph
Passage: Living Lanterns of the Night Lexile 750L
On warm summer evenings, meadows sparkle with tiny blinking lights created by fireflies. Fireflies generate this cold light through a chemical reaction called bioluminescence, combining oxygen, calcium, and an enzyme inside their lower abdomens. Unlike an incandescent light bulb that loses 90 percent of its energy as heat, a firefly’s light produces almost zero heat. Fireflies use their species-specific blinking rhythms to flash mating signals to partners and to warn nocturnal birds that their bodies contain foul-tasting chemicals.
Final Assessment Question:
Why do fireflies produce light on warm summer nights?
PARAGRAPH
Compose Your Complete 5-Sentence RACES Paragraph: [R + A + C + E + S]
Final Rubric: Total: 10 pts
R: Restate 2 pts
A: Answer 2 pts
C: Cite 2 pts
E: Explain 2 pts
S: Sum 2 pts
RACES 6-Week Mastery Bundle Course Mastery Score: _____ / 10 pts Page 12 of 14
KEY
Teacher Reference & Exemplars
Weeks 1–3 Teacher Answer Keys
Detach or Keep for Grading
Teacher Diagnostic: Common Restate Errors to Target
• The "Because" Trap: Starting with "Because..." -> Require naming the subject first.
• Pronoun Slip: Writing "They do it..." before naming who "they" are.
• Helper Drop: Forgetting to turn "Does change" into "changes".
• Half-Answers: Answering part 1 of a two-part prompt and dropping part 2.
1 Week 1 Exemplar: African Elephants Skill: Question Flip Surgery
R: African elephants rely on infrasound rumbles to communicate...
A: ...because these deep vibrations travel over six miles to warn other herds and summon calves.
C: In the text, the author writes, "an infrasound rumble can travel through the air and ground for over six miles."
E: This shows that low rumbles let elephants protect herd members across vast savannah distances.
S: In conclusion, silent rumbles are essential for elephant herd survival.
2 Week 2 Exemplar: Beaver Engineers Skill: Restate + Answer Fusion
R + A: Beavers build dams across swift streams to create calm, deep ponds that protect their lodges from predators.
C: According to the text, underwater lodge entrances "keep their families completely safe from hungry wolves and bears."
E: This proves that building dams provides a safe aquatic moat that shields beaver families from dangerous land animals.
S: All in all, beaver dams are ingenious structures that secure the colony's safety.
3 Week 3 Exemplar: Mimic Octopus Skill: Tricky Helper Stems
R + A: The mimic octopus uses camouflage to protect itself by impersonating dangerous marine creatures that frighten enemies away.
C: The passage states, "it can mimic venomous sea snakes, lionfish, and stingrays."
E: This shows that copying venomous animals tricks predators into swimming away without attacking.
S: In summary, impersonating toxic creatures is a powerful survival adaptation.
RACES 6-Week Mastery Bundle • Teacher Guide Weeks 1–3 Answer Key Page 13 of 14
KEY
Teacher Reference & Exemplars
Weeks 4–6 Teacher Answer Keys
Detach or Keep for Grading
4 Week 4 Exemplar: Venus Flytrap Skill: Two-Part Questions
R + A: The Venus flytrap catches insects to obtain essential nutrients missing from bog soil, and its trap snaps shut when sensitive trigger hairs are touched.
C: The author notes that "if an unsuspecting insect touches two trigger hairs within twenty seconds, the trap slams shut."
E: This explains how the plant detects live prey and swiftly captures food to survive in nutrient-poor environments.
S: As one can see, the flytrap's rapid mechanism allows it to thrive in harsh soils.
5 Week 5 Exemplar: Hummingbirds Skill: The Restate Spectrum
R + A: Due to their unique figure-eight wing motion, hummingbirds are able to hover effortlessly and drink nectar without landing.
C: The passage states that hummingbirds are "capable of hovering still in midair, flying backward, and even flying upside down."
E: This shows that this flexible wing movement gives them exclusive access to food sources other animals cannot reach.
S: Clearly, this agile flying technique is vital for hummingbird survival.
6 Week 6 Exemplar: Bioluminescent Fireflies Skill: Independent Paragraph Flow
Fireflies produce their own biological light during summer to attract mates and deter predators from eating them. According to the text, "fireflies use their species-specific blinking rhythms to flash mating signals to partners and to warn nocturnal birds that their bodies contain foul-tasting chemicals." This demonstrates that bioluminescence serves as a vital dual-purpose communication tool for both reproduction and defense. In conclusion, glowing in the night sky is an extraordinary adaptation that ensures fireflies reproduce safely and survive.
Scoring Protocol (10 Pts Total):
• R (2 pts): Restates question words; avoids "Because" starter.
• A (2 pts): Accurately answers the full prompt.
• C (2 pts): Cites direct text quotation with stem and quotes.
• E & S (4 pts): Explains significance (2 pts) + closes with clincher (2 pts).
RACES 6-Week Mastery Bundle • Teacher Guide Weeks 4–6 Answer Key Page 14 of 14
