A comprehensive third-grade ELA unit sequence designed for resource and at-risk reading intervention, targeting situational character motivation through two high-interest narrative texts. Includes structured two-day teacher lesson plans, daily four-question comprehension checks, guided RACE graphic organizers, and spacious wide-ruled writing pages.
Helpful Words: help • shivering • trapped • climb up • rescue • pile of snow • safe
Situational Motive Detectives • Brave Little Hare Page 2 of 3 • RACE Planning Organizer
Name:
Date:
Day 1 Final Written Response
RACE Paragraph
Question: On page 10, Lars looks into the deep hole and kicks down a pile of snow for Hugo. What is Lars's situational motivation in this moment? Use the RACE strategy and two details from the text to support your thinking.
My RACE Self-Check: Restated & Answered 2 Text Details (Quotes) Explained My Thinking
Page 3 of 3
E Explain How the Evidence Shows Hugo's Motive
This evidence shows that Hugo wants to
so the man will
Helpful Words: save him • distract • look up • courage • protect • dangerous • escape
Situational Motive Detectives • Brave Little Hare Page 2 of 3 • RACE Planning Organizer
Name:
Date:
Day 2 Final Written Response
RACE Paragraph
Question: On page 32, Hugo climbs onto the roof and kicks snow down the hole when the man arrives. What is Hugo's situational motivation in this moment? Use the RACE strategy and two details from the text to support your thinking.
My RACE Self-Check: Restated & Answered 2 Text Details (Quotes) Explained My Thinking
Page 3 of 3
Teacher Lesson Guide • Lesson B
Day 2: The Chimney Catastrophe
Jenny Giles's 'A Fair Swap' • Pages 10–16
Focus: Preventing Disaster & Rescue
Skill: Tracking Motive in Crisis
Key Conceptual Focus for Intervention Scholars
On Day 2, the man realizes he is in serious trouble because dinner isn't made and the cow might fall. His situational motivation becomes frantic: he tries quick shortcuts to solve two problems at once (tying the cow to himself while cutting soup vegetables), which leads to the climax.
Day 2: Pages 10–16 • The Chimney Trap & Resolution
Modeling the Prompt: "On page 10, the man thinks: 'She might fall off and get hurt.' So he drops a rope down the chimney and ties it to his own ankle. What is his situational motivation? In this moment, he wants to prevent the cow from wandering off the roof while he cooks dinner inside. He thinks tying it to his leg is a clever way to keep the cow safe while finishing the soup."
2 Stopping Point 2: The Wife's Rescue (Pages 12–13)
The cow slips, jerking the man up the chimney. The wife sees the hanging cow: "She rushed over and cut the rope with her sickle." Ask: "What is the wife's situational motivation?" (She wants to save the cow from falling or suffocating).
3 Closing & Final Resolution (Pages 14–16)
The wife declares he will go back to the fields every day. The man eagerly agrees: "What a good idea!" Connect back to Day 1: His motivation changed completely because he learned housework is exhausting and hard!
4 Targeted Scaffolding Notes for Day 2 Written Response
Prompting Ankle Detail:
Remind students to name the exact page (page 10) and use quotation marks around the author's words.
Explaining 'Why':
Have scholars explain why tying the rope seemed like a good idea to the man (to keep the cow safe while cooking).
Situational Motive Detectives • 3rd Grade Intervention Page 2 of 3 • Lesson B Guide
Lesson B Answer Key & Exemplar Models
Teacher Grading Reference
Day 1 Multiple Choice Key
Pages 2–9
1. Correct: B — The man wants an easy day at home because he thinks housework is simple.
2. Correct: D — The man wants to cook sausages because he feels hungry.
3. Correct: A — The man wants wood from the shed because the kitchen fire went out.
4. Correct: C — The man wants the cow to eat grass without having to walk all the way to the field.
Day 1 RACE Written Exemplar (Score: 4/4)
"In this moment, the man's situational motivation is to feed the cow grass without walking to the field so he can rest. In the text, he says, 'I won't have to take her all the way to the field' (p. 8). The author also writes that he led the cow up onto the roof and 'leaned against the chimney to have a rest' (p. 8). This evidence shows that the man puts the cow on the roof to save time and energy because he is lazy and wants to relax."
Day 2 Multiple Choice Key
Pages 10–16
1. Correct: A — The man is worried the cow might fall off the steep roof and get hurt.
2. Correct: C — The man wants to stop the cow from wandering off while he makes soup.
3. Correct: B — The woman wants to save the hanging cow before it falls or chokes.
4. Correct: D — The man wants to avoid housework because it is too hard and disastrous.
Day 2 RACE Written Exemplar (Score: 4/4)
"In this moment, the man's situational motivation is to keep the cow safe on the roof while he cooks dinner inside. In the text, the man says, 'the cow won't be able to wander away' (p. 10). The author also writes, 'he tied the rope around his ankle, and began to cut up the vegetables for the soup' (p. 10). This evidence shows that the man ties the rope to his leg so he can control the cow and get dinner ready before his wife comes home."
RACE Quick Rubric: R/A (1 pt: clearly states motive) • C (2 pts: 2 specific text details) • E (1 pt: explains connection).
Total: 4 Pts
Situational Motive Detectives • 3rd Grade Intervention Page 3 of 3 • Lesson B Guide
E Explain How the Evidence Shows His Motive
This evidence shows that the man puts the cow on the roof so he
and doesn't have to
Helpful Words: grass • roof • rest • chimney • save time • walk • field • easy
Situational Motive Detectives • A Fair Swap Page 2 of 3 • RACE Planning Organizer
Name:
Date:
Day 1 Final Written Response
RACE Paragraph
Question: On page 8, the man leads the cow up a wooden plank onto the grass roof. What is the man's situational motivation in this moment? Use the RACE strategy and two details from the text to support your thinking.
My RACE Self-Check: Restated & Answered 2 Text Details (Quotes) Explained My Thinking
Page 3 of 3
E Explain How the Evidence Shows His Motive
This evidence shows that the man ties the rope to his ankle so he
while he
Situational Motive Detectives • A Fair Swap Page 2 of 3 • RACE Planning Organizer
Name:
Date:
Day 2 Final Written Response
RACE Paragraph
Question: On page 10, the man ties the rope from the chimney around his own ankle while making soup. What is the man's situational motivation in this moment? Use the RACE strategy and two details from the text to support your thinking.
My RACE Self-Check: Restated & Answered 2 Text Details (Quotes) Explained My Thinking
