AMY
KANNEY
USING IRACE TO TEACH EXTENDED RESPONSE
Materials Included:
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Lesson Plan
Coke Vs. Pepsi Response Sheet
Grader for a Day WS
IRACE Handout
Textual Evidence Bookmarks
Extended Response Practice WS AND
Key
 Extra Practice (if needed)
How to Answer Extended Response Questions (Like a Boss!)
(Lesson Plan)
Objective: To help students understand textual evidence and use it correctly and efficiently in their
extended response answers.
Core Standards Covered:
Reading
Literature
Reading
Informational
Writing
Speaking and
Listening
Language
RL.8.1
(Evidence)
RI.8.1
(Evidence)
W.8.9
(Use Evidence)
SL.8.1
(Discussions)
R.I.8.10
(Read at grade
level)
W.8.4
(Coherent
Writing)
L.8.1
(Correct
Grammar)
L.8.2
(Correct
Spelling)
Time Required: Approximately three-four 45 min class periods
Materials Needed:
 Sample Extended Response Questions
 Copies of handouts
 SMARTBOARD and Smart Notebook File
 Copies of Textual Evidence Bookmarks
Instruction:
Day 1 (10-15 minutes)
 As a homework assignment, or end of class activity, have students read an article about Coke vs. Pepsi
and answer the question, “Which brand is better: Coke or Pepsi? Explain your answer.” (An article can
be found here: realversus.com/coca-cola-versus-pepsi-the-fierce-battle-that-has-no-end.html)
Prep Work
 Collect student answers, and select a few samples per class (about 3). It may take you a day or
two to prepare for the next day of this lesson, so plan accordingly. Select a range of samples so
that you have great answers, bad answers, and okay answers. When selecting samples, pay
attention to length, grammar, spelling, and handwriting. In addition to teaching the students
what a quality argument looks like, we also have to show them that handwriting and mechanics
can be distracting.
 Make classroom copies of these samples. I tend to cut the three answers out and put them on one
paper. The students’ names should be left off of these copies, so that no one gets embarrassed. I
also mix the samples up so that each class period has a different class’s samples. So for instance,
if I have a 6th, 7th, and 8th period, I would give 8th period samples to 6th hour, and 7th hour samples
to 8th hour, and 6th hour samples to 7th hour.
Day 2 (45 minutes)
 Once you have your samples ready, put your students in groups of 2-3 and pass out the
“Grader for the Day” WS and the samples. Help the students work through the activity. You
will need to assist them in creating a class rubric for the answers. A sample one may look like
this:
Introductory Sentence
Answer
Explanation
Total: _____/3 pts
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In my experience, the easier the rubric the better. If you want to save yourself the
hassle, you could just write this rubric up on the board and discuss what each of these
components look like.
Have the students decide on a grade for each answer, and then answer the questions
at the bottom of the worksheet.
If you’d like to make it a competition, you can also grade the questions using the class
rubric, and if any group matches your grades, they get a prize.
Go over these questions as a class, discussing each answer and asking any follow up
questions that arise.
Explain to the students that grading isn’t always easy, especially when it comes to
subjects like English. In English there are many right answers vs. math and science
where there is usually one set answer.
Day 3 (45 minutes)
 Pass out the “Answering Extended Response Questions Like a Boss” WS to the
students.
 You may either use the guided note WS to go over the information, or pass out the
complete handout and go over it with the students.
 Pass out the Textual Evidence Bookmarks and read over them with the students.
 Tell the students that from now on you expect them to use IRACE and Textual
Evidence Starters in their extended response answers. I tend to tell them that they
should use these strategies unless I state otherwise. Additionally, if you’d like, I tend
to let my students use their Textual Evidence Bookmarks on tests/quizzes throughout
most of the year. Towards the end of the year (3rd or 4th quarter) I take away this
privilege.
 Use the “Extended Response Practice” WS to model how to divide the questions into
their parts and circle key words.
 Pass back the Coke vs. Pepsi article, and as a class, work through the article,
highlighting textual evidence that could be used to answer the question, “Which
brand is better.”
 Have the students rewrite their answers using all the information you’ve just given
them (This could be assigned as Homework). Then collect and grade this WS.
Assessment of Learning:
Collect the students’ rewrites and grade them according to the following rubric:
Extended Response Rubric
All parts of IRACE followed (2 pts each)
/10 pts
Textual Evidence Sentence Starter Used (Min of 1)
/4 pt
Neat Handwriting
/3 pt
Correct Grammar and Spelling (Less than 3 errors)
/3 pts
Total: __________ /20 pts
Potential Modifications:
 Differentiated Starter Text
 Use previous year’s samples
 Verbal debate
 Different topic
Reflection:
EPIC BATTLE:
COKE VS. PEPSI
Directions: Read the provided passage and answer the
q
u
es
ti
o
n
th
at
fo
ll
o
w
s.
Which brand is better, Coke or Pepsi? Explain your answer.
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EPIC BATTLE:
COKE VS. PEPSI
Directions: Read the provided passage and answer the question that follows.
Which brand is better, Coke or Pepsi? Explain your answer.
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Name: ______________________________________________________
Grader for a Day
Directions: You are officially the grader for the day. You and your
colleagues will be grading extended response questions. Make sure you
follow all the directions.
Step 1: As a group, look over your student samples. Without reading the
papers, arrange them in order of best to worst. In other words, just by looking at the papers, which one
seems like it will be the best: _____________
Why?
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Step 2: Create an answer key. Since we all read this text as a class, you should be familiar with its content.
Take a look at the question and determine what information your answer should have. We will go over this
as a class.
Step 3: Using the text and the class’s answer key, work through the samples and assign them a grade. If
you mark points off, be sure to identify in the margins what is missing. Complete this step on your own
FIRST! Then once everyone is done grading, share your answers as a group and decide on a final grade.
Step 4: Answer the following questions:
1) What are the qualities of a good answer? In other words, what sets an okay answer apart from a good
answer? _____________________________________________________________________________
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2) Was it hard to grade? Why or why not? ___________________________________________________
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3) What did you learn from this activity? In other words, what are you going to do differently on future
tests? _______________________________________________________________________________
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Answering Extended Response
Questions like a Boss!
Step 1:
Read carefully. Circle any key words.
Step 2:
Identify the different parts to the question. Separate them
with lines.
Step 3:
Use the IRACE formula to create your response.
Step 4:
Use evidence based terms to guide your answer.
I – Indent
R– Restate
A– Answer
C– Cite
E– Explain
Other tips:
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Keep your handwriting as neat as possible.
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Use correct spelling and grammar.
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When in doubt make sure you explain yourself.
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Remember that graders are human. They may judge you on other elements besides the
content of your answer.
Reader’s Notebook (Pg. 1)
Answering Extended Response
Questions like a Boss!
Step 1:
Read carefully. _______________ any key words.
Step 2:
Identify the different _______________ to the question.
Separate them with _______________.
Step 3:
Use the _______________ formula to create your response.
Step 4:
Use _______________ based terms to guide your answer.
I – _______________
R– _______________
A– _______________
C– _______________
E– _______________
Other tips:
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Keep your _______________ as neat as possible.
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Use correct _______________ and_______________.
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When in doubt make sure you
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_______________ yourself.
Remember that graders are _______________. They may judge you on other elements besides the
content of your answer.
Name: _________________________
Date: __________________________
Period : ________________________
Extended Response Practice
The following questions are taken from past achievement tests. I would like you to go through and
draw lines segmenting the different parts to the question. Be sure to circle KEY words in the
questions.
1. From the reading, how does Tate feel about the swimmers? Provide
three details to support your answer.
2. How has the increased use of scientific technology led to a change in the
English language? Use an example from the passage to support your
answer.
3. Explain what characteristics of “A Shopping Mall Will Benefit All” and “An
Eyesore in our Peaceful Community” make these passages public
documents. Use examples to support your answer.
4. At the end of the reading selection, Allie, Amy, and Gracie finally meet.
Do you think that the three girls will become friends? Use three details
from the passage to support your answer.
5. Does the information in “Additional Facts About Owls” increase your
understanding of the passage “Owls”? Provide at least one example to
support your answer.
6. Explain how the author uses facts about owls to develop this piece. Use
three examples from the passage to support your answer.
Practice: Use this passage to answer the following extended response question.
Extended Response Practice (Key)
The following questions are taken from past achievement tests. I would like you to go through and
draw lines segmenting the different parts to the question. Be sure to circle KEY words in the
questions.
1. From the reading, how does Tate feel about the swimmers? Provide
three details to support your answer.
2. How has the increased use of scientific technology led to a change in the
English language? Use an example from the passage to support your
answer.
3. Explain what characteristics of “A Shopping Mall Will Benefit All” and “An
Eyesore in our Peaceful Community” make these passages public
documents. Use examples to support your answer.
4. At the end of the reading selection, Allie, Amy, and Gracie finally meet.
Do you think that the three girls will become friends? Use three details
from the passage to support your answer.
5. Does the information in “Additional Facts About Owls” increase your
understanding of the passage “Owls”? Provide at least one example to
support your answer.
6. Explain how the author uses facts about owls to develop this piece. Use
three examples from the passage to support your answer.
Practice: Use this passage to answer the following extended response question.
Extra Practice
“Owls”
Owls are characterized by their large, round heads and forward facing eyes. They have
sharp downward facing beaks and cryptically colored plumage (feathers). Male and female
owls are usually the same size, but females can be up to 25 percent larger than males. Owls
are known as raptors (birds of prey), which means that they eat living things. They are found
on all continents of the world except for Antarctica, and they live in habitats ranging from thick
forests to flat prairies. Owls have been associated with wisdom since the rule of ancient
Greece. During this time, the owl was associated with the Goddess of Wisdom, Athena, and
symbolized Greek’s protector. If an owl flew over a Greek army before battle, the soldiers took
it as a sign of victory. Throughout history, owls have also been associated with birth, death, the
weather, and magic.
Additional Facts About Owls
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An owl’s diet includes insects, spiders, birds, and
small mammals.
Most owls are active during dusk and dawn.
A group of owls in called a parliament.
Owls bathe in swallow water or in the rain.
Not all species of owls hoot.
Explain how the author uses facts about owls to develop this piece. Use at least one detail to
support your answer.
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