Constructed Response Writing (RACES Writing) Teaching Resources
Making your own constructed response worksheets and questions to assess your students' understanding? Say hello to a teacher-created collection of constructed response worksheets in PDF and Google Slides form and hello to saving time on your lesson plans!
With both printable and digital options, this teacher resource collection is stocked with writing prompts, R.A.C.E.S. graphic organizers, and more tools you can use to assess your ELA students.
Curious about using constructed response in your classroom? Take a look at this quick guide from our teacher team, including a definition for constructed response and examples to use in your classroom.
What Is a Constructed Response?
Constructed responses are non-fiction reading and writing experiences connected to content in all subject areas and geared toward students in grades K-6. These writing opportunities are critical to assessing student understanding of nonfiction texts, and they are heavily weighted on standardized tests.
Including CRQs or constructed response questions is a crucial part of using this teacher tool. CRQs require students to construct an answer (hence the name) rather than choosing from a pre-filled list. This setup requires students to carefully read the question being posed and to use detailed explanations and/or relevant vocabulary to showcase their depth of understanding.
A constructed response can measure how students:
- Organize their thoughts
- Demonstrate higher-level thinking skills
- Provide support to explain their answers
5 Constructed Response Examples to Use in Your Classroom
Constructed response can take a variety of forms, and this collection is filled with countless examples that tie into different parts of the social studies curriculum. Explore them all for ready-made writing tasks for your students, or explore these ideas and examples from our teacher team!
- Evaluate the impact of a particular president on American society.
- Summarize the key events in a story, and explain their significance to the overall plot.
- Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of cellphones.
- Argue whether a particular character made the right decision and support your argument with evidence from the text.
- Compare and contrast the types of government found in the United States and Australia.
What Is the RACE for Constructed Responses?
Have you noticed our RACES writing activities and wondered what they're all about? Let's dive into this helpful strategy for elementary writers!
The RACE strategy is a framework for writing constructed responses that's built on an acronym for easy recall for your students.
RACE stands for:
- R — Restate the question
- A — Answer the question
- C — Cite evidence from the text
- E — Explain how the evidence supports your answer
RACES is another version of this same strategy, with an optional S in the acronym, which stands for summarize. Whether you include the fifth step or stop at 4, this mnemonic helps students organize their thoughts and ensure that they fully address the question.
Here is a brief overview of each RACES step:
- Restate the question — The first step tells students to begin writing their responses by restating the question in their own words. This helps ensure they fully understand the question and can focus their response accordingly.
- Answer the question — In step two, students are asked to provide a direct and concise answer to the question that has been asked. The goal is to make sure the answer is relevant to the question and addresses all parts of the prompt.
- Cite evidence from the text — In step 3, students use specific examples or evidence from the text to support their answer. This could include quotes, paraphrases or other specific details that help to illustrate their point.
- Explain how the evidence supports your answer — In step four (or the final step in the RACE strategy), students explain how the evidence cited supports the answer. This step demonstrates a student's understanding of the text and the question at hand.
- Summarize your main points — In a sentence or two designed to round out their response, students summarize the main points of their response. This helps ensure the response is well-organized and easy to follow and emphasizes the key points they've made. The goal is to leave a lasting impression on the reader.
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Lewis and Clark Expedition - RACES Writing Strategy Worksheets
Practice using the RACES writing strategy for text evidence with a Lewis and Clark Passage, graphic organizer, and worksheet.
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Boston Tea Party - RACES Writing Strategy Worksheet
Integrate reading, writing, and American history with a worksheet about the Boston Tea Party using the RACES writing strategy for text evidence.
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Amelia Earhart Constructed Response Worksheet
Use this passage, second grade writing prompt, and worksheet to help students write a constructed response paragraph about Amelia Earhart.
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Dogs Make The Best Pets - Reading Comprehension PDF
Assess 3rd grade reading comprehension skills with a printable Reading Comprehension Test using an opinion text.
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Weathering and Erosion – RACES Writing Strategy Worksheets
Combine reading, writing and science with two worksheets about weathering and erosion using the RACES writing strategy for text evidence.
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Moving West- Constructed Response Writing Worksheet
Teach your students how to write a good constructed response and integrate grade level Social studies concepts with a Westward Expansion-based Constructed Response worksheet and graphic organizer.
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The Boston Massacre Reading and Writing Worksheets
Integrate Reading and Social Studies content with a set of Boston Massacre worksheets.
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4th Grade Writing Worksheets: Tornado Text-Based Writing
Enhance your students' comprehension, vocabulary, and writing skills using 4th Grade writing worksheets and a high-interest reading passage about Tornadoes.
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Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASPs) Constructed Response Worksheet
Use our printable constructed response writing prompts for fourth grade to learn about the fearless Women’s Air Force Service Pilots (WASPs).
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Navajo Code Talkers Constructed Response Worksheet
Discover the impact of the Navajo Code Talkers on the outcome of World War II with a cross-curricular constructed response worksheet.
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Irma Rangel Constructed Response Worksheet
Use this Irma Rangel worksheet and writing prompt to help students write a paragraph using text evidence.
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George Washington Carver Constructed Response Worksheet
Read and write about George Washington Carver using the RACES strategy for constructed response paragraphs.
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Bill of Rights - RACES writing response
Practice using the RACES writing strategy and discover the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights with a passage, organizer, and prompt.
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Boston Massacre Passage and Writing Prompt Worksheet
Learn facts about the Boston Massacre with an informational reading passage and an informational writing prompt for fourth grade.
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Abigail Adams Constructed Response Worksheet
Use this passage, writing prompt, and worksheet to help students write a constructed response paragraph about Abigail Adams.
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Thurgood Marshall Constructed Response Worksheet
Discover the influence and positive character traits of Thurgood Marshall with a reading passage and RACES writing prompt for fourth grade.
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Checks and Balances - RACES Writing Prompt Worksheet
Practice using the RACES writing strategy and unravel the mysteries of the U.S. Government system of checks and balances with a passage, organizer, and prompt.
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Henry Ford - RACES Writing Strategy Worksheets
Provide students with Social Studies and Writing instruction using the RACES strategy for constructed response paragraphs.
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Milton Hershey RACES Writing Strategy Worksheets
Bring National Chocolate Day into your classroom with a biography and RACES writing worksheet about Milton Hershey.
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Benjamin Franklin - Constructed Response Worksheet
Learn facts about Benjamin Franklin with an informational reading and writing activity focusing on the constructed response format.
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Theodore Roosevelt Constructed Response Worksheet
Teach your students about Theodore Roosevelt with this printable biographical constructed response worksheet.
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Sojourner Truth Constructed Response Worksheet
Learn facts about Sojourner Truth with an informational reading passage and writing activity for third grade and up.
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Paul Revere Constructed Response Worksheet
Integrate reading, writing, and American history with a constructed response worksheet about Paul Revere and the American Revolution.
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Urbanization Constructed Response Worksheet
Use this nonfiction constructed response worksheet to teach your students about urbanization.
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Great Depression Constructed Response Worksheet
Use this nonfiction constructed response worksheet to teach your students about the Great Depression.
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Susan B. Anthony Constructed Response Worksheet
Integrate reading, writing, and American history with a constructed response worksheet about Susan B. Anthony and the women’s rights movement.
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Daniel Boone Constructed Response Worksheet
Integrate reading, writing, and American history with a constructed response worksheet about Daniel Boone and American Westward Expansion.
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Declaration of Independence- Constructed Response Passage Worksheet
Blend reading, writing, and historical concepts with the Declaration of Independence worksheet.
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Industrial Revolution Worksheet - Constructed Response
Blend reading, writing, and history concepts surrounding the Industrial Revolution with a constructed response worksheet and graphic organizer.
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The Louisiana Purchase -Constructed Response Worksheet
Integrate reading, writing, and Social Studies content with a Louisiana Purchase Constructed Response worksheet and graphic organizer.
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Halloween vs. Dia de Los Muertos - Differentiated Paired Passages
Integrate reading, writing, and celebration of world cultures with differentiated paired passages comparing Halloween and Dia de los Muertos.
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Mexican Cession- Constructed Response Passage Worksheet
Teach your students how to write a good constructed response and integrate grade level Social studies concepts with a Mexican Cession-based Constructed Response worksheet and graphic organizer.