RELAX
What type of question is this strategy used for?
multiple choice (if student doesn't know the term for this but can describe it they can get points)
What type of question is this strategy used for?
Open response, short answer, or an explanation will work if the student doesn't know the correct term for it.
What is the main idea of the paragraph below?
Because the river is surrounded by jungle, there are no major roads or cities around the Amazon River. There aren’t even any bridges across the river. But people can travel on the river by boat. In fact, many tourists in the area opt to take an Amazon River cruise or rafting trip to see the wonders of this great river. Would you take a boat down the Amazon River if you had the chance?
The way in which you can see the river up close.
What is a possible theme for the Disney movie Frozen? (if someone on your team hasn't seen the movie - they need to watch it at home! But also, let your teacher know and they can change the movie to something everyone in the group knows).
Teacher can decide on this one
On the day of each test we take, you have the ability to win test taker of the day by showing that you are doing your absolute best on the test. What are some things that could show your teacher you are doing your best?
PLANNING on your scratch paper on the writing test, writing out RACE and RELAX on your scratch paper on the reading test, using your scratch paper on the math test to work out problems, taking the entire test time/ continuing to check answers in any remaining time, not trying to use the bathroom during the test, the teacher can accept other answers that they think are accapetable.
What are the first two steps of this strategy for? (We are looking for the full explanation, not just one word)
R - reread the question and highlight key words.
E - examine every answer choice
The R in RACE ensures that you show your grader that you completely understand the question you're being asked. What does it stand for?
Restate the question as a statement/sentence starter.
What kind of informative text connection can be found between the events in this paragraph?
Ed Dwight was born on September 9, 1933. He joined the United States Air Force in 1953 to pursue his dream of becoming a pilot. He earned his engineering degree from Arizona State University. Then, President John F. Kennedy’s administration selected him out of many people to train as the first-ever African American astronaut. He instantly became a household name; everyone knew who Ed Dwight was! His face was on many magazines around the world.
I would accept both of these answers for this -
order and sequence because the events do go in order from the earliest event to the most recent event.
one person big event becuase Ed Dwight is the person and the big event is that he was the first African American astronaut.
What character trait can you assume Jimmy has based on his actions and words in the following paragraph?
All the boys in the cabin were gathered in the middle of the room with a flashlight, except Jimmy. Jimmy was sitting on his bed, missing his friends from home and counting the minutes until his parents come back to pick him up from camp. One of the other boys in the cabin began to tell a spooky story. Jimmy began to feel uneasy being in the corner of the room by himself, so he finally decided to join the other boys. As Jimmy continued to listen to the description of a ferocious monster, he felt his palms start to sweat. "Okay I think that's quite enough of your story!" He finally blurted out.
homesick, intimidated, scared, teacher can decide if any other answers given are acceptable.
If you go through the entire RELAX strategy, and you are still super stuck on a question, what should you do?
take a guess at the answer, bookmark it, come back to it at the end if you have time (tick tock mind the clock!)
What do the L and the A stand for in the RELAX strategy? (full explanation - not just one word)
L - look back at the passage
A - ask yourself which answer choices are possible
What does the A in RACE stand for and what is one important thing to remember about this step?
A stands for answer and the teacher can decide if the important thing to remember deserves the points.
The main idea is big and broad and has details to support it. The details are smaller more specific facts that help to explain and support the main idea.
Use the information in the passage below to make an inference about Jasmine and her aunt's relationship. Provide one piece of proof from the paragraph
Jasmine's tough-but-sweet aunt Kinika, her mom’s sister, had been a pretty good college basketball player. Although Jasmine’s mom was on the small side, Kinika was an impressive 5’10. Kinika had even had dreams of playing professionally in the WNBA… till she smashed up her knee.“Hey, auntie,” Jasmine texted Kinika one September afternoon, “any chance you can help me become a better b-ball player?” “Yes! How about Skyland Park tomorrow at 4?” Kinika texted back.
Jasmine looks up to her aunt and her aunt likes helping her (something along these lines will work).
Teacher can determine if the evidence connects.
Please describe what each of the 5 paragraphs in an opinion piece are for.
1 - introduction (the hook and claim are here)
2 - reason 1 with evidence
3 - reason 2 with evidence
4 - reason 3 with evidence
5- conclusion (connection to the audience, restatement of reasons and claim)
What does the X stand for in the RELAX strategy? (explanation - not just one word)
X - X out the answer choices that are impossible.
Once you make it to the C of RACE strategy, you get to make a choice in the way that you provide your proof. What are the two options for this?
150 bonus points if you can also share a sentence starter for this step.
directly quote the author or paraphrase.
teacher will decide fi the sentence starter is accapetable.
Please describe one of the cause and effect relationships in the paragraph below. Be sure to be clear about which piece is the cause and which is the effect.
Before Europeans came to North America, the sky was teeming with bald eagles. As settlers moved west, they destroyed the eagles' natural habitat. Egg collectors and pesticides almost wiped out the bald eagle population. However, about 30 years ago the federal government passed laws to protect the eagles. Today, more than 7,678 pairs of bald eagles live in the lower United States.
Cause: settlers moved west
Effect: eagle habitats are destroyed
Cause: egg collectors and pesticides arrive
Effect: half the bald eagle population is wiped out
Cause: the federal government passed laws to protect eagles
Effect: 7,678 pairs of bald eagles are living in the US
How does the setting affect the events that are happening in this paragraph? (remember - setting includes time and place)
June 5, 1944
We have left Britain now. We are heading towards the coast of France. The English Channel is rough and choppy. Our ships rock back and forth. The air is foggy outside, but very few men go up on the deck of the ship anyway. We are all kept below to prepare for the fight. Most of the men are quiet and keep to themselves. We know that our job is necessary, but we also know that many of us will die. It is clear now that we will invade France on the beaches of Normandy. By morning, we will have landed. Who knows how long the fight will take, or who will survive… anything is possible for us, except defeat. We will win
The time period makes it possible for the author to write about this war (World War II) from the point of view of someone who lived through it. The place (the ship in the English Channel) allows the author to describe some of the conditions that soldiers in the war endured during travel. The teacher can determine if other answers given are acceptable.
narrative - to entertain
opinion - to persuade or convince
Go through each letter of RELAX and tell me what each letter stands for. Remember - one word won't cut it, tell me the explanation as well.
R - reread the question and highlight keywords
E - evaluate ALL the answer choices
L - look back at the passage
A - ask yourself which answers could be possible
X - X out the ones that are impossible.
The E in RACE stands for explain. What exactly are you explaining in this step (what is the purpose of the E)?
150 bonus points if you can give a sentence starter for this step.
You are explaining how your evidence that you gave in the C supports the answer you gave in your A. It is like the connector or the glue between the answer and its proof.
teacher will decide if the sentence starter is acceptable.
What is the author's purpose for writing informative text?
to teach or inform
Use your inferencing skills to describe one similarity between Chris and Ellie. You must provide TWO pieces of evidence from the paragraph.
Ellie was busy tuning her guitar when her older brother, Chris, knocked on her door. “You ready to go?” he mumbled. Ellie had been enjoying the unusual silence in the house, so she assumed that he had just gotten up from a nap. Chris couldn’t stand silence, so when he was awake, his speakers were constantly blaring whatever he was in the mood for that day. She had woken up to hip hop that morning, classical the day before. Ellie picked up her guitar, placed it in her case—battered by years of use and covered in aging bumper stickers—and ran out after Chris.
Chris and Ellie both enjoy music ("his speakers were constantly blaring whatever he was in the mood for that day. She had woken up to hip hop that morning, classical the day before"; "Ellie picked up her guitar, placed it in her case—battered by years of use")
Please list what every letter of both RELAX and RACE stands for.
R - reread the question and highlight keywords
E - evaluate ALL the answer choices
L - look back at the passage
A - ask yourself which answers could be possible
X - X out the ones that are impossible.
R - restate the question
A - Answer completely
C - Cite proof from the text
E - explain how your proof supports your answer.