SCR Basics
Which part of an SCR tells the reader exactly what you’re answering?
The Restate & Answer or topic sentence
In the text it says “Her hands were shaking as she stepped onto the stage.”
Is this evidence?
Yes — it’s text evidence.
What is the purpose of the explanation?
To connect the evidence back to the prompt and show why it matters.
Fix the Sentence
“the dog ran fast”
“The dog ran fast.”
What do you call a conclusion you make using clues + background knowledge?
An inference.
Put these in the correct SCR order: Evidence, Restate, Explanation, Answer.
Answer: Restate → Answer → Evidence → Explanation.
Which is stronger?
A) “The character was sad.”
B) “Tears rolled down her face as she hugged the empty coat.”
B.
“This shows she was nervous because…” Finish the explanation.
Possible Answer: “…she kept checking the clock and couldn’t sit still, which supports the idea that she was worried about what would happen.”
Fragment or Complete?
“Because she wanted to win.”
Fragment.
Theme is the lesson or message. True or false?
True.
“This shows the character was determined.” Which part is missing?
The evidence.
Prompt: How does the author show the character is responsible?
Which evidence fits?
A) “He forgot his homework.”
B) “He cleaned the classroom without being asked.”
B.
Is this a strong explanation? “This shows he was happy.”
Weak — it doesn’t explain why or how.
Comma Check
Where does the comma go?
“After the storm the sun came out.”
After “storm.”
If the author wants to teach you something, what’s the purpose?
To inform.
Rewrite this weak explanation into a stronger one:
“This shows he was brave.”
Possible Answer: “This shows he was brave because he chose to face the danger even though he was scared, which supports the idea that he doesn’t give up.”
Turn this weak evidence into strong evidence: “He was mad.”
Possible Answer: “He slammed his backpack onto the floor and refused to speak to anyone.”
What’s wrong with this explanation? “This shows she was brave because she was brave.”
It’s repetitive and doesn’t explain the evidence.
Clarity Challenge
Rewrite to make it clearer: “He did that thing with the stuff.”
Possible Answer: “He organized the books on the shelf.”
Which structure shows a problem and how it’s solved?
Problem–solution.
You are given a prompt: How does the author show the narrator is hopeful?
Write ONLY the Restate + Answer in one clear sentence. (No evidence yet.)
Possible Answer: “The author shows the narrator is hopeful by describing how she continues to believe things will get better.”
You’re writing about how a character is responsible. Choose the best evidence AND explain why it’s the strongest:
A) “He sometimes helps his friends.”
B) “He completed his chores early and reminded his brother to finish his homework.”
C) “He likes to play video games after school.”
B — It gives a specific action that clearly shows responsibility.
Here is the evidence: “Maria stayed up late finishing her science project even though she was tired.”
Write a strong explanation that connects this evidence to the idea that Maria is dedicated.
Possible Answer: “This shows Maria is dedicated because she pushes through her exhaustion to complete her work, proving she cares about doing her best.”
Edit the Whole Thing
Fix all the errors in this sentence (capitalization, punctuation, clarity):
“when they got to the park they seen that the gate was broke and nobody was their”
Corrected Answer: “When they got to the park, they saw that the gate was broken and nobody was there.”
Theme + Evidence Combo
A story shows a character failing multiple times but continuing to try until they succeed.
Identify the theme AND give one sentence of evidence that would support it.
Theme: Never give up, even when things are difficult. Evidence: The character kept practicing every day, even after failing three times.