Name: Date:

All About Emojis

Emojis were first invented in Japan in the
1990s. These days, most people use
Emojis. There are almost 2,000 of them! You
can find an Emoji for almost anything. They let people
express ideas with pictures. They can be a lot of fun and a
good way to show someone how you feel without using
words. Also, they help people say what they mean with less
effort, which is a good thing. Even young kids who don’t
know how to read yet can understand them.

Use the RACE strategy to answer the following question, using the checklist as you write.
Why does the author think Emojis are good? Explain using reasons from the text.

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10 NO-PREP,
PRINTABLE
PASSAGES

STUDENT GUIDE AND EXAMPLE INCLUDED

 What is the RACE strategy?
The RACE strategy teaches you to do what good writers do naturally, and can help
you answer short-response questions. It helps you maintain a formal style and make
sure you are answering all parts of the question with lots of detail. Using the RACE
strategy will almost guarantee your answer is complete. RACE stands for:

R Re-state the question

Turn the question into a statement to introduce your paragraph.
Example: How can students improve their study skills?
Students can improve their study skills by…

A Answer all parts of the question

Keep in mind that there may be more than one part to the question.

C,C Cite the text to support your answer

Support your answer with evidence from the text. When there are two passages,
you should have at least two citations! If you use a direct quotation, use quotation
marks. Make sure to introduce your evidence with a phrase like:
“For example,” “According to the text,” “The author states that…” etc.

E Explain your citation

Elaborate on why your textual evidence helps you prove your point. Use phrases
like: “this example shows how…,” “this quotation proves that...,” etc.

Tips:
ü While you read, circle and underline important sentences so they’re easier to find later

ü Check off each part of the RACE strategy as you write

ü Always re-read your work to check for mistakes and make corrections

Copyright © 2019 Emma Oliver all rights reserved by author

 Paired Passage Example:
An Elephant Remembers
You know that elephants are the largest land animals
on earth. You also may have heard that elephants never
forget. Is it true that they have good memories?
The answer is yes. Elephants use their memory skills
to survive in the wild. They recall sources of water. They
can lead their herds long distances to them during dry spells.
Scientists have found that elephants can recognize and track up to 30 members
of their herd. They also remember animals they knew for only a short time.
Here’s an example. At a safe place for elephants in the U.S., an elephant named
Jenny became very excited when a new animal arrived. Workers did some checking.
They learned that the two had performed with the same circus. It was only for a few
months, and it was 22 years ago!

The Incredible Octopus

The octopus is considered the smartest invertebrate
in the world. They are found in oceans all over the world.
Some people think they have tentacles, but this is false.
They are actually called arms. These arms are very strong
and flexible. The arms also have suction cups on them.
Because an octopus has eight arms, it can multitask. For example, it could be
using some of its arms to break open a shell, while using the other arms to search
for food.
If an octopus is scared, it will shoot out black ink to confuse a predator. This
gives the octopus time to get away.
Octopi have been seen using tools. For example, they have built tents out of
coconut shells. Very few animals on earth know how to use tools.

Copyright © 2018 Emma Oliver all rights reserved by author

 Paired Passage Example:
Directions: now that you have read “An Elephant Remembers,” and “The Incredible
Octopus,” answer the following question. Use the checklist as you write.

What do elephants and octopi have in common? Use evidence from both texts to
support your answer.

R Elephants and octopi have something in common. They A

are both animals with interesting talents. For example, elephants

have strong memory skills. According to “An Elephant

C1
Remembers,” “elephants can recognize and track up to 30

members of their herd.” Octopi are known to use their arms to

multitask. According to “The Incredible Octopus,” the octopus C2

“could be using some of its arms to break open a shell, while

using the other arms to search for food.” These examples show

that elephants and octopi both have unique skills in the animal

world.
E

Remember: when you have 2 passages,

cite the text twice, using at least one
quote from each passage!

Copyright © 2018 Emma Oliver all rights reserved by author

You Might Also Like:
practice paired
passages for grades
4-5

click here!

… grades 6-7

click here!

…and all of them

together (great for
differentiating!)

click here!
Name: _______________________________________ Date: ____________________________ Class Period: _________

Context Clue Practice

Directions: Read the following sentences and then match the underlined word with the correct
meanings. Explain which context clues you used to help you choose your answer.

1. There was a long hiatus in the television broadcast. This pause was caused by technical problems.
A. noise C. show
B. break D. announcement

Explain how you know: ______________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

2. Francesca was not sentimental about the old maple tree in the front yard. Although it had
been important to her family to many generations, she had no trouble deciding to cut it down.
A. happy C. emotional
B. angry D. tired

Explain how you know: ______________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

3. Grandma Marie loved to indulge her grandchildren whenever she was watching them, giving
them all the things they were never allowed to have, like soda and greasy food.
A. spoil C. starve
B. ignore D. humor

Explain how you know: ______________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

4. Mya was nervous for the first day of school. She was an introvert, and her timidity made it hard
for her to make new friends.
A. new student C. class clown
B. a shy person D. outsider

Explain how you know: ______________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

Copyright © 2018 Emma Oliver all rights reserved by author

 5. The science fair needed impartial judges: they had to have no biases towards any of the
contestants so that it would be fair.
A. expert C. open-minded
B. wealthy D. negative

Explain how you know: ______________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

6. As Jamal ran towards the goal on the soccer field, he suddenly rolled his ankle and fell painfully to
the ground. He grimaced, clutching his ankle in pain.
A. frowned C. laughed
B. smiled D. walked

Explain how you know: ______________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

7. Dogs that have been abused and neglected are often wary around strangers. Eventually,
however, they can learn to trust and love people again.

A. trusting C. friendly
B. cautious D. sleepy

Explain how you know: ______________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

8. Sean blew out the candles on his thirteenth birthday cake, thinking about all the changes that
would take place in the next decade. He would graduate from high school, get a car, and be in
Copyright © 2018 Emma Oliver all rights reserved by author

college before he knew it.

A. hundred years C. one year

B. three years D. ten years

Explain how you know: _______________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________
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14 NO-PREP,
PRINTABLE WORKSHEETS

STUDENT
GUIDE and
EXAMPLES
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 Name: _____________________________________ Date: __________________________________

THIEVES strategy
What is the title? What do I know about this topic? What can I predict based on the title?

T
Look at the headings. What are the different sections of this text, and what do they tell me?

H
Read the introduction. What can you guess about the text based on the first section?

I
Read every first sentence of each paragraph. How do these sentences help shape the text?

E
Look at the visuals and vocabulary. What do these tell you about important parts of the text?

V
Read the end of chapter questions. How can these questions guide my reading?

E
Read the summary or write your own. What are the important things to understand and remember?

S
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 LIKED THIS Click here for the full
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PRODUCT? reading strategies:

Teachers are saying:

These resources will really help me this year. I'm looking
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Love this resource, these strategies
are so important for my ESOL kids.
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 Name: ____________________________________ Date: ____________________ Class Period: _____________

Directions: read the following passages and determine the type of informational text structure being used. Circle the correct answer.

1. People tend to be very loyal to their favorite brands of technology. Some people are devoted to Apple’s
iPhones and some people are big fans of Android phones. These phones have several things in common,
including the ability to use the internet, download apps, and take pictures. There are also certain differences.
iPhones have sleek designs and sync well with other Apple products, like Apple watches. Androids, however,
have more options to customize. Also, iPhones usually come with a higher price tag.

chronological sequence description problem/solution cause/effect compare/contrast

2. Anne Frank was born in Germany in 1929. Her family moved to the Netherlands in the summer of 1933.
When she turned thirteen in 1942, she was given a diary for her birthday. At the same time, German Nazis were
rounding up Jewish families like her own, and she and her family soon had to go into hiding. They stayed
hidden for more than two years until they were caught and moved to a caught. Anne Frank died in the war, but
her diary remains popular today.

chronological sequence description problem/solution cause/effect compare/contrast

3. Cane toads come from South America, but they were brought to Australia in the 1930s. The reason people
brought them were to help control the beetles that were harming sugar crops, since the toads would eat the
beetles. Unfortunately, their introduction the country had some unexpected side effects. The toads began
reproducing quickly, and their population spread out of control. They began harming Australia’s ecosystem and
were thought of as a big problem.

chronological sequence description problem/solution cause/effect compare/contrast

4. Car crashes are extremely dangerous. In the past, not all cars had seatbelts. As highways began to spread
across the United States, more and more people were getting hurt in car crashes. The government made a new
law requiring everyone to wear a seatbelt in order to keep people safe. As a result, there were far fewer deaths
on the road. It was estimated that seatbelts saved about 14,000 lives in the year 2015.

chronological sequence description problem/solution cause/effect compare/contrast

5. Monarch butterflies are some of the most well-known types of butterflies. They have distinctive features, such
Copyright © 2018 Emma Oliver all rights reserved by author

as bright orange wings with black lines and white spots. Because of their color, they are sometimes called
common tiger butterflies. The males are bigger than the females, and they have six legs. They often fly with a
slow, sailing motion.

chronological sequence description problem/solution cause/effect compare/contrast

6. To bake a loaf of bread, it is important to follow a series of steps. First, you must activate the yeast by mixing
it with warm water. After it has been sitting, you can mix it into the flour. You should knead the bread until the
dough is smooth. Next, you have to let the bread rise by placing it somewhere warm. When it has doubled in
size, you can put it in the oven. Last, check the loaf of bread as it bakes to make sure you don’t burn it.

chronological sequence description problem/solution cause/effect compare/contrast

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 ANSWER KEY
Writing with the RACE Strategy
Answers will vary. Ensure that students have completed all four steps of the RACE strategy:
re-stating the question, answering it fully, providing at least one citation from the text, and
explaining why that example proves their point. This lends itself to easy grading: each step in
the RACE strategy=25%, with successful use of all parts of the RACE strategy equaling 100%.

To increase the rigor, require your students to provide two or more pieces of evidence.

Context Clues
1. B 5. C
2. C 6. A
explanations will vary
3. A 7. B
4. B 8. D

Text Structure
1. compare/contrast
2. chronological
3. cause/effect
4. problem/solution
5. description
6. sequence

CREDITS

All graphics not credited here are in the public domain, including those published prior to 1923
or that have otherwise been released to the public domain. The passages are the original work
and property of Emma Oliver.

Copyright © 2020 Emma Oliver all rights reserved by author

 standards Alignment
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6-8.1
Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.1.A
Introduce claim(s) and organize the reasons and evidence clearly.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6-8.1.B
Support claim(s) with clear reasons and relevant evidence, using credible sources and
demonstrating an understanding of the topic or text.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.6-8.2
Determine a central idea of a text and how it is conveyed through particular details; provide a
summary of the text distinct from personal opinions or judgments.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.6-8.4
Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative,
connotative, and technical meanings.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.6-8.10
By the end of the year, read and comprehend literary nonfiction in the grades 6-8 text
complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.6-8.4.A
Use context (e.g., the overall meaning of a sentence or paragraph; a word's position or
function in a sentence) as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase.

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READ RELEVANT a ses b y
b ack.”
pu r c h Fe e d
o n f uture k “ P r ovide
e ic
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pT C r w n
Earn T i n d y our do
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 About the Author
This is my seventh year teaching language arts. I've
taught general and special education, ranging from
grades 6-12.

I have a Masters degree in Reading from Mercer

University and a Bachelor's degree in 7-12 Secondary
English Language Arts Education from Ohio University.

One of my favorite educational experiences was

completing my student teaching in South Africa in 2012.

I love YA literature and enjoy creating resources for

teachers to bring culturally-response, high-interest
lessons into the classroom.

Let’s be friends! Find me on Instagram, Facebook, Teachers

Pay Teachers, and Pinterest
by searching for Read Relevant… or click below!

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