Lesson 7: Look Both Ways, Narrative Writing, Part 1

This opening routine activates students’ prior work with identifying character traits and begins shifting them from recall (what happened) to analysis (what it reveals). Emphasize that strong responses name both the author’s craft (e.g., dialogue, point of view) and the insight about the character. This will help prepare students to expand this thinking into a full RACE paragraph later in the lesson.

Think-Pair-Share-Write

Say these Directions: Review your up-to-date Ordinary Moments graphic organizer. Then Think-Pair-Share. Write about one moment that reveals either implicit or explicit information about a character. Be sure to identify how the author reveals that information (for example, through dialogue or perspective). This is called the author’s craft.

• Choose one technique that reveals something about a character:

  • Figurative language

  • Point of view

  • Symbolism

  • Voice

What does this technique reveal about the character? Be specific about the technique and what it shows.

• I chose dialogue. On page 4, Jasmine says to TJ, “Y’know, I can see straight through to your brain.” Jasmine said, pretending to still be examining. “And it turns out, there’s a whole lot of it missing.” This dialogue reveals Jasmine’s sense of humor and her playful relationship with TJ.

Take two to three brief responses, highlighting the importance of citing text evidence to build strong responses.

Connection to Today’s Learning

• Say: Authors use a variety of literary elements, from point of view to dialogue and symbolism, to reveal information to the reader. Today, you are going to investigate these literary elements by looking for examples of them in Look Both Ways and then describing them through a literary analysis paragraph.

Language Study

Pronouns

Remind the class that pronouns are words used to substitute for specific nouns that refer to people or things. When writing and speaking, it is important to use clear, consistent pronouns so your audience can easily understand what you are trying to communicate.

Pronoun Identification: Read from “What the four of them” on p. 40 to “And the others asked their parents if it was true” on page 41. Instruct students to identify all the pronouns in the passage.

• Ask: What are some of the pronouns used in this passage? What nouns do the pronouns replace? Why would the author use pronouns instead of repeating the noun?

Using Pronouns to Avoid Repetition: Point out how long and repetitive sentences can become without pronouns.

Say these Directions: Read the second sentence of the paragraph again, replacing “it” with “all the surgeries and treatments.”

• Ask: What noun does the word that replace in the third sentence (“That wasn’t Ms. Lane’s job, to bring that up”)? Why do you think the author made the choice to use that?”

  • That replaces “the truth about where all the money went.” The sentence would feel too long and awkward with the whole phrase included again. The author used a pronoun because he was counting on readers’ context to understand its meaning.

Say these Directions: Read the second sentence of the paragraph again, replacing “it” with “all the surgeries and treatments.”

• Ask: What noun does the word that replace in the third sentence (“That wasn’t Ms. Lane’s job, to bring that up”)? Why do you think the author made the choice to use that?”

  • That replaces “the truth about where all the money went.” The sentence would feel too long and awkward with the whole phrase included again. The author used a pronoun because he was counting on readers’ context to understand its meaning.

Proper Pronoun Case: Next, remind students of the differences between commonly used pronouns:

• Subjective pronouns act as the subject of a sentence (e.g., I, you, he, she, they).

• Objective pronouns receive the action of a verb or follow a preposition (e.g., me, you, him, her, them).

• Possessive pronouns show ownership (e.g., my/mine, your/yours, his, her/hers, their/theirs).

• Ask: Which pronouns in this part of the story are subjective, objective, and possessive?

  • Subjective: “they wouldn’t have known”; objective: “told him,” “told that business to the others”; possessive: “their lives,” “their parents’ lives”

Shift in Pronoun Number and Person: Point out that pronouns often shift within a paragraph, a sentence, or even a clause.

• Ask: What pronoun shifts do you notice in the passage?

  • Them and their reference the group the Low Cuts and also refer to their parents. Him references Bit. She references Bit’s mother.

Review how authors use pronouns to make writing more concise and avoid awkward repetition.

• Say: Sometimes, tracking pronouns can be difficult, especially if a writer accidentally uses a plural pronoun when they meant to use a singular one. In your own writing, check that each pronoun clearly matches its noun so your meaning stays clear for the reader.

Part A: Model Writing (RL.6.1) (15 minutes)

In this modeled writing section, students observe how to construct a complete RACE literary analysis paragraph. The focus is not just on the structure (RACE), but on how each part works together to communicate analysis of the author’s craft. Encourage students to “read like writers” by noticing how evidence is selected, how transitions clarify relationships, and how explanation moves beyond summary to interpretation.

Say these Directions: Think about your answers to the Launch prompt.

• Ask: What does your chosen moment reveal about a character? What technique does the author use to reveal this information?

Explain that you will now model a complete literary analysis paragraph in response to a more specific version of this question:

• Ask: How does the author use point of view, voice, figurative language, or symbolism to reveal something about a character?

Use the RACE writing strategy and evidence from the text. While writing, think aloud about choosing transitions that clarify relationships among ideas and evidence:

• Say: Watch as I write a RACE paragraph to answer the question. RACE stands for restate the question, answer the question, cite evidence from the text, and explain your answer. I’ll use four different markings to show you the four parts of the RACE strategy.

Display the RACE Writing Strategy graphic organizer:

Display your model paragraph (use colored text/highlighting if possible):

The author uses figurative language to reveal how Bit changes from the beginning to the end of the story. Bit goes from being impatient and driven to calm and proud. For example, at the beginning of the story, he is described as “full of fire,” showing his urgency and motivation to get ice cream for his mom. At the end of the story, however, he is presented as “a game show host” rather than “hustling.” This shift in figurative language reveals that Bit has moved from urgent, self-motivated energy to calm, generous pride—he is no longer chasing something for himself but delivering something for someone he loves.

Next, read from p. 29: “The Low Cuts waited nervously. But Bit, full of fire and impatience, rang the bell again.”

• Say: Before I explain why I chose this quote, let me show you my thinking about selecting evidence. I could have used a different quote from this scene—something like “Bit rang the doorbell” or “The Low Cuts waited nervously”—but those quotes just tell what happened, not how Bit felt. Instead, I chose “full of fire and impatience” because it uses figurative language to show his internal state. When choosing evidence for analysis, ask yourself: Does this quote show the technique I’m analyzing, or does it just summarize the plot? This passage reveals Bit’s internal state of mind. The author doesn’t just say he is impatient; the author uses “full of fire.” This use of figurative language, or words or phrases that are meaningful but not literally true, is dramatic and exciting. It reveals the author’s unique voice. Why would Reynolds use such dramatic language in this section? It helps convey how strongly Bit feels about helping his mom. Let’s compare this to the voice Reynolds uses at the end of the story to describe Bit’s actions.

Read from p. 40: “Bit waved his arm like a game show host showing off the four cups.”

• Say: This passage shows how Bit has changed from “hustling” to “a son.” His focus is no longer on trying to get something. He is more relaxed now and wants to present the gift to his mom.

Review each marked component with students. Point to the bold section (R):

• Say: This is my topic sentence. I restate the question as a statement so the reader immediately knows my focus is on how the author expresses how Bit changes in the story.

Point to the italicized section (A):

• Say: This is my answer. I state how Bit has changed.

Point to the underlined section (C):

• Say: This is my evidence. I cite quotes from the story to support my answer.

Point to the highlighted section (E):

• Say: This is my explanation. I say in my own words how the evidence shows that Bit has changed. I also point out ways that he has stayed the same.

• Say: Notice how my R and A take up two sentences because I wanted to be really clear about the change I’m analyzing. RACE is flexible—you might need four sentences minimum, or you might need six. What matters is that you include all four parts.

Take time to also note the transitions in the RACE paragraph:

• Say: Notice my transitions: I use words like at the beginning and at the end to show differences in Bit. I use words like however and rather than to show contrasting ideas within sentences.

By the end of this section, students should understand how each component of the RACE strategy functions within a complete paragraph. Check that students can distinguish between evidence and explanation and can identify how the model connects a craft choice to what it reveals about a character. If needed, reinforce that the explanation (E) is the most critical part, as it communicates the writer’s thinking.

Part B: Practice with RACE (W.6.2.a, W.6.2.b) (15 minutes)

This section shifts students from observation to independent application of the RACE strategy. Students build on their Launch responses by completing all parts of a literary analysis paragraph. Emphasize that strong writing clearly names the technique, integrates relevant evidence, and explains how that evidence reveals something meaningful about the character.

Invite students to work individually or in pairs to build their Launch response into a complete RACE paragraph. They already have some parts started; now they’ll add the missing pieces.

Writing Using Text Evidence

Say these Directions: Look again at the response you wrote during Launch. You probably already have an A (answer) and maybe some C (cite). Now you need to:

1. Add an R (restate): turn the question into a statement.

2. Make sure your C (cite) includes a quote with a page number.

3. Add an E (explain): one sentence starting with “This suggests . . .” or “This reveals . . .”

You don’t need to rewrite everything; just add the missing RACE parts to what you already wrote.

• Ask: How does the author use point of view, voice, figurative language, or symbolism to reveal something about a character?

Share these student exemplars for students to use as guides as they revise their Launch writing.

Examples to guide Launch revisions:

Ordinary moment: Jasmine relates to the water bears. On p. 12, she says, “I mean, they sent it into space—SPACE—and it came back just crawling around like ain’t nothing happen. Just crawling crawling. That’s me all day. With nails intact.” This moment reveals Jasmine’s resilience.

Rewritten with RACE strategy: In “Water Booger Bears,” the author uses symbolism to reveal Jasmine’s resilience. On p. 12, Jasmine says, “I mean, they sent it into space—SPACE—and it came back just crawling around like ain’t nothing happen. Just crawling crawling. That’s me all day. With nails intact.” Throughout the story, Bit and Jasmine discuss water bears and boogers. They eventually name themselves “water booger bears.” They identify as creatures who can withstand very harsh conditions and still thrive. The water booger bears symbolize Jasmine’s and TJ’s ability to persevere in difficult circumstances.

• Say: Notice: In this model paragraph, the student analyzed how Bit changes from the beginning to the end of the story. This student exemplar analyzes a trait that Jasmine has: her resilience. Both approaches work for literary analysis. You can show change over time or reveal a character trait—your choice.

Say these Directions: Here's your success checklist. You can refer to this as you draft.

RACE Paragraph Self-Check:

☐ My R+A sentence names the technique and what it reveals.

☐ I cited at least one quote with a page number.

☐ My quote shows the technique (not just plot).

☐ I used at least one analytical transition (This suggests . . . , This reveals . . . , However . . . , At the beginning . . .).

☐ My E sentence explains what the evidence means (not just restates it).

Students should leave this section with a complete RACE paragraph that demonstrates a clear connection between the author’s craft and character insight. Use student work to assess whether they are fully explaining their evidence rather than summarizing.

Lesson 7 Writing Rubric: RACE Paragraph — Character Analysis

Writing prompt: Write a personal narrative paragraph about a time you saw yourself in a character, story, or experience. Use a clear beginning sentence and sensory details to develop the moment.

3-2-1 Summary

This activity helps students consolidate their understanding of literary analysis writing by focusing on how authors use craft to reveal meaning. Encourage students to use precise academic language and to reflect on how the RACE strategy supported their ability to make and explain claims about characters.

Say these Directions: Use a 3–2–1 Summary to reflect on what your work with the RACE strategy showed you about the techniques that authors use to reveal more about characters. Record:

• 3 important words or phrases

• 2 key details or ideas

• 1 sentence explaining what you learned

Provide the following instructions to students:

Read “Skitter Hitter” (vignette 3), and continue to fill out your Ordinary Moments (character) graphic organizer. As you read, sketch a basic diagram in your Journal that maps out the relationships among characters in the vignette.