R.A.P.S.

 

When our class responds to open-ended questions in reading, science, and social studies we always follow the steps in R.A.P.S. for a complete and thorough answer.  They stand for:

 

R - Restate the question

 

A - Answer the question

 

P - Prove it with details

 

S - Sentence that connects to self, text, or world

 

The results have already been quite amazing.  Our current story in reading was Mr. Putter and Tabby Pour the Tea.  One of the comprehension response questions asked " Would you like having Tabby for a pet?  Why or why not?"

 

Some pre-R.A.P.S. answers may have been simply

 

1. Yes I would.

 

or

 

1. No way, I like dogs.

 

But R.A.P.S. reminds us that our responses should restate the question so that any reader can understand our statement. 

Not only should we answer the question, but we should strengthen our answer with details.

Finally, good readers are always making connections, so a great R.A.P.S. response is topped off nicely by a sentence that connnects.

 

Put them all together and now we see students responding like this:

 

1. Yes I would like to have Tabby as my very own pet.  She seems very friendly and I have always wanted a cat.  I think she is just as good as a baby kitten.  Tabby would get along well with my dog Miles.