The ACE strategy is used to answer short answer and essay questions in 3 steps: 1) Answer the question completely using key words from the question, 2) Cite evidence from the text to support the answer, and 3) Explain the connection between the evidence and the answer. Following these three steps will help the writer thoroughly answer the question asked and understand the topic at a deeper level.

2. ACE is a strategy used for answering short
answer or extended response questions
(essay questions).

3. 1. Answer the question
2. Cite evidence
3. Explain your answer
4. Summary

4. 1. Answer the question
a. Answer the question
completely.
b. Use key words from the
question in your responses.

5. 2. Cite evidence from the text (Tell
why!)
a. Include evidence from
your reading or research
to prove your answer.

6. 3. Explain– extend or expand your
answer (Tell more!)
a. Extend your response by
explaining the connection between the
information you cited in step 2 and
your answer in step 1.
b. Make it clear that you know the
answer because of the evidence and
why it is important.

7. Summarize-Summarize your
answer here. What is a sentence
or two that summarizes your
topic sentence and ideas from
your answer? Conclude the
paragraph.

8. Gorillas in Crisis
By Kathleen Donovan-Snavely
What will you have for supper tonight? Hotdogs? Pizza?
Gorilla? It may surprise you to know that these gentle
creatures of the jungle regularly appear as the featured
entrée at many a meal served near the African rainforest.
For nearly 12 million people, gorilla meat is an important
source of protein. That isn’t the only problem that haunts
gorillas lately. The combined threats posed by hunters and
loggers are eliminating large numbers of gorillas in central
and West Africa. Trophy hunters value gorillas for their
collectible heads and hands. Loggers clear vast areas of
the gorillas’ habitat for the lumber. The future of gorillas in
the wild is at risk.

9. What are the factors
threatening gorillas in the
wild?

10. The factors threatening gorillas in the wild
are their value as a food source, trophy
hunters, and lumber companies.
**Notice that I included key words from the
question in my response.

11. According to the passage, nearly 12 million
people eat gorillas for the protein they provide.
The passage also states that hunters can make
a lot of money by selling the heads and hands
of gorillas to collectors. Finally, lumber
companies are cutting down huge numbers of
trees for the lumber leaving gorillas no place to
live, according to the author.
**Notice that I included evidence from the
paragraph to support my answer

12. Humans are responsible for the precarious
state of gorillas in the wild and unless we stop
these practices, gorillas are at risk of
extinction.

13. Unless we stop these practices, gorillas are at
risk of extinction.

14. The factors threatening gorillas in the wild are their
value as a food source, trophy hunters, and lumber
companies. According to the passage, nearly 12
million people eat gorillas for the protein they provide.
The passage also states that hunters can make a lot of
money by selling the heads and hands of gorillas to
collectors. Finally, lumber companies are cutting down
huge numbers of trees for the lumber leaving gorillas
no place to live, according to the author. Humans are
responsible for the precarious state of gorillas in the
wild. Unless we stop these practices, gorillas are at
risk of extinction.

15.  Insert question for first ACES paragraph
here!