Students are asked to compose three arguments for either the people of Ember or Sparks and to support each argument with evidence, which requires linking claims and reasons. The Student Activity Page provides structured spaces for Position and for each Argument with supporting details, guiding students to organize claims and supporting reasons. Students are also instructed to anticipate opposing opinions and to read their arguments aloud, and to identify which statements are facts and which are opinions.

Students are asked to write a paragraph selecting one media outlet and explain why it would benefit the people of Sparks and Ember, which requires stating a claim and giving reasons. Question #3 asks students to take a position about whether Casper should have shared food and to explain why, prompting students to provide reasons supporting a claim. Students are asked to add information to Lina and Doon's learning log, which asks for written reflection that could include claims and supporting reasons.

Students are asked to make and defend claims in questions such as "Who do you think is a more effective leader, Mary or Ben? Why?" and by deciding which town government system is more effective and explaining why. Option prompts require students to "defend her reasoning" and to "decide which system you believe is more effective and why," which asks students to state claims and give reasons. Discussion prompts and parent-guided checks ask students to explain motives and justify opinions (e.g., whether leaders should have voted certain ways).

Students practice combining sentences using conjunctions (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so) and are instructed to insert a comma before a coordinating conjunction when joining two independent clauses. The Combining Sentences activity and student page require students to rewrite pairs/triples of sentences into single sentences, using pronouns and conjunctions to connect ideas. The parent notes and Things to Know explicitly teach the use of conjunctions and comma rules for linking clauses.

Students are asked to brainstorm at least three nonviolent solutions and select the best option, which requires them to generate claims and supporting reasons. In Activity 1 students must write a 6–8 sentence speech explaining their solution and why both groups should work together peacefully, which asks them to state a claim and give reasons. The Student Activity Page and bubble-map task ask students to provide evidence from the text and use reasoning to determine which side they support, prompting students to link claims to supporting details.

Students practice identifying and correcting run-on sentences in Activity 1, including revisions that use a semicolon, a comma plus a coordinating conjunction (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so), or a period. The materials explicitly discuss using transitional words and phrases (for example, therefore, however, then) and show how to revise sentences by placing a semicolon before a transition or by starting a new sentence with the transition. Student activity pages require students to label the type of run-on and produce revised sentences that insert the appropriate punctuation and conjunction or transition.

Students study five specific strategies for correcting run-on sentences, including using a comma plus a coordinating conjunction (FANBOYS), a semicolon, a semicolon plus a conjunctive adverb (e.g., therefore, however), and making one clause dependent with subordinating words (e.g., because). The Student Activity Page gives explicit example sentences that use these connectors, such as "He slept for twenty years, so life passed him by," "He slept for twenty years; therefore, life passed him by," and "Because he slept for twenty years, life passed him by." Activity 3 directs students to revise five run-on sentences applying those strategies, and the Skills section lists "Use phrases and clauses correctly."

The lesson teaches about dependent clauses and lists common dependent-clause signifiers (including because, since, although) and shows how to attach a dependent clause to an independent clause to form a complete sentence. The sentence-fragment activity asks students to correct fragments by adding or combining clauses, and Question #2 asks students to state an opinion and explain why or why not (requiring reasons).

Students are explicitly instructed to "be sure to use transitional words and phrases" and are given a chart of common transitional words and phrases for time sequence, examples, contrast, similarity, and summary. Students are prompted on the Argumentative Outline to provide a "Lead-in to next argument" for multiple paragraphs, requiring planning of transitions between claims and reasons. The rubric includes an item "Use of transitions?" under Organization, so students are expected and evaluated on using transitions to connect ideas.

Students are asked to answer open-ended questions that require a claim and reasons, for example Question #3: "Why do you think 1905 is called Einstein's 'miracle year'?" and the discussion prompt "Do you think Einstein would have been a better scientist if he had carried out more of his own experiments? Why or why not?" Students are instructed to write answers in complete sentences and to write a video summary (Activity 5) and explain the theory of relativity to a family member (Activity 6), which require them to state positions and support them with information or examples.

Students are directed to "Remember to use transitions in your writing as you move from one idea to the next" and to use the provided "Transition Examples" sheet that lists cause/effect words (consequently, thus, therefore), addition, contrast, and example phrases. The Expository Rubric and Parent Plan explicitly list "Use of transitions" and "Provide details and transitional expressions that link one paragraph to another" as evaluation criteria. Students plan ideas on a bubble map, write a rough draft using transitions, and revise/edit their draft with explicit attention to transitional expressions during Activities 4 and 5.

Students answer opinion questions that require claims and reasons (e.g., "Do the Tucks seem like the kidnapping type? Why or why not?" and "Do you think the Tucks' secret is a 'big, dangerous secret'? Why or why not?"). Students identify parts of speech in sentences, including labeling conjunctions and verbs (Option 2 notes that "if" is a conjunction and the answer keys label words as conjunctions, prepositions, etc.). Students analyze complex sentences with clauses (e.g., conditional clause "If you had a drink of it today, you'd stay a little girl forever") when labeling sentence parts.

Students identify and label coordinating and subordinating conjunctions in the Parts of Speech Sentences VI activity, with answer keys showing conjunctions (e.g., for, that, though, but). Students are asked to find and label conjunctions as a modification and to place laminated symbols above each word to mark parts of speech. The lesson asks students to give examples of coordinating and subordinating conjunctions and to use each type in a sentence during review. The persuasive print ad/commercial activity requires students to write a script or copy intended to persuade an audience.

Students practice parts of speech including identification of conjunctions and distinguishing subordinating vs. coordinating conjunctions in "Parts of Speech Sentences VII" (e.g., labeling "whenever" as subordinating and "but" as coordinating). Students also complete comparative writing tasks (movie vs. book differences and three things they'd have done differently) and answer short-response questions about character outcomes, which require giving reasons for opinions.

The lesson teaches students to identify independent and dependent clauses and to combine them by adding dependent words (e.g., when, because, since, although). It includes a table of dependent words that explicitly lists causal and contrast words such as because and since and gives examples of forming dependent clauses. Students complete activities that require adding independent clauses to dependent clauses to create complete, combined sentences.

Students are asked to write a 6–10 sentence persuasive letter to the head of the school board explaining what the county is doing wrong, why it is wrong, and what should be done to correct it, which requires stating claims and reasons. The lesson requires that the body of the letter include at least one sentence with two independent clauses and one sentence with a dependent and independent clause. The Combining Clauses activity and answer key explicitly teach attaching dependent clauses, joining independent clauses with FANBOYS, and provide practice items and sample sentences showing comma placement and clause combinations.

The lesson includes a focused 'Combining Sentences, Part I' activity that asks students to join short sentences into longer ones using dependent and independent clauses. Example combined sentences explicitly show the use of conjunctions and clause structures (e.g., "Although Cassie felt like crying, she didn't want Mama to suspect something was wrong." and "Cassie felt like crying, but she didn't want Mama to suspect something was wrong."). The parent plan reiterates that students will practice combining 2–3 sentences and vary clause and sentence-start structures.

The lesson explicitly teaches coordinating and subordinating conjunctions in the "Things to Know" section and the Skills list requires students to use coordination and subordination to express complete thoughts. Activity 1 has students draw conjunction cards and noun cards and create sentences that use coordinating or subordinating conjunctions, and Option 2 asks students to write five sentences in a journal using those conjunctions. The Student Activity Pages list many specific conjunctions (e.g., because, since, when, if, although) that students must use in composing sentences.

The Parent Plan lists skills that include identifying and correctly using independent and dependent clauses, using conjunctions to connect ideas, and using coordination and subordination of ideas. The "Don't Forget the Commas" instruction explicitly teaches how to combine two independent clauses with a coordinating conjunction and comma and how to place commas with dependent clauses and prepositional phrases. The reading questions ask students to make claims and give reasons (e.g., "Do you think Lillian Jean was worth Cassie's taking a stand for? Why or why not?"), requiring students to state claims and support them.

The Parent Plan skills list directs students to "improve transitions by adding, deleting, combining, and rearranging sentences or larger units of text," and to include simple and compound sentences in written pieces. The editing instruction explicitly teaches fixing run-ons by separating clauses with a comma and a coordinating conjunction (one of the FANBOYS). Multiple activities require students to revise and combine short sentences, correct fragments and run-ons, and add details to improve sentence structure and flow.

Students are instructed to finish a rough draft of a report and to read through their draft to make changes to correct mistakes and improve paragraphs. The editing and revising activity asks students to combine sentences and add details and to look for sentence fragments, run-on sentences, and comma errors. Discussion questions (e.g., "Do you think Stacey should have tried to rescue T.J? Why or why not?") require students to state a claim and provide reasons.

Students must state a problem and explain why it is important on Slide 1, provide examples/evidence of discrimination on Slide 2, offer reasons and proposed changes on Slide 3, and describe expected outcomes on Slide 4, so they organize claims, reasons, and evidence across their presentation. Students use a PowerPoint organizer, create note cards, and practice delivering the speech, and the rubric evaluates clarity and coherent message, which guides how students connect their ideas orally and visually. The end-of-unit test includes a sentence-extension task that requires adding a conjunction and a dependent or independent clause, giving some practice with clause formation.

The assignment options ask students to state a claim and support it: Option 2 requires students to write 3–4 sentences describing why a chosen Assignment would be the best fit for them, and Option 1 asks students to list three actions and describe how each would prepare them for the job. The lesson's stated skills include "Write responses to literary or expository texts" and "Write about personal experiences," which require students to give reasons or explanations in writing.

Students are asked to describe three historical events and then explain in writing how each memory could help Jonas's community, with each description required to be three or four sentences. Students must answer comprehension questions that require explanation (for example, which rule would be most challenging and why) and respond in complete sentences. Discussion prompts ask students to explain consequences (e.g., what "You may lie" could mean for the community), prompting students to state claims and give supporting reasons.

Students are instructed to write a problem-solution paragraph that requires a topic sentence stating the problem (a claim), two to three sentences explaining why the problem exists (reasons), and two to three sentences providing a solution and details (supporting reasons). The provided graphic organizer and example paragraph break the paragraph into labeled sections (Topic sentence, Explanation, Solution, Concluding sentence), and students must sequence reasons to support the solution. The Literary Luminary activity also asks students to choose passages and explain their reasons for selecting them, which practices stating claims and giving reasons.

Students are asked to draw a shrine and "explain the elements of the shrine, what they represent about your life, and why they are an important part of who you are," which requires stating claims and supporting them with reasons. The skills section directs students to "examine reasons for a character's actions, taking into account the situation and basic motivation," and discussion questions prompt students to evaluate actions (e.g., "Do you think this would work? Why or why not?"). These tasks require students to produce claims and provide supporting reasons in writing and discussion.

Students are introduced to transition words and shown examples that link ideas (for example, using because/therefore/as a result to show cause and effect). Students practice combining paired sentences using suggested transitions and sequencing sentences into coherent order on the "Using Transition Words" activity page. Students are asked to identify and highlight transition words in the text and to use transitions correctly in sentences during review.

The lesson includes a dedicated "Transitioning Between Paragraphs" activity that tells students to use transition words/phrases in the first sentence of each body paragraph and provides examples of topic sentences to rewrite with transitions. It provides a categorized list of common paragraph transitions (order, addition/comparison, contrast, importance) and an answer key with possible transition words/phrases. Student activity pages ask students to rewrite topic sentences for given topics to include transitional elements for cohesion.

Students practice combining short sentences into single sentences using participial phrases in the 'Combining Sentences' activity and on the Student Activity Pages. The skills list explicitly includes 'Use phrases and clauses correctly within sentences,' and the answer key gives model participial-phrase sentences for students to emulate. Students also revise sentences for clarity by adding or rearranging words as part of editing and revising skills.

The lesson explicitly teaches about transitional words and phrases and gives examples that express cause/effect (for example: because, as a result, consequently) as well as sequence/time transitions (for example: first, next, then, finally). The skills section asks students to "use transitional words and phrases" and to "provide details and transitional expressions that link one paragraph to another," and an activity has students identify/underline time and sequence transitions in a myth. The parents' review asks the child to explain why transitional words are important and especially time-related transitions in stories.

The lesson includes an explicit 'Using Transitions' activity that provides students with lists of time, cause-effect, addition/comparison, contrast, and example transitions. Students are directed to write a short two-paragraph book review and to "use transitions to link your ideas," specifically asking for time, cause-effect, and contrast/comparison transitions to show how events are related. The Parent Plan skills also state students should "use transitional words and phrases" and "provide details and transitional expressions that link one paragraph to another."

The Skills section explicitly tells students to "identify and correctly use prepositional phrases, appositives, and independent and dependent clauses; use transitions and conjunctions to connect ideas," and Activity 1 directs students to include transitions and vary sentence beginnings. The parent prompt asks the student whether he would recommend the book and why or why not, which requires stating a claim and giving reasons. The About the Author activity has students write a paragraph using suggested sentence starters and transitions, giving practice with clauses and connecting words.