Students are directed to take a position and compose three arguments for either the people of Ember or the people of Sparks, recording each argument and supporting details on the provided Debate activity page. Students are asked to support each argument with evidence and to appeal to listeners' emotions, and to read their arguments aloud to a parent. The parent plan and skills checklist explicitly include anticipating and addressing opposing viewpoints and identifying which statements are facts versus opinions.

Students are asked in Activity 1 to "write a paragraph that describes which media outlet you would select and why it would greatly benefit the people," including how it could help with problems and change the emotional climate. The prompt requires students to make a choice (claim) and provide reasons explaining the benefits, which engages them in constructing an argument in paragraph form. Students are also told to answer reading questions in complete sentences, reinforcing written response practice.

Students are asked to choose which town government system is more effective and to 'defend her reasoning' (Option 1), and the Town Government Systems page asks 'Which system of government? Why?' Students are also asked in other prompts (e.g., 'Who do you think is a more effective leader, Mary or Ben? Why?') to state a claim and give reasons.

The lesson asks students to brainstorm solutions to the Sparks/Ember conflict, select the best option, and "write a speech you could read at the town plaza to explain your solution and why both groups should work together peacefully," with the speech specified to be 6–8 sentences long. The Parent Plan directs students to read the petition aloud and discusses the tone and effective delivery of a speech, which reinforces composing a persuasive argument. The speech activity requires students to state a solution and give reasons supporting it, aligning with argumentative writing practice.

Activity 3 asks students to write a 6–8 sentence critique that highlights opinions, discusses what the author was trying to communicate, and includes at least one idea for improvement. The Parent Plan and Skills section ask students to "make reasonable assertions about a text through accurate, supporting citations" and to include specific references to the story in their critique.

The rubric explicitly defines the Conclusion (paragraph 5) as a place to review what the paper covered, including restating the position, the two main arguments for that position, and the opposition's argument. The Argumentative Outline pages prompt students to "Restate your position," "Mention the two pro arguments you used and why you chose them," "Mention the con argument you used and why it does not hold merit," and to "End with a sentence that helps the reader remember your essay." The lesson also supplies summary transitional words (e.g., "finally, in conclusion, to conclude, to summarize") to help students craft a concluding statement.

The Rough Draft instructions tell students to write "The concluding paragraph will restate your main ideas and leave the reader with a lasting impression." The Expository Rubric explicitly assesses a "Concluding paragraph effectiveness" criterion. The Transition Examples sheet includes conclusion/summary transition phrases (e.g., "in conclusion," "to summarize") that students are directed to use.

The activity directions explicitly tell students they will need a concluding sentence for their cause-and-effect paragraph and give guidance: for an effect-topic sentence the concluding sentence should restate the effect and causes, and for a cause-topic sentence the concluding sentence should restate the cause and effects. The Student Activity Page includes a Sample Paragraph that models a concluding sentence that summarizes the cause/effect relationship and directs students to use the graphic organizer as an outline for the paragraph, including the conclusion.

Students are instructed in Part 3 to prepare a one- to two-sentence closing statement that restates their position and "leave[s] the audience with an impression of why your position is the correct one." The facilitator duties (Part 6) explicitly schedule Side A and Side B closing statements, giving students an opportunity to deliver a conclusion in the debate structure. The activity requires preparing an opening argument and then making a closing statement, tying the conclusion to the presented position.

Activity 2 asks students 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, which requires presenting an argument and recommendations. A formal letter template is provided that includes a "Closing" section, and the Parent Plan skills list explicitly states students should "demonstrate a sense of closure" when writing formal and informal letters.

Students are instructed in Activity 3 to include a concluding sentence for each paragraph: "Each paragraph will have a topic sentence, 3-5 sentences in the body, and a concluding sentence." The Organizing Ideas planner directs Paragraph 5 to "convince the reader of the book's importance and why they should read it," which functions as a concluding section that follows from the report's argument. The Book Report Rubric and parent guidance emphasize creating a persuasive voice to entice readers, supporting an argument that should be wrapped up in a concluding section.

Students plan a four-slide/poster presentation that sequences an argument: Slide 1 presents the problem (claim), Slide 2 provides examples of discrimination (evidence), Slide 3 offers suggestions for change (reasons/evidence), and Slide 4 asks students to "Describe how the community will change and become a better place for all citizens," which functions as a concluding section. Students use a PowerPoint Organizer to plan slide content and are scored by a rubric that assesses whether the speaker maintained a clear and coherent message and emphasized salient points.

Activity 2 opens with the prompt asking whether it would be better to live without memory or with memories, asking students to take a position. The "History: To Be Forgotten or Remembered?" student page asks students to describe three historical events (in three or four sentences each) and then explain how each memory could help Jonas's community, requiring reasons and supporting details. Question #2 also asks students to pick which rule would be most challenging and explain why, prompting justified claims.

The activity asks students to "Write a short letter to Jonas' community that explains freedom," and the Parent Plan lists "Write persuasive letters," which requires students to present claims and reasons. The letter prompt asks students to "Explain the benefits of freedom and why it is worth the pain," and an example opening paragraph for a persuasive letter is provided. Students are also asked to share their letter or poems with family, indicating completion of an argumentative product.

The lesson explicitly defines the concluding sentence for a problem-solution paragraph: it should remind the reader of the problem and the benefit of the proposed solution and leave the reader thinking or feeling an emotion. The example paragraph includes a clear concluding sentence and the teacher breaks down that sentence as the concluding element. The student activity page provides a labeled space for a concluding sentence and directs students to restate the problem and a benefit of the solution.

Students are asked to answer opinion questions (Question #3 and #5) in complete sentences that require them to state whether Cusi should have followed Misti and whether he should have taken the golden slippers, prompting them to give reasons for their positions. Students are prompted in the wrapping up and discussion prompts to explain meanings and differences (e.g., what the golden slippers mean; how city life would differ), providing opportunities to state claims and support them with explanation. Students are instructed to retell the Incan creation myth and to practice an engaging presentation, which requires organizing ideas and presenting a clear stance or interpretation to an audience.

The organizing-pages and student activity descriptions include a Conclusion section that directs students to "restate the thesis in a different way" and to "describe what the narrator (Cusi) learned and how it changed him...and what conclusion was reached." The graphic organizer prompts students to craft a thesis and then provides a dedicated space for a concluding paragraph that ties back to that thesis. The rubric and wrap-up questions also ask students to reflect on what they learned and the overall message of the essay.