Students are asked to write an argumentative paragraph about the Paul Revere engraving in which they must "state your argument" and "support that argument with 2-3 specific examples," and to end with a concluding idea. Students are instructed to write a well-organized paragraph and to "use primarily active voice" when composing that argument. Students practice voice choices across multiple activities by identifying passive constructions and rewriting them in active voice.

Students are asked to "look especially for problems related to voice and mood" when they correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation on the Paragraph Editing page. The proofreading-symbols reference and the answer key require students to identify and correct a subjunctive-mood verb error, showing attention to verb forms and mood. The activities require students to apply editing marks and make word-choice, tense, and punctuation corrections while revising a paragraph.

Students are asked to make claims and support them with specific examples when they analyze characters as leaders (they must "list specific examples to support your assertions about each leader's strengths and weaknesses"). Students must compare the Seven Commandments to the Bill of Rights and answer which government they would prefer, providing explanations (questions 1–6 on the activity page require reasons and evidence). Students receive focused instruction and practice in standard conventions (pronoun use, antecedents, and case) that support formal written expression.

Students practice formal conventions in multiple activities: the Business Letters page defines sender/recipient address placement, a formal salutation (with a colon), a formal closing and signature, and shows a business letter that advocates for legislation (a formal argumentative example). In Option 1 (Jumbled Business Letter) students place parts of a formal business letter in the correct order. In Option 2 (Fixing a Business Letter) students find and correct formal-style/format errors (date placement, salutation using title and colon, closing punctuation, signature order, and noting enclosures).

The lesson explicitly explains that a business letter has a "much more formal and professional" tone while a friendly letter uses an "appropriately informal and friendly voice." In Activity 2 students read sample letters, identify which is business vs. friendly, and decide for multiple scenarios whether a business (formal) or friendly (informal) letter is appropriate. The activity instructions require students to format and write an actual friendly letter and to talk about which portions signaled each letter type.

The lesson explicitly instructs students to write a formal business letter in Activity 2, stating that "The tone should be professional and formal throughout" and that a business letter "should be concise and to-the-point." The Student Activity Page provides a full formal letter format (sender/recipient addresses, date, salutation, closing, enclosure) and directs students to fill in the one-paragraph body in that formal context. The Parent Plan reiterates that the tone of the letter should be formal and that the child will write a business letter from a character's point of view.

Students are asked to state a central theme in 1-2 sentences beneath their plot diagram and to write objective summaries of the text (Skills: "provide an objective summary of the text"). Students are prompted to make arguments about themes and to "show" and "tell" by supplying specific textual evidence to convince an audience. Students must identify incidents that illustrate provided themes and select or generate supporting evidence in Activity 2.

Students review differences in tone, audience, and purpose between friendly and business letters and are asked to choose the form whose tone is most effective for their situation. Students create templates and draft either a business or friendly letter, then use an editing checklist and rubric that ask them to evaluate whether their letter's style, tone, and format are appropriate. Students complete a unit test question asking how the tone of a business letter differs from a friendly letter, and the answer key explicitly states that business letters should be formal, professional, and concise.

Students read an Expository Writing document that defines expository style, including language described as "formal, concise, or summary, exact language" and "clear and straightforward." Students complete activities that ask them to identify expository versus narrative indicators on a book cover and jacket and to explain why a book visually looks expository. Students also categorize types of expository writing for real-world scenarios and sketch a graphic representing the five modes of expository writing.

Students are asked to decide whether each web site would be an appropriate source for a formal research paper and to justify their answers (the Student Activity Page explicitly frames source evaluation in the context of a "formal research paper"). Students answer questions about Wikipedia's suitability for a formal paper and use criteria (current, credible, understandable, accurate) to judge sources. The parent/answer key discusses which provided sites would or would not be appropriate for formal research.

Students compare two example passages (Version 1 vs Version 2) that explicitly contrast informal, wordy instructions with concise, technical phrasing and a discussion of problems with the informal version. Students are directed to define unfamiliar terms the first time they are used and to use precise, domain-specific vocabulary; the poster task requires using at least three domain-specific terms and defining them as needed. The activity and parent notes emphasize characteristics of technical writing—conciseness, precise terminology, and clear naming of tools—which model elements of a more formal/technical style.

The lesson explicitly instructs students to avoid expressions like "I believe" or "In my opinion" and to state evaluations directly (e.g., "the SpeedySnail car has a lean, sporty look"). Sample model paragraphs and planning pages show objective, declarative topic sentences and conclusions without first-person opinion language. Planning/organizing pages require students to craft a thesis, topic sentences, and use transition words, all of which support producing a more formal, organized tone.

The Skills list explicitly states that students should "Establish and maintain a formal style." Students are asked to write a "formal research paper" with an introduction, three body paragraphs, and a conclusion, and the rubric evaluates Organization, Sentence Fluency, Word Choice (domain-specific vocabulary), and Conventions. Activities instruct students to examine a student model for thesis, topic sentences, and transitions, integrate quotations smoothly, and follow formal formatting and Works Cited conventions.

The Parent Plan explicitly lists "Establish and maintain a formal style" as a skill. Activity 2 asks students to write an expository compare-and-contrast paragraph with a hook, clear main idea, and text-based evidence, and parents are instructed to assess the student's paragraph for an effective hook and support. Students are also directed to avoid narrative techniques (e.g., dialogue, telling a story) and to phrase the introduction without saying "I will compare…," which implies attention to register.

Students are asked to write a 6-8 sentence speech that encourages a newly freed slave to reside in Buxton and to record and read the speech aloud to a parent, which requires composing a persuasive, audience-directed piece. The lesson also asks students to write a short journal entry from the perspective of a slave or to write a short poem or song about the Underground Railroad, giving students opportunities to produce written responses for specific purposes and audiences. The speech task explicitly frames a persuasive purpose (to convince someone), aligning with argument writing practice.

Students edit sentences for grammar, spelling, and punctuation (Sentence Editing) and are shown corrected versions that model more standard phrasing. The skills and activities repeatedly ask students to use transition words and to write sentences using those transitions, reinforcing control of sentence-level expression. The character-comparison and response questions require written answers about characters and events, giving students opportunities to produce organized prose using the provided transitions guidance.

The Skills list explicitly includes "Establish and maintain a formal style," and students are told to use MLA citation and correct conventions, which supports formal academic writing. Students are instructed to "establish an appealing tone" in the introduction and to maintain a "reasonable and thoughtful tone" and be "fair and respectful toward opposing viewpoints" in the rubric and activity directions. Activities ask students to plan and write a five-paragraph persuasive essay, include a counterargument and rebuttal, and follow conventions (spelling, grammar, punctuation), all of which relate to practicing a formal writing approach.

Students are instructed to revise and edit their persuasive essays, reading once to attend to the structure of their argument and to ensure correct format for a persuasive essay, topic sentences, and supporting details. The Parent Plan Skills list explicitly names "Establish and maintain a formal style" as a targeted skill. Students are also directed to proofread for punctuation, grammar, and spelling, which can support elements of formal writing.

The Skills list explicitly includes "Establish and maintain a formal style," and it also asks students to produce a final draft of a persuasive essay and to "maintain a reasonable tone" for persuasive presentations. Activity 2 directs students to type a final draft, format it (title, indents, font, double-spacing), and run spell-check, which are steps students will perform when preparing a polished argumentative paper. The parent/skills notes also require students to introduce claims, support them with evidence, and provide a concluding statement, all of which occur within the context of composing a formal persuasive essay.

Students are asked to describe the structure of a five-paragraph persuasive essay (introductions with a thesis, three support paragraphs, a concluding paragraph), and they are prompted to write persuasive responses on the unit test and in essay reflections. Multiple student activity pages require answers in complete sentences and ask students to reflect on rhetorical appeals (ethos, kairos, pathos), counterarguments, and logical fallacies. The Essay Reflections prompt asks students to reconsider their original essay, evaluate arguments and possible fallacies, and consider how they would approach the essay again.

The lesson's Skills section explicitly states students should "adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks, demonstrating command of formal English when indicated or appropriate." Students are assigned two public-facing writing/speaking tasks (designing a promotional poster and creating a 90-second radio spot) that require choosing an appropriate register; the radio activity also tells students to make the ad "appropriate to its topic." The personification and collage activities require students to write descriptive sentences and short paragraphs that could reflect choices in tone and word choice.