The Skills section asks students to analyze how specific word choices affect meaning and tone, including how language can set a formal or informal tone. The Things to Know and introductory text define tone and explain how word choice communicates an author's attitude, and Activity 1 asks students to embellish sentences and label them as positive/negative (paradise or dystopia), which requires attention to word choice and tone. Activity 2 has students write three sentences about a book using different clause types, giving limited practice in crafting sentence-level style.

The Skills section explicitly asks students to "provide an objective summary of the text," which requires students to write with an objective tone. Activity 1 directs students to explain which interpretation they agree with and to "back up your explanation with support from the text," prompting students to use textual evidence and adhere to analytical conventions. The Student Activity Page asks students to write two to three sentences explaining their choices, reinforcing evidence-based, analytical writing.

The Parent Plan lists as a skill that students should "provide an objective summary of the text," and Activity 1 asks students to "support those choices by referring to details from the novel" and to write 3–4 sentence explanations of how a chosen minor theme supports the major theme. Several activities require students to compose brief analytical explanations and to use textual evidence to justify claims.

The Parent Plan skills explicitly ask students to "determine a theme or central idea...; provide an objective summary of the text," which requires students to produce objective writing. The Allegory Analysis activity asks students to "Describe abstract ideas... that the setting and characters in the novel could represent," prompting explanatory responses about characters and setting. The lesson repeatedly tells students to base interpretations on the author's text and to be thoughtful, which encourages evidence-based, objective analysis.

The parent-plan skills list explicitly requires students to "produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience." The revision notes and "Things to Know" mention revising for "clarity of the thesis, organization, support, errors in logic, style, etc." The "You Are the Editor" pages prompt students to check for improvements in style, grammar, punctuation, pronoun use, verb use, sentence structure, and overall mechanics, and the rubric includes a "Grammar and Mechanics" category.

The lesson requires students to write a one-paragraph objective summary in their journals and gives explicit instructions for that genre (include title and author in first sentence, focus on central ideas and plot points, mention setting, present information in your own words, use the narrative present, and do not include personal opinions). The lesson provides an objective-summary example and tells students to avoid personal interpretation, thereby modeling an objective tone. Students are asked to practice using textual evidence and to incorporate direct quotations and paraphrase, which attend to disciplinary conventions of literary writing.

The lesson gives explicit conventions for quoting and citing sources (place quotation mark, then the author's last name in parentheses, then a period) and requires students to include titles/authors and use textual evidence. Students are given guidance on using transitional words and phrases to create cohesion and on organizing introductions, body paragraphs, and conclusions, and the rubric includes criteria for style, grammar, and punctuation. The Parent Plan skills state that students should "produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience," which directs attention to disciplinary conventions.

Students practice conventions of standard English by completing commonly confused-words activities that require choosing the correct word (e.g., accept/except, a/an, advice/advise) and by recording notes and examples on activity pages. Students complete detailed subject-verb agreement exercises that address prepositional phrases, indefinite pronouns, compound subjects, and special agreement cases, with answer-key self-checking. The Parent Plan Skills list explicitly includes demonstrating command of standard English grammar, usage, capitalization, punctuation, spelling, and ensuring subject-verb and pronoun-antecedent agreement.

Students practice pronoun-antecedent agreement, pronoun reference, shifts in point of view, and pronoun case through targeted exercises and activity pages (Pronoun Agreement, Pronoun Cases). The lesson explicitly contrasts spoken vs. written usage (for example, discussion of "Everyone should wear their uniform" and alternatives) and requires students to produce grammatically correct corrected sentences. In Activity 2, students create a poster or short slideshow explaining vague pronoun references or POV shifts, provide two example erroneous sentences, and show strategies and corrected versions.

Students create a comma guide and add rules for punctuation (items in a series, coordinate adjectives, compound sentences, introductory elements, dates/addresses, nonessential elements) and complete practice exercises that teach standard punctuation conventions. The Parent Plan explicitly includes "Choose punctuation for effect," and the lesson text states that "dashes tend to be less formal than other types of punctuation," giving students guidance about how punctuation relates to formality. Students also practice conventions for names, dates, and addresses, which are norms of standard written English.

Students review and correct commonly confused words (to/too/two, there/their, etc.) through note review, index-card practice, homework multiple-choice items, and a quiz passage focused on word choice. Students identify and fix subject-verb agreement and pronoun errors in a targeted paragraph (Part II) and practice comma placement in Part III by inserting commas where needed. Students complete quizzes and use answer keys to check and reinforce correct grammar, punctuation, and word-usage conventions.

Students are asked to write formal opening statements for both the semicolon and the colon in the Great Punctuation Trial, with explicit directions to "include style appropriate for the semicolon" and to "present a strong individual style" for the colon. The lesson identifies formal contexts for colons (business letters, long indented quotations) and asks students to explain and defend punctuation rules aloud to a judge, practicing oral presentation in a formal courtroom format. Activity pages require students to write well-developed paragraphs that use correct punctuation examples (joining independent clauses, conjunctive adverb + comma, introducing lists/quotations).

The Parent Plan lists producing clear and coherent writing with development, organization, and style appropriate to task, purpose, and audience, which prompts attention to style. The mini-project options have students create a short paragraph for a quiz (Part II) and craft explanations of pronoun case and who/whom (Option 1), tasks that require correct grammatical conventions and precise word choice. The unit test and review focus on conventions (pronoun case, commonly confused words, punctuation) that underlie formal written tone.

Students practice and analyze formal poetic conventions by marking rhyme schemes and scanning for iambic pentameter in multiple sonnets and by using a provided sonnet template that specifies quatrains and a closing couplet. Students identify and compare Petrarchan and Shakespearean structures (octave/sestet and three quatrains + couplet) and answer guided questions about rhyme, meter, and form. Students study ekphrasis and ode as a named formal, stanzaic lyric form and complete an analysis chart linking poems to the visual artworks that inspired them.

The Parent Plan skills list explicitly asks students to "provide an objective summary of the text," and students are assigned a one-page biographical sketch that must be "informative" and include factual details (date of birth/death, known for, influences). Students also complete Poet Biography Boxes and a Poetry Map that require paraphrasing, summarizing, and analysis of word choice, tone, and theme, and they write a journal response describing what is happening in a poem and how cultural references enrich it.

The "Provide Your Opinion" final project asks students to write a one-page, typed, double-spaced response arguing whether Bob Dylan deserved the Nobel Prize and instructs students to give credit if they use others' arguments or quotations. The poetry explication choice notes that a traditional explication is a formal essay and asks students to analyze and present features such as tone, speaker, figurative language, and levels of meaning using presentation software. Several project choices require written explanations (e.g., director's notebook paragraphs, explanations on activity pages) and ask that presentations "clearly communicate" findings.

Students are directed to write an informational paragraph (Option 1) that begins with a strong introductory sentence, uses transitional words and phrases, and ends with a concluding sentence. Students are told to use their own words and to practice paraphrasing (Wrapping Up; Option 1 and Option 2 instructions). Option 2 requires students to note the source under each image they include, which addresses a citation convention.

Students are required to use the APE strategy (Answer, Prove, Extend) to respond in complete sentences that include part of the question and to "Prove" answers with specific examples or quotations from the text, including page numbers. The Parent Plan and activity directions ask students to provide quotations with page citations and to explain how the evidence supports their answer, which reinforces conventions of citation and structured evidence-based explanation.

The Parent Plan explicitly lists ‘‘Establish and maintain a formal style and objective tone while attending to the norms and conventions of the discipline in which they are writing'' as a targeted skill. Students are prompted to write explanations of overlapping ideas between Thoreau and King and to write ‘‘Your Views'' choosing which thinker they agree with and explaining why, which require written responses. Homework asks students to read excerpts and answer questions in writing, providing additional opportunities for composition.

The Skills list explicitly names "Establish and maintain a formal style and objective tone while attending to the norms and conventions of the discipline in which they are writing." Students are asked to "notice the style and tone" of Wiesel's speech and to compare speakers in a journal paragraph using quoted support. The museum-wall activity instructs students to write "one or two sentence explanations" and a "clear and formal description" and the Parent Plan reiterates that the writing should be in a formal tone, as a real museum would display.

Students are taught multiple conventions for integrating quotations, including using a complete introductory sentence with a colon, a short introductory phrase with a comma, and embedding portions of quotes into their own sentences. The lesson explains and gives practice with punctuation and editorial conventions for quotations (use of square brackets and ellipses) and includes a Part I quiz on correct quotation punctuation. The APE homework requires students to 'Prove' their answer by using a quotation and one of the taught integration methods, reinforcing disciplinary citation/convention skills.

Students practice summarizing in Activity 1, where they read text, annotate key points, and write 1-2 paragraph summaries in their journals using their own words and transitional phrases. The Parent Plan skills list explicitly includes providing an 'objective summary of the text,' and the lesson directs students to include only main ideas and most important points when summarizing. The unit also asks students to compare authors' styles and rhetoric, and it previews a final informative essay as the unit's culminating project.

Students are instructed to write an expository (informative) essay and explicitly told to avoid persuasive language, including the word "should" and qualitative adjectives such as "good" or "bad." Students are reminded that introductions and conclusions "should be free from opinions and recommendations," and they must produce in-text citations and a Works Cited page using standard formatting (MLA) with guidance and a citation builder link. The materials include a rubric with a "Style" category and a "Sources and Documentation" category and direct students to consult these criteria while revising.

Students are asked to write a journal entry reflecting on the reasons Peter chose the pen names Locke and Demosthenes, which requires them to explain links between personalities and historical sources. Students complete a three-row chart matching quotes to novel characters and must explain in writing why each quote applies, which asks them to organize and analyze content. Students also engage in paired writing as "Locke" and "Demosthenes," producing sustained written voice tied to historical/political personas.

The lesson explicitly instructs students to follow conventions used in formal writing (e.g., "these guidelines ... apply in most formal writing situations") and to choose and be consistent with a number style. Students practice capitalization by selecting correctly capitalized sentences and writing the rule that explains each choice. Students complete activity pages that require choosing correct word forms (commonly confused words) and recording rules and examples on organized activity pages.

The lesson explicitly teaches conventions of standard English (sentence fragments, run-ons, verbals, and commonly confused words) and asks students to apply these conventions in exercises and corrections. The lesson gives an explicit note about register for the adverb 'hopefully,' telling students that the "I hope" usage is considered informal and that in a formal paper they should use the word only in the sense of "in a hopeful manner." The parent plan and activities require students to produce written work (a 1–2 page narrative) and to revise word choice using the textbook guidance and answer keys.

Students read explicit rules and examples for hyphen use (compound adjectives, suspended hyphens, hyphens with numbers, en dashes for ranges) and complete rewrite exercises that require them to apply those conventions. Students read apostrophe rules for contractions and possession, take notes, and edit a passage (marking, inserting, or deleting apostrophes) to correct errors. The materials note that suspended hyphens are a "style issue" and include practice checking answers against an Answer Key, which requires students to apply standard punctuation conventions.

Students are explicitly instructed to use standard English and formal language for essays and formal assignments and to read the OWL Purdue page on levels of formality. Multiple activities require students to avoid slang, clichés, redundant phrases, and wordy expressions and to translate those into clearer, more formal alternatives. Students practice applying conventions by using commas to set off nonrestrictive elements (that/which) and by choosing precise words and strong verbs in revision activities, including the College Essay Editor exercise.

Students are asked to briefly summarize the focus of Sections 1–3 and to answer analysis questions on the "Looking Closely" page that require explanation and interpretation of author choices. The Parent Plan Skills list explicitly includes that students should "provide an objective summary of the text." The homework asks students to communicate key information about The Beatles or Bill Gates in a clear visual form that relates the example to the chapter's larger ideas.

The Parent Plan skills list explicitly asks students to "provide an objective summary of the text" and to "produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience." Students are asked to write journal responses, prepare an oral explanation summarizing a critic's objections, and complete Option 2 by filling out a chart analyzing Gladwell's responses to criticisms (identifying criticisms, responses, and evaluating effectiveness). The activities require students to draw evidence from texts and to analyze how an author's claims are developed.

Students are asked to "provide an objective summary of the text" and to "cite strong and thorough textual evidence" (skills list), which requires using objective language and evidence-based organization. The homework and mini-project require students to produce a neat, attractive graphic "free from grammar and punctuation errors" and to "make strategic use of digital media in presentations to enhance understanding," which implies attention to writing conventions and audience. Activities ask students to explain findings and present or share their work with a parent, providing occasions for producing organized informational writing or explanatory products.

Students read Lincoln's "Second Inaugural Address" and analyze his rhetorical strategies, including explicit attention to tone, word choice, and organization of ideas. Students complete an activity chart identifying quotes, labeling literary devices (parallelism, antithesis, allusion), and explaining the intended effect on the audience. Students answer guided questions describing Lincoln's modest, persuasive tone and select sentences for background, main message, and a forward-looking statement to model speech structure.

Students are explicitly told they will learn about the "organizational structure and appropriate tone to use in technical writing." The Parent Plan lists as a skill: "Establish and maintain a formal style and objective tone while attending to the norms and conventions of the discipline in which they are writing." Activity 4 models rewriting jargon-filled professional language for a general audience and directs students to avoid or explain jargon and to create a glossary. Revision and checklist tasks require students to apply conventions (headings, glossary, Works Cited, formatting) and to proofread for correctness before testing the guide with a reader.

The Parent Plan explicitly lists ‘‘Establish and maintain a formal style and objective tone while attending to the norms and conventions of the discipline in which they are writing.'' Students are told that ‘‘it is improper to use first person pronouns in an essay'' and are directed to use formal English when appropriate for speech. The lesson requires MLA in-text citations, a Works Cited page, specific formatting (12-pt Times New Roman, 1" margins, double-spaced), and includes rubrics that evaluate style, pronoun use, and grammar/mechanics.

The Parent Plan skills list explicitly asks students to "provide an objective summary of the text," indicating students are expected to produce writing that is factual and not subjective. The lesson tells students to "review stage directions from Lesson 1," which orients students to one set of disciplinary conventions used in drama. Students also answer directed reading questions and prepare for discussion, activities that require concise, factual responses and could support objective reporting.

Students are asked to write a one-paragraph summary of Act I in their journals that includes setting, main characters, and plot, and to write a sentence predicting Act II. Students also respond in journals to prompts about videos (explaining whether college will be necessary for their success) and complete character-analysis organizer work that requires selecting adjectives and stating characters' dreams. The Skills section lists applying knowledge of language to make effective choices for meaning or style, and vocabulary activities ask students to consult dictionaries and consider word usage in context.

Students are asked to write a Reader Response Paragraph of at least five sentences using evidence from the play and the APE (Answer, Prove, Extend) method, which requires them to state a claim and support it with textual proof. Students complete a song-journal homework where they record song titles/years and answer what each song says about the American Dream and why it was written, requiring explanatory prose. Students complete a Character Analysis page that asks for biographical information, physical characteristics, and a psychological profile, which involves organizing and conveying information about a character in writing.

Students are prompted to write summaries in their journals for Act I scenes and to answer specific comprehension questions, which requires selecting and organizing content from the text. The Skills section cites applying knowledge of language and acquiring domain-specific words, implying attention to choices of meaning and style. Students also complete a written activity about Renaissance marriage (pros/cons, public ceremony) that asks for reasoned responses.

Students are asked to create a news webpage with a masthead and at least four articles whose first four to five sentences must include the who, what, when, and where—an explicit journalistic convention. Students must cite outside information and attach a Works Cited page, and the rubric includes a "Mechanics" category that evaluates spelling, punctuation, and grammar. The Parent Plan skills list states students will "produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience."