Students write hypotheses, record data, and draw conclusions in the "Air on the Move" experiment, requiring them to connect their claim (hypothesis) to observed evidence and state whether results agree with their hypothesis. Students use weather journals to record temperature, wind speed/direction, and barometric pressure and then predict upcoming weather based on those measurements, linking reasons (pressure change, wind direction) to their forecast. Students answer map questions about fronts and describe what the weather will be like, which asks them to state a claim about expected weather and give reasons tied to front symbols.

Students complete a Weather Journal Presentation Planning page that asks them to write what information is on their chart, how they gathered the information, how they were able to predict future weather based on their data, and what patterns they observed. The final-project rubric requires students to explain the information in their journal, explain how they gathered data, describe how they made weather predictions, describe patterns found, and explain how global weather patterns impact their region. Students practice presenting aloud, using their planning page as a guide and making connections between their observations and conclusions during the oral presentation.

Students are asked to answer text-dependent questions in complete sentences and to "use examples from the book to support your answer" (Question #3), which requires them to connect a claim about Cody's feelings to textual evidence. Students are prompted to "Discuss which piece of writing was better and why," asking them to justify an evaluative claim with reasons. Students are directed to record words and phrases on a Character Timeline, which has them select language from the text to describe characters.

Students are asked to state themes (claims) and "provide evidence from the book to support both themes" (Option 2). In Option 1 students "list a way each character has changed" and "provide evidence from the story to support the themes," using lined boxes to record their responses. The activities require students to write theme statements and to cite story details in corresponding evidence boxes.

Students are asked to compare two places and list pros and cons on the "Comparing Two Environments" page and then "explain... which of the two places they would prefer to live in and why," prompting them to make a claim and support it with information from Prisoners of Geography. Activity 2's graphic organizers (Benefits, Challenges, Ways people alter the environment) require students to collect and record reasons and supporting facts about each place. The wrap-up migration interview and map activity prompt students to gather evidence (family migration stories, maps) that could be used to support an argument about reasons for moving.

Students are asked to write three arguments taking a position for either Ember or Sparks and to support each argument with evidence. The directions require students to anticipate opposing opinions and prepare responses, and the Skills list explicitly includes anticipating and addressing counterarguments. The Student Activity Page provides structured spaces for Position, Argument 1–3, and supporting details, prompting students to organize claims and evidence.

Students are asked to write a paragraph selecting one media outlet for the people of Sparks and Ember and to explain how it would benefit them, which requires stating a claim and providing reasons and evidence. The reading questions require students to answer in complete sentences about characters' motivations and actions, prompting them to link claims about behavior with supporting details. Discussion prompts ask students to consider cultural and social effects of media, encouraging explanation of relationships between ideas.

Students are asked to decide which system of government is more effective and to defend their reasoning (Option 1), requiring them to state claims and provide reasons. Students are prompted to describe an Ember government and explain leadership choices (Option 2), which involves articulating reasons and organizing an explanation. Students respond to discussion questions that ask them to take positions (e.g., whether leaders were wrong to plan actions) and support those positions with reasons or examples.

Students practice combining sentences using coordinating conjunctions (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so) and are instructed to insert commas when joining two independent clauses. The activity asks students to use pronouns to combine ideas and provides example combined sentences that model compound sentence cohesion. Discussion questions and short-answer prompts require students to state opinions and reasons about conflict and revenge, which offer opportunities to express claims in writing.

Students are asked to brainstorm solutions to the conflict and select the best option, then write a 6–8 sentence speech to explain their solution and why both groups should work together peacefully, which requires stating a claim and providing reasons. Students complete a bubble map that asks them to provide evidence from the text that reveals and supports the type of conflict, prompting them to cite events, characters' words/actions, or dialogue as support. The unit review notes that some test questions will be related to the writing and grammar practiced in the unit, implying prior writing practice.

The Revising Run-Ons activity and Student Activity Page teach specific cohesive devices: comma + coordinating conjunction (FANBOYS), semicolons, semicolon + conjunctive adverb (e.g., therefore, however), and subordination (because, when, although) and ask students to revise sentences using those devices. Question #2 asks students to explain how Rip's actions support a characterization, which requires students to link a claim (a character trait) to reasons/evidence from the text. The directions require students to revise five run-on sentences, giving repeated practice joining independent and dependent clauses and inserting transitional words and phrases.

Students are asked to write a 6–8 sentence short story critique that must highlight opinions, discuss what the author was trying to communicate, and include at least one idea for improvement, which requires stating claims and giving reasons. The skills list specifies that students should "make reasonable assertions about a text through accurate, supporting citations," and the parent/checking directions require that critiques include specific references to the story.

Students are asked to make and support claims using text and map evidence (for example, Question #1 asks which region had more factories and explicitly asks "How do you know?", directing students to use map graphics and the left-page statistic about factory production). Students must explain causes and roles (Questions #2 and #3 ask who did the work and what role machines played), which requires linking a claim about work to supporting details from pages 162–163. Students produce comparative, evidence-based writing in Activity 3 by creating travel brochures that require a general description, economy sentences, and a comparison of the two regions using information from the readings and map.

Students plan and write arguments for both sides of the debate on the expansion of slavery using the provided activity pages, answering questions that require them to state which region supports a view, list reasons, and explain positions on federal authority. Students compare reasons across the two debate pages and compose responses to opposing arguments (Question 4 asks them to choose a reason from the other side and think about how someone might respond). Students also make pros-and-cons lists about whether war is justified and may create a poster that uses key words to express a position.

Students are asked to write short explanations of why each battle was significant on the Civil War Map activity, requiring them to state reasons and supporting details. In the Build a Monument activity, students must choose a battle, record important details, explain why it was a turning point, and describe the main ideas they want the monument to convey, which asks them to connect claims (the monument's message) with supporting reasons. The parent discussion prompts ask students to explain which battles they think were most important and why, encouraging students to provide reasons and evidence for their claims.

Students are explicitly instructed to "be sure to use transitional words and phrases" and are given a chart of useful transitional words and phrases for time sequence, examples, contrast, similarity, and summary. The argumentative outline includes "Lead-in to next argument" prompts for each body paragraph and asks students to state an opposing position and then explain problems with that argument, guiding connections between claims and counterclaims. The rubric and organization criteria explicitly include "Use of transitions?" and checklist items that require each paragraph to focus on an idea and include introduction, supporting details, and logical order, which supports practicing cohesion.

Students compare Wilson's Fourteen Points with the Treaty of Versailles using a table that asks them to state key parts, reasons Wilson supported them, and how the treaty was similar or different. Students answer two short-response questions asking why Wilson could not achieve his desired peace and why the United States did not join the League of Nations, requiring them to state claims and support them with reasons and historical evidence. Discussion prompts ask students to identify objections different countries had to the treaty, which invites consideration of counterclaims and opposing reasons.

Students are asked to write a persuasive letter to President Roosevelt in the "Dear Mr. President" activity, providing at least two reasons for a position on whether the U.S. should enter the war. The activity asks undecided students to present at least one reason for each side, which requires students to state counterarguments as well as claims. Students are prompted to use a two-column organizer to list "reasons to go to war" and "reasons to stay out of the war" and to provide specific examples from the reading to support their argument.

Students read and analyze President Roosevelt's speech and are asked to underline or highlight powerful words or phrases and answer questions about the adjectives and tone he used, which requires attention to specific wording and rhetorical choices. Students plan and create persuasive World War II posters by identifying audience, objectives, emotions/ideals, colors/images, and listing "Powerful Words/Slogans," then produce a finished poster based on that plan. Students answer comprehension and discussion questions that ask why Roosevelt explained the diplomatic situation and what he wanted people to understand, prompting them to connect claims with supporting details in the speech.

The Weapons of War Option 2 asks students to describe and compare two weapons and to decide which had the greater impact, requiring students to make a claim and explain why. The Weapons of War worksheets ask students to "Describe a historical example of this weapon's use," "Do you think this weapon made a big difference... Why or why not?" and "How was this weapon different from earlier weapons?", prompting students to give reasons and cite examples. Reading questions (e.g., "Why do you think some historians say that World War II was won not on the battlefield, but in the factories and laboratories?") ask students to justify an interpretive claim with reasons and evidence from the text.

Students are asked to respond to an open question asking which of President Roosevelt's achievements they believe is most important and why, which requires stating a claim and giving reasons (Question #4). In Activity 4 Option 2, students must write a public service radio announcement that explains the need for a "Double V" campaign and tells people what they can do, which asks students to make a persuasive claim and provide supporting points. The Radio Script Vocabulary and Radio Script activity require students to write a coherent script using selected vocabulary and at least two events, which involves organizing ideas into connected sentences.

The Skills section asks students to "explain and evaluate relationships that are problem/solution" and to "sequence reasons to support the solution," which directs students to organize reasons and explanations. Activity 2 asks students to record three problem/solution situations from the chapters and to explain how characters solved each problem, requiring students to state reasons and supporting events. The Reading and Questions role asks students to write four discussion questions that cover big ideas and to discuss their answers, prompting students to articulate reasons for their interpretations.

Students are directed to "use transitions in your writing" and to consult a "Transition Examples" sheet that lists time, contrast, cause/effect, example, and conclusion transitions. The skills and rubric explicitly require "use a variety of sentence transitions to link paragraphs" and assess "use of transitions" and organization. One student page prompts students to include a relevant quote that "supports your argument," and the research activity asks students to locate evidence and indicate its source.

Students record observations and write conclusions about how adding air changes a balloon's density in the Density Demonstration (space is provided for written results). Students create explanations and order items by density in the "Will It Float?" activity and answer analysis questions that require linking observations to conclusions. Students rewrite and present a density riddle and verbally explain, with a physical model, why two objects of the same weight can differ in size, and they use density values to identify mystery elements and reflect on density patterns.

Students collect observations and test results on the "Mystery Element Observations" and other activity pages and are instructed to analyze findings and compare test results with information gathered throughout the unit. Students are asked to determine whether each mystery element is a metal, metalloid, or nonmetal, to identify each element, and to "explain why you feel" each identification is correct to their family. The rubric explicitly asks for "Verbal or Written Explanations" that explain reasoning behind classification and element identifications.

Students are asked to make claims and support them in questions such as "Do the Tucks seem like the kidnapping type? Why or why not?" and prompts that ask "Why or why not?" or invite discussion of options for the Tucks' actions. A discussion prompt asks students to argue whether the Tucks should have kidnapped Winnie and to consider other options, which requires stating claims and reasons. The parts-of-speech activities and answer keys label conjunctions, verbs, and clauses (for example noting that "if" is a conjunction), giving students practice identifying some grammatical devices that can link ideas.

The lesson explicitly defines and gives examples of coordinating and subordinating conjunctions and asks students to identify and label conjunctions in sentences (Parts of Speech Sentences VI). The review section asks students to give examples of coordinating and subordinating conjunctions and to use each type in a sentence. The persuasive Activity 2 (Print Ad or Commercial) asks students to write a script or ad to persuade an audience, which requires making claims and reasons.

Students complete a "Parts of Speech Sentences VII" activity that asks them to identify conjunctions (coordinating and subordinating) and pronouns, which are words that can create cohesion. Students are asked to recommend the book to a friend and explain why, and to record three ways the movie differed from the book and three things they would change, tasks that require stating claims and supporting reasons or evidence. The "Symbols & Similes" and quote activities ask students to craft descriptive phrases and similes, giving practice with using phrases and clauses to express relationships.

Students are asked to create a persuasive "Support the Boycott" flyer that requires them to choose powerful words and phrases and decide what information and reasons to include to persuade readers to attend a meeting. Students are asked to prepare notes for a speech that prompt them to state why they oppose segregated buses, why others should join the boycott, how people will get to work, and what words of encouragement they would offer, which requires articulating claims and supporting reasons. Parent guidance directs students to revise speech notes, include additional details or examples to support arguments, and to consider organization when reviewing work.

Students read historical accounts and answer questions about voter suppression and Freedom Summer, which gives them evidence about reasons voting was important. In Activity 1 they interview an adult about voting, collecting firsthand reasons and descriptions of voting experiences. In Activity 2 students use what they learned from the reading and interview to create a magazine advertisement that encourages voting and explains why voting matters, which requires stating a claim and supporting it with reasons or examples.

Students practice combining independent and dependent clauses and using coordinating conjunctions (FANBOYS) in the "Combining Clauses" activity and answer key, which models sentences that join clauses with commas and conjunctions. Students write a 6–10 sentence persuasive letter to the head of the school board in which they must explain what the county is doing wrong, why it is wrong, and what should be done, and they are required to include at least one sentence with two independent clauses and one with a dependent and independent clause. The formal letter template and parent guidance require identification of at least two problems and ask students to write reasons and proposed corrections.

The Combining Sentences activity asks students to turn short, choppy sentences into longer, more interesting sentences and provides models such as "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 notes instruct students to combine 2–3 sentences and to vary structures (e.g., dependent clause + independent clause, independent clause + independent clause). The activity explicitly practices using conjunctions and clauses to create cohesion and vary sentence openings.

The lesson includes an activity titled "Combining Sentences, Part II" that explicitly defines coordinating and subordinating conjunctions and asks students to draw conjunction and noun cards and create sentences using those conjunctions. The Student Activity Pages and Options ask students to write sentences (Option 2: write five sentences) using coordinating/subordinating conjunctions and refer to use of semicolons and commas to connect clauses. The skills list also states students will "Use simple, compound, and compound-complex sentences; use effective coordination and subordination of ideas to express complete thoughts."

The Parent Plan lists skills that students are to practice: identifying and correctly using prepositional phrases and independent and dependent clauses, using conjunctions to connect ideas, and using simple, compound, and compound-complex sentences with coordination and subordination. The "Don't Forget the Commas" activity has students combine independent and dependent clauses and practice placing commas when joining clauses and adjectives. Reading questions ask students to state opinions (claims) and give reasons, and the Boycotts activity asks students to select and explain important suggestions, prompting students to provide reasons for their choices.

The Parent Plan lists as a skill: "improve transitions by adding, deleting, combining, and rearranging sentences or larger units of text," and the Editing & Revising activities instruct students to combine short sentences, correct fragments and run-ons, and add details. Student pages direct students to revise passages by combining sentences and correcting sentence-level cohesion errors, and they are "encouraged to incorporate information from their reading or research." The wrapping up activity asks students to "explain the system of sharecropping" using a diagram or picture and quote, which requires organizing information coherently.

Students are asked to focus the technical aspect of their writing on creating interesting sentences by combining and expanding sentences and to apply what they know about sentence structure. Students complete a "Sentence Structure" rubric that prompts them to vary sentence starts, vary sentence length, and build engaging, descriptive sentences. Students use an "Organizing Ideas" graphic organizer and are instructed to write topic sentences, 3–5 supporting sentences, and concluding sentences for a five-paragraph report in which they must convince the reader to read the book (presenting a claim and supporting reasons).

Students are asked to prepare a four-slide/poster presentation that requires them to present a problem (claim), provide examples of discrimination (evidence), propose changes (reasons/solutions), and describe expected community outcomes. The Skills section explicitly states students will "support opinions with detailed evidence" and "deliver focused, coherent presentations that convey ideas clearly." The presentation rubric requires a clear, coherent message and that visuals support ideas, and students are instructed to practice their speech using note cards to remind them of details.

Students are asked to answer questions that require claims and supporting reasons, e.g., Question #1 asks whether ocean water is a pure substance and to justify why, and Question #2 asks how mixtures and compounds differ with an explanation. In the Metal Sandbox and Metal-Free Sandbox activities students make claims (compound or mixture) and support them with observational evidence from magnet tests, filtration, and evaporation. The wrapping-up prompt asks students to "Explain to your parent how a mixture and a compound are different," requiring them to state a claim and provide reasons and evidence.

Students are asked to write observations, conclusions, and explanations for multiple demos (Teeth, Saliva, Stomach) and to create posters or slideshow presentations that explain whether changes are chemical or physical. Rubrics and activity pages require written explanations that justify why changes are chemical or physical and ask students to use observations, photos, videos, and pH/litmus readings as evidence. Students must present findings orally to family or guests and plan explanations for each experiment at the chemistry fair, connecting procedures, results, and scientific concepts.

Students are asked to evaluate each community rule by recording a positive effect, a negative effect, and a written reason, then check "Rule" or "No Rule" and write a sentence to explain their decision. The Skills section includes "Explain whether facts included in an argument are used for or against an issue," and parents are prompted to ask children to "defend his decision" about whether rules should exist. Discussion prompts and questions (e.g., "Do you think anything is wrong with this system? Why or why not?") require students to state positions and give reasons.

Students are asked in Activity 2 to think of three historical events, describe each event in three or four sentences, and explain how each memory could help Jonas's community, which requires stating claims and supporting them with reasons. Students answer QUESTION #2 by selecting one of Jonas's rules they think would be most challenging and explaining why, which asks students to provide a claim and supporting reasons. Students are required to write answers in complete sentences and to explain character details and events in the Reading and Questions section, practicing organization of ideas.

The lesson includes "Write persuasive letters" as an explicit skill and Option 1 asks students to write a short letter to Jonas' community explaining freedom and arguing why its benefits are worth potential pain, which requires making a claim and giving reasons. The activities also ask students to explain benefits and give examples (e.g., before-and-after poems, bio-poem) that could serve as supporting evidence for a viewpoint.

The lesson offers a writing-intensive Option 2 in Activity 1 that asks students to compare and contrast a multiparty democracy with a one-party state and to explain which they would prefer and why, requiring students to make a claim and provide reasons. The Student Activity Page and Parent Plan explicitly prompt students to describe differences, explain what those differences mean for citizens, and give a written preference with justification, which asks students to use reasons and evidence about political systems.

Students are asked to write a problem-solution paragraph that requires them to state a problem, explain why the problem exists (reasons), provide a solution with details (evidence), and write a concluding sentence that restates the problem and benefit of the solution. The Skills section tells students to "offer persuasive evidence to validate the definition of the problem and the proposed solutions" and to "sequence reasons to support the solution." The graphic organizer and example paragraph explicitly guide students to organize topic sentence, explanatory sentences, solution sentences, and a concluding sentence.

Students examine stated reasons why workers might strike and are directed to "record information from the book that could support the reasons" in the On Strike! activity, explicitly linking reasons to textual evidence. Students summarize the examples they find and provide page numbers, which requires them to match claims about causes for striking with supporting evidence. Students are also asked to take a position in discussion questions (e.g., whether Esperanza and her family should strike) and to justify answers orally or in writing.

Students complete Activity 1 (Combining Sentences) where they are instructed to use participial phrases to combine pairs of sentences and to convert single sentences into participial phrases. The Student Activity Pages provide six sentence pairs and additional prompts asking students to produce combined sentences (e.g., "Sitting in the meadow, Cusi carefully watched his flock"). The Parent Plan explicitly lists the skill "Use phrases and clauses correctly within sentences" and includes answer keys that show students how to form participial phrases and complex sentences.

Students are given a labeled list of transition words and phrases (time, cause-effect, addition/comparison, contrast, example) and directions to use them. Students are instructed to write a short book review with at least two paragraphs and to use transitions to link paragraphs and to show sequence and relationships (explicitly asking for time, cause-effect, and contrast/comparison transitions). The Skills section also states students should use transitional words and phrases and provide transitional expressions that link one paragraph to another.

Students make written predictions, record measurements, and are asked to "explain your reasoning" and "use evidence from your measurements" when comparing masses and densities. Students complete data tables, answer guided questions that require linking measured data to conclusions, and are asked to communicate findings in writing. The skills list explicitly includes that students will "use oral and written language to communicate findings," indicating practice in writing explanations that connect reasons and evidence.

The Skills section repeatedly asks students to "Construct an argument supported by evidence" and to "Use oral and written language to communicate findings," indicating students will write claims with supporting evidence. Activity prompts explicitly ask students to "Make a claim about what happens in the ecosystem and support it with evidence (from your model)" and to explain cause-and-effect relationships after simulations and modeling. Multiple activities require students to answer targeted questions, explain what happened, and justify predictions based on their models and game outcomes.

Students are asked to construct arguments and explanations supported by evidence (listed in the Skills section) and to use oral and written language to communicate findings. Students write answers using evidence from graphs and investigations (Evaluating Graphics, Farming with Erosion) and complete a Mini-Design Challenge where they must label and explain how their solution works. The activities prompt students to explain relationships among pollutants, oxygen, and ecosystem impacts, and to justify recommended farming practices using observed data.

Students are prompted to construct explanations and communicate findings in multiple activities: the Water Filtration Challenge asks students to plan a filter, observe results, and answer reflection questions about how the filter removed particles and which materials were most effective. The Water Quality Experiment requires students to observe, compare, analyze results, and draw conclusions about tap versus distilled water. The Great Leak Investigation requires students to collect data, analyze water loss over time, and answer analysis questions about conservation and stewardship.

Students are asked to construct explanations based on evidence (Skills list and multiple activity prompts) and to communicate scientific information clearly through written models, explanations, and an oral presentation of their investigation. The activities require students to explain human impact, describe how contamination affects organisms, and propose solutions, and the unit test includes open-ended questions that ask for explanations and justification (e.g., factors influencing water quality, how sedimentation/filtration/chlorination work). Students must write reflections, labeled models, and an organized presentation that require connecting claims about the ecosystem to supporting observations and data.

Students practice identifying and labeling prepositional, appositive, and verbal phrases in sentences (Activity 1) and must label how each verbal phrase functions (noun, adjective, adverb). The Parent Plan lists skills to "apply the parts of speech to clarify language usage" and to "identify and understand the function of appositive phrases, prepositional phrases, and adverbial and adjectival phrases." The Grammar Review chart defines phrase types and their functions, giving students explicit grammatical examples to analyze.

Students are asked to write a speech defending or prosecuting Kino using persuasive techniques and evidence from the story, which requires making claims and supporting them. Students prepare and conduct a mock trial for Kino, assigning roles and using evidence from the book to argue the case. In Part C (Grammar), students identify infinitive, participial, gerund, and appositive phrases and determine whether each functions as a noun, adjective, or adverb.

Students are asked to write 2-3 sentences on colonization pages and to answer comparative questions about similarities and differences between two countries' colonial histories, which requires organizing reasons and evidence from research. In Option 2, students must "write a well-organized paragraph" summarizing government challenges and may compare those challenges to their own political system or write a report for a leader, which asks for synthesized claims and supporting details. Students also add 1-2 current events stories to a journal, which requires summarizing news and citing sources.

Students are prompted in Question #2 to "Explain why scientists say that air is matter" and to give two pieces of evidence, requiring them to state a claim and support it with evidence. In Activity 1 students complete an "Explain Your Thinking" response and a sample response explicitly links the claim to evidence (e.g., "This investigation shows that air takes up space because it filled the cup and prevented water from entering…"). The skills and activities (construct explanations, cause-and-effect prompts, and Activity 2 writing tasks) require students to write explanations that connect reasons and evidence about atmospheric interactions.

Students are asked to sort phenomena into atmospheric layers and "choose three of your placements and explain your reasoning using evidence from Chapter 2," requiring them to make claims and support them with textual evidence. Multiple activities ask students to "use your model to explain" layer differences and to "explain why" items belong in particular layers, prompting written explanations that connect claims to reasons and evidence. The Option 2 answer key asks for explanations that "connect each layer's characteristics to its unique role" and for students to "describe the overall alternating pattern," reinforcing use of reasons and evidence in responses.

Students are asked to make claims and support them with evidence in several places: the 'When Air Masses Move' activity asks students to ‘Make a Prediction' for Day 6 and to ‘Support Your Prediction' using patterns and evidence from the 5-day data. The activity also asks students to ‘Explain What's Happening' (cause and effect) and to ‘Use evidence from observations and data to explain changes in weather' in the parent plan and answer keys. Short-answer questions (e.g., Explain why air pressure decreases as altitude increases) require students to state a claim and give reasons tied to evidence from the reading and video.

Students are asked to analyze graphs of atmospheric CO2 and global temperature and "use evidence to begin explaining what might be causing these changes" (Climate Data Analysis), which requires linking reasons and data. Students record observations from particulate-matter agar dishes and "use evidence to explain how human activities influence the air" (What's in the Air? Part 2). The lesson includes tasks to evaluate and justify solutions (Designing Solutions) and references the SEP 'Engaging in Argument from Evidence,' prompting students to make claims supported by data.

Students are asked to write explanatory responses that require reasons and evidence, such as Unit Test question 16 which asks them to describe two actions to reduce carbon footprint and explain why each action is beneficial. The Escape Room final challenge prompts students to 'List three ways we can protect the atmosphere' and 'Describe how sunlight impacts the weather,' which require connecting claims to supporting reasons. Several short-answer and essay-style prompts throughout the test and final challenge require students to state ideas and justify them with examples or explanations.

Students are asked to revise drafts with attention to "use of simple, compound, and complex sentences; internal and external coherence; and the use of effective transitions" (Skills). The revision checklist and Style section prompt students to check for "use of transitional words/phrases" and "variation in sentence length and type." Activity 2 directs students to focus revision on organization, word choice, and transitions and to create or use a checklist that includes these elements.

The lesson asks students to write a Letter to the Editor in which they state a position about climbing Uluru and complete the sentence, "I think that climbing Uluru should be... because…," which requires students to give a claim and reasons. The Current Events Report guides students to write a brief summary and their reaction, which can require stating judgments and supporting details. The bumper sticker/button activity and the Uluru letter prompt students to identify and present reasons to persuade others.

Students are prompted to list pros and cons in the Vacation Planning graphic organizer with columns labeled "Reasons to Take a Pacific Islands Vacation" and "Reasons to Go Elsewhere," and then complete a decision sentence that begins "I've decided to book my flight to ___ because ___." The Current Events Report asks students to write a brief summary and "What do you think about this story? Share your reaction," requiring students to state opinions that can include reasons and evidence. The Tourism & Village Life page asks students to describe how daily life, resources, and jobs might change if tourism becomes popular, which asks students to articulate different perspectives and supporting reasons.

Students are prompted to write explanatory text on activity pages such as the "My Local Soil" page where they record an "Explanation for soil determination" and note pH, nutrient levels, and suitable crops. In the State Soil Comparison activity students complete a Venn diagram and a "Difference Statement" explaining why their state's soil differs from a neighboring state's soil. The Parent Plan lists that students will "construct a scientific explanation based on evidence" about geoscience processes, implying students will link reasons and evidence in written form.

The Parent Plan lists as a skill: "Construct essays/presentations that respond to a given problem by proposing a solution that includes relevant details," so students are asked to write problem-solution essays that require claims and supporting reasons. The "Things to Review" section instructs students to memorize the seven coordinating conjunctions, give examples of subordinating conjunctions, and describe compound and complex sentences, which teaches words/phrases/clauses that create sentence-level cohesion. Activity 2 (Problem Solving) has students brainstorm multiple solutions, list pluses and minuses, and explain the chosen solution, prompting them to connect reasons and evidence to a selected claim.

Students are taught a chart of transitional expressions (however, moreover, in fact, therefore, etc.) and the punctuation pattern for joining independent clauses with a semicolon plus a transitional expression. Students complete sentence-combining activities (Part II and Option 2) that require them to join independent clauses using semicolons and chosen transitional words or to rewrite sentences using a semicolon plus a transition. The wrap-up and review prompts ask students to punctuate two independent clauses joined by a transitional expression (Clause; expression, clause. OR Clause. Expression, clause.).

Students review and practice dependent and independent clauses, coordinating and subordinating conjunctions, and writing simple, compound, and complex sentences (Skills and Quiz Yourself Part I). Students punctuate and join independent clauses and transitional expressions (e.g., use of "; however," and semicolons) in the Punctuation Puzzler (Student Activity Page and Answer Key). Students are asked to write short summaries of literary reviews in two or three sentences, which requires producing coherent sentences that reference critics' points (Activity 1).

Students are asked to write an opinion-based literary response with topic sentences and three body paragraphs that include arguments and support, and the outline template requires topic sentences and lines for supporting ideas. Students complete grammar exercises that require combining clauses, creating complex and compound sentences, and inserting transitional expressions (e.g., semicolon with however), and they use editing symbols and a rubric that emphasizes clarity and organization. The prewriting web and scaffolded outline prompt students to plan reasons and textual evidence to support their claims.

Students are asked to state whether they would have liked to live in each dynasty and explain why, which requires making a claim and providing reasons (Life Under Different Chinese Dynasties activity). Students create a booklet on the Tao Te Ching that ends with writing in their own words what the passage says about wealth and whether they agree, prompting them to give reasons and a conclusion. Students summarize accomplishments of dynasties and complete short-answer prompts that ask for explanations (e.g., advantages of standardized coin system), which involves linking claims to supporting evidence.

Students are asked to write a paragraph explaining how a new volcanic island might be repopulated (Activity 1 Step 1) and to add captions and write-ups for images showing stages of succession (Activity 1 Step 2 and Parent Plan). The Skills section includes using written language to "communicate findings and defend conclusions," and the reading questions (e.g., Q1–Q3) require students to state reasons linking causes (carbon dioxide, El Niño, disasters) to ecological effects.

Students are asked to add captions that describe what is going on in each picture in terms of the stages of succession and to include descriptions of why changes have occurred between post-disaster and contemporary images. Students must write a paragraph predicting what the ecosystem will look like in 20–30 years and provide explanations for that prediction. Students are required to match stages of succession with graphics and provide explanations that connect those graphics to the type of succession (primary or secondary).

Students are asked to research an extinct organism and collect evidence such as images, maps, food sources, predators, and reasons for extinction, which they record on the Notes page. Students must write a paragraph explaining how the extinction could have been prevented, including recommendations where human activity was involved and examples of adaptations. The Skills section requires students to "use oral and written language to communicate findings and defend conclusions," implying they will present claims with supporting reasons and evidence.

Students are directed to create a mini-book in which they "record at least one way the opportunity benefited Tree-ear, or how he used the opportunity to make his life or someone else's life better," which asks them to make claims about effects and support them. The Parent Plan tells students to "defend his answer with a logical explanation" and to "provide evidence from the text to support his conclusions," prompting students to connect reasons and textual evidence. The sentence-correcting activity has students revise grammar and punctuation, supporting accuracy in written expression but not explicitly targeting cohesion devices.

Students are asked to justify interpretations with sustained use of examples and textual evidence (Skills section). Students must write at least two sentences describing each relationship on the Relationship Web and support those descriptions with examples from the text (Student Activity Page). Students make a prediction about Tree-ear's journey and then discuss whether the prediction was correct, which requires comparing a claim to textual outcomes.

Students are asked to produce a persuasive product (poster or a 30-second radio/TV script) that explains what is happening in the environment, why the issue is a problem, and what people should do about it. The Option 1 poster instructions tell students to 'choose the words that you will use in your poster carefully,' and Option 2 asks students to write a 'carefully-worded script' and to include answers to specific explanatory questions. The storyboard and script pages require students to organize key points (number up to six) and connect visuals to text for a coherent message.

Students are asked to complete Activity 4 by researching and recording details in comparison charts for Government, Economy, and Culture for ancient and modern China (and Japan in Option 2), which requires stating claims about similarities and differences. Students must answer a prompt that asks whether Japan and China had more in common in ancient times than today and to "Explain," which requires giving reasons and supporting evidence. Students are also asked to explain their rice flow chart or poem to a parent and to justify garden-design choices, which involves organizing information and providing supporting details.

Students are prompted to explain how heat is transferred in Parts 1 and 2 by answering: 'Explain how you think heat is transferred from the light bulb to your fingers/hand,' which requires them to state reasons and link those reasons to observed effects. In Part 3 students must explain how heat would be transferred in a vacuum and answer why that thought experiment is similar to the way the Sun transfers heat to the Earth, which requires connecting evidence (vacuum, no convection/conduction) to a claim (radiation is the mechanism). The Student Activity Page and Parent Answers ask students to record timings and give causal explanations linking molecular behavior and heat transfer, prompting use of reasons and evidence in written responses.

Students are asked to write explanations and labels that justify crop and technique choices (e.g., "Briefly explain why you chose each one" and labels explaining sustainable techniques). The project requires students to explain how their farm incorporates the water, carbon, and nitrogen cycles and to provide reasons (e.g., cover crops add nitrogen; compost supports the carbon cycle). The skills list includes "Communicate scientific information in a clear, concise manner," indicating students will produce connected explanatory text linking claims to reasons and evidence.

Students are asked to research multiple points of view and write an argumentative essay (Steps to Independent Study lists 'Write an argumentative essay' and the Point of View handout prompts students to list reasons for supporting or opposing the pipeline). The Student Activity pages require students to record information to answer research questions and to consider claims and counterclaims when analyzing stakeholders' perspectives. The Argumentative Essay Rubric includes categories for Organization and Word Choice that guide students' composition choices.

Students identify claims, counterclaims, and supporting details by completing the Stakeholders chart and finding at least three opinions from different stakeholders with three supporting details each. Students develop a position statement and generate 4–5 research questions to find information that supports their position and 2–3 questions for opposing arguments. Students organize reasons and evidence using the gathering grid or note cards and record sources on a Works Cited page. Students evaluate and select a variety of resources (periodicals, reference books, websites, audio/video) to gather evidence for both sides of an argument.

The lesson tells students to include a transition in each topic sentence and to use transitional phrases (e.g., for example, in addition, moreover, and secondly) to introduce each piece of evidence. Students are instructed to write a counterarguments paragraph that acknowledges opposing points of view and briefly states why they disagree. During revision, students are explicitly directed to insert transitional words or phrases (e.g., however, moreover, therefore, furthermore, likewise) to create cohesion and clarify connections between research and claims.

Students are prompted to write two diary entries (Option 1) that require them to explain how they would exercise rights in an Athenian direct democracy and in a modern representative democracy, which asks them to state positions and actions. In Option 2, students record advantages and disadvantages of each system and answer whether Athens' system would be suitable for the United States, a prompt that requires stating a claim and giving reasons. The comparative activities (Venn diagram, pros/cons lists) require students to use information from readings and videos as support for their responses.

Students are asked to evaluate whether Brutus was a traitor or a hero by listing pros and cons (Option 1) and by writing and delivering a 3–5 minute persuasive speech explaining why Brutus was right or wrong (Option 2), which requires stating a claim and supporting reasons. In Activity 1 students compare and contrast two founding stories using a chart, which has students organize differing explanations and assess how likely each is to be true. The pros/cons page prompts students to weigh reasons and then answer what advice they would give Brutus, connecting reasons to a recommendation.

Students are asked to compare two emperors using a structured Comparing Emperors page that asks for accomplishments, challenges, and what made each a good leader, and then to answer which leader was more effective and why. In Option 2 students must read about at least three emperors and use evidence from those readings to complete the comparison boxes. The comparing task requires students to make a claim (which emperor was more effective) and supply reasons tied to the recorded accomplishments and challenges.

Students are asked to produce oral reports and speeches that explain government problems and solutions (Appetizer options 1 and 3), and to write a news article or short essay about changes in government or the influence of ancient governments (Main Course options 1 and 3). The rubric requires that the Main Course be well-written with appropriate organization and correct grammar (criterion 7) and that the Appetizer accurately explains governments (criterion 2), which implies students must state claims and supporting information in their presentations and writing.

Students are asked to determine whether an object's velocity is constant or irregular and to "provide reasoning," which requires stating a claim and supporting it with graph-based calculations (Activity 1 Observations and Visual Velocity pages). Students calculate velocities for specific time intervals and match narrative events to graph points, using data as evidence for their explanations (Visual Velocity 2 tasks and answer key velocity calculations). Students are asked to decide whether forces are balanced or unbalanced and explain their conclusion with reference to Newton's laws, linking claims about motion to disciplinary reasons and evidence (Picturing Acceleration question set and answer key).

Students are asked to answer explanatory questions such as "Did your object move at a constant velocity or an irregular velocity? How do you know?" that require stating a claim and supporting it with graph and calculation evidence. Discussion prompts (e.g., Describe a situation in which the motion of an object represents an unbalanced force) ask students to give reasons and examples connecting observations to conclusions. Several activities require students to analyze data and write explanations of whether motion is constant or irregular, which practices linking claims to supporting reasons and evidence.

Students collect and analyze data and then state conclusions: Activity 1 and its student pages ask students to calculate work and "explain the work" in their science notebook; Ramp It Up asks students to compare forces and work between lifting and using a ramp and to justify whether the ramp gave a mechanical advantage. Activity 4 (pulleys) asks students to compute input/output work and mechanical advantage and to answer why one pulley system might be preferable, requiring students to support claims with measured force and distance data.

Students practice sentence-level cohesion in Activity 1 by correcting punctuation and clause links (e.g., adding commas and semicolons and replacing "who's" with the relative pronoun "whose"). The parent prompt asks students to "explain his decisions with examples," which requires students to give reasons and supporting evidence when choosing a favorite god or goddess. Students produce a written final copy of an acrostic poem or other piece of writing, which provides an opportunity to organize words and lines to convey relationships.

Students are prompted to take a position and justify it in the question, "Do you think Prometheus should have given fire to the people? Why or why not?," which requires forming a claim and giving reasons. Students are asked to write a descriptive paragraph about life without fire and to write a short skit that organizes dialogue to tell a story, both of which require organizing ideas across sentences. Students also complete sentence-editing practice that focuses on grammar, punctuation, and word choice.

Students are asked to read about Perseus and answer explicit questions that require stating reasons and evidence (e.g., why Acrisius locked his daughter, why the king sent Perseus to kill Medusa). The skills list tells students to "synthesize and make logical connections... and support those findings with textual evidence," which asks students to form claims and back them with evidence. Discussion prompts ask students to argue whether Perseus will be a good ruler and to explain why, which requires making a claim and giving reasons.

Students are asked to write reasoned responses in several activities: the Crusades activity asks students to imagine and articulate motivations for joining a crusade and the reactions of a Muslim in Jerusalem, and the Reconquista cube prompts students to "Explain to a parent how the Crusades were connected to the desire to find an easier trade route to the East" and to list motivations for fighters. The Joan of Arc activity requires students to compare expected roles for medieval women with Joan's actions, asking for descriptive and comparative writing. The Dissent and the Church worksheet asks students to explain why groups were considered dangerous and to describe consequences, which requires stating reasons and supporting details.

Students are asked in the "Naming Our Own Era" activity to list important events, identify the most significant ones, and name the current era, then explain their choice, which requires stating a claim and giving reasons and examples. Students complete the "The Middle Ages & Today" organizer by listing books, movies, toys/games and explaining the influence of medieval culture on each item, which asks them to link evidence to an explanatory idea. Students answer a reading question asking why the period following the Middle Ages was called the Renaissance, prompting them to explain cause-and-effect with supporting details.

Students are asked to write a book review as one Think-Tac-Toe option and to answer several multi-paragraph essay prompts on the unit test (e.g., overview of feudalism, description of peasant life, summary and response prompts). Part IV of the unit test requires students to produce complex and compound sentences and to convert between passive and active voice, which practices use of clauses and sentence-level grammar. The Think-Tac-Toe activities include monologues and descriptive writing tasks that require extended writing and organization of ideas.

Students write 1-2 sentence explanations for each motivation (religion, competition, wealth, glory, knowledge) in Option 1, which requires them to state reasons concisely. In Option 2, students gather five index cards, organize them in an order that will make an effective speech, and plan transitions between cards (the example suggests transitioning from wealth to competition), then practice delivering a speech connecting their reasons. In Option 3, students draw arrows between motivations and write how the ideas are connected, explicitly practicing how reasons relate to one another.

Students are asked to write a multi-paragraph diary entry (Option 1) that requires listing at least three reasons for joining the voyage, at least three reasons for crew discontent (opposing views), and then making and explaining a decision to support Columbus or Pinzón, which requires presenting a claim, reasons, and counterclaims. In Option 2, students plan and perform a skit in which two sailors debate whether to continue the voyage or return, requiring students to voice opposing positions and supporting reasons. In Activity 4 students identify and record factors that explain the Spanish conquest and mark which factors they think are particularly significant, linking observed evidence to judgments.

Students prepare three arguments for both the affirmative and negative sides and are instructed to provide facts to support each argument, showing practice with claims, reasons, and evidence. Students write short opening statements that must "clearly state your position" and short closing statements that "summarize" main arguments, requiring them to connect claims and supporting points. During the debate students deliver arguments and then offer rebuttals after each opponent's argument, practicing responses that relate counterclaims to prior reasons and evidence.

Students are asked in Activity 3, Option 1 to research a modern scientific controversy, gather opinions from at least three people, form a position, and write a short (200-word) letter to the editor that answers the central question and provides at least two strong arguments in support of their position. In Option 2, students read primary-source documents from Galileo's trial and answer questions comparing viewpoints (e.g., how Galileo and the Church describe the relationship between faith and science), which requires students to identify claims and supporting evidence in historical texts.

Students are asked to write a 5- to 6-paragraph essay (Option 2) and are given tips to outline, write an introduction and conclusion, and include specific examples as evidence. Students must "make a strong argument" for the historical importance of their chosen explorer and scientist in the final project and fill out planning/biography pages to organize claims and supporting information. The project rubric evaluates "evidence of careful planning and research," "explanation of the historical significance," and clarity of the presentation and demonstration, which require students to state claims and support them with reasons and evidence.

Students plot average monthly sunspot data from 1950–2023, label maxima (M) and minima (m), and calculate lengths of time between maximum years using a provided table and calculator. Students answer guided questions that require them to explain what a sunspot cycle is, state whether the graph suggests regular intervals, and use their calculations and the graph to support their explanations. The activity pages include structured areas for written responses where students discuss whether using minimum years would change results and consider data reliability, requiring them to connect data and reasoning in their answers.

Students are asked to write a "Written Plan for a New Solar System Model" in which they list advantages and disadvantages of the Grocery Bag and Stand models and provide an overall description of their suggested museum model. Activity 3 directs students to answer specific questions about how the model will show relative sizes, distances, and orbits, and the grading rubric asks for descriptions of those relationships. The written pages and rubric provide space for students to state a suggested model (a claim) and to justify it with advantages and disadvantages (reasons/evidence).

Students are asked to write persuasive letters that state a proposed solution ("I'd like to solve your problem by _______") and to explain how that solution will work ("This will solve your problem by _______"). The activity asks students to brainstorm problems and solutions on the "Planet Problem" page, prompting them to connect claims (the solution) with reasons or explanations. The parent notes explicitly encourage the adult viewpoint letter to include "facts and figures," which directs students to provide evidence to support a claim.

Students are asked to produce a persuasive product (a poem or drawing with an artist's description) titled "Persuading the Fox" in which they explain what happened to the little prince and reassure the fox, requiring them to give reasons and supporting details. The Student Activity Page includes questions that prompt students to list reasons and evidence (for example, "List two ways the narrator says he knows the little prince made it home" and "What else could the narrator say to persuade the fox?"). The Wrapping Up task asks students to explain why they agree or disagree that the little prince made it home, which asks for a claim supported by reasons and evidence.

Students answer direct questions that require making a claim and giving a reason (for example QUESTION #3: "This is a comedy, because..."), and students summarize reactions in QUESTION #1, linking a claim with supporting details. Discussion prompts (e.g., "Do you think this animated tale does a good job of telling Shakespeare's story? Why or why not?") require students to state evaluations and provide reasons or examples. The wrap-up question about how the play might have ended differently if it were a tragedy invites students to compare outcomes and give explanatory reasons.

Students are asked to create a persuasive message from Romeo or Juliet (Activity 2) and to choose 2–3 unit vocabulary words to include. The skills section asks students to identify, analyze, and critique persuasive techniques such as promises, dares, flattery, and glittering generalities. Students must share their message and explain which type of persuasive message they used and why they chose particular vocabulary words.

Students are guided to develop a thesis, list reasons, and pair each reason with evidence on the OUTLINING page, which directs them to "Use the evidence you found to support each reason." The Day 2 writing directions tell students to "state the thesis," "include quotes," "provide persuasive evidence," and to "summarize" in the conclusion. The OUTLINING page also reminds students they will need to "add details and transitions to your body paragraphs," and the Classics Rubric includes an Organization and Structure section that evaluates clarity and logical sequencing.

Students are asked to write a short proposal to Queen Elizabeth (Activity 4) that requires making a claim that a colony will benefit England and to include reasons and supporting details (what Spain and Portugal found; advantages of a North American colony; why the queen should support it). The lesson questions (e.g., QUESTION #2) require students to state reasons and evidence explaining Elizabeth's actions, showing practice in linking claims to support. Several activities (diary entries, lists, and the proposal) ask students to present positions and provide supporting reasons or examples.

Students are asked in Option 2 to choose four adjectives that describe Elizabeth I and to identify one concrete example that illustrates each adjective, requiring them to state claims and provide supporting evidence. In Option 1 students must select three significant accomplishments and write a short summary of her leadership, which asks them to make evaluative claims and back them with examples. The activities require students to explain or defend their choices to a parent, which prompts linking claims to reasons and evidence in spoken justification.

Students are directed to choose two technologies, state whether each is a necessity or a luxury, and "briefly explain why the technological design is a necessity or a luxury." The materials instruct students to "be sure your child backs up her claim with evidence" and to "be prepared to explain your rationale," and the activity questions ask whether the design solved a societal problem or introduced one. The Student Activity Pages provide structured prompts for students to write responses to questions about purpose, cause, and justification of their claim.

Students are asked to rate da Vinci's designs using a 1–5 scale and to provide "Evidence" for each rating on student activity pages for the parachute, ornithopter, and helical air screw. Instructions tell students to "explain the reason for your choice," make value judgments about benefits and risks, and "be prepared to briefly explain why you changed any of your ratings" after building a model. The provided rubric and activity pages explicitly require students to connect ratings (claims) with supporting evidence and reasons.

Students record trial results, reasons, and modification recommendations in the Engineering Design and Development table, which asks them to connect test outcomes to reasons and proposed changes. Students construct prototypes, test them (Step 6), and are asked to evaluate whether solutions meet original design constraints, documenting results and reasons. Students prepare notes for an engineering presentation (Step 7) in which they must discuss how solutions meet the problem needs and discuss societal impact and trade-offs.

Question #1 asks who convinced Newton to publish and explicitly asks, "What arguments did the person make?", so students must identify a claim and supporting reasons. Option 2 and the Student Activity Page require students to take notes on what two people thought about an event and to write a headline or topic sentence from each person's perspective, which asks students to state opposing claims/counterclaims. Option 1 asks students to dramatize each person's perspective, which requires oral expression of opinions and reasons.

The Parent Plan and rubric tell students to use a variety of sentence structures, rhetorical devices, and transitions to link paragraphs, and the Outlining Newton pages instruct students to create a thesis, identify three supporting areas, list 2–3 supporting details for each area, and "use details and transitions effectively." The Ideas and Support rubric requires students to explain how 2–3 areas of Newton's studies relate to current industries, which asks students to connect claims to supporting reasons/evidence in their essays. The activities require students to write, revise, and edit a multi-paragraph essay and to consult a technical-writing rubric and editing symbols while improving coherence.

Students are asked to create a public-service poster that must include a brief, easy-to-remember statement telling people what they should do and at least one reason why the action is a good idea, which requires them to state a claim and a supporting reason. In the Option 2 newspaper task, students locate three news stories, provide a headline and source, and write 2–3 sentence summaries of each article, which requires summarizing evidence from sources. The Parent Plan skills also list "Examine contrasting perspectives on these problems," which suggests students will consider different viewpoints about environmental issues.

The lesson asks students to identify issues and give basic arguments for and against historical events (Skills section) and includes Activity 5 in which students discuss pros and cons of unicameral vs. bicameral legislatures and one-party vs. multi-party systems. Activity 2 (Soviet History) requires students to answer questions about how the USSR created uniform culture and how its breakup posed challenges, prompting students to provide reasons and evidence. The optional campaign poster and discussion questions ask students to state preferences and justify them, which requires making claims and supporting reasons.

The unit test includes an open-ended prompt (Question 8) asking students to choose between living in a single-party government or a multi-party democracy and to "Explain your answer," requiring students to make a claim and give reasons. The final project requires students to write a 5–6 sentence introduction paragraph mentioning geographies, governments, economies, and cultures, giving students a structured multi-sentence writing task. The rubric assesses "Writing Quality" and "Thoughtful Response to Questions," which implies evaluation of students' written explanations and reasoning.

Students are asked to write a letter or email to a business, organization, or government office that includes a statement of purpose, an introduction of the idea, a transition to how they recognized the problem, and a proposal or resolution. The provided Business Letter and Business Email templates show paragraph structure (purpose, details, requested action) and require students to produce a multi-paragraph persuasive text. The unit test Part 4 asks students to write a paragraph choosing an energy source and to use terms such as advantage, disadvantage, renewable, nonrenewable, environment, economy, and global warming, which asks students to connect reasons and evidence in written explanation.

Students are asked to create a persuasive advertisement/poster encouraging people to become indentured servants that prompts them to address potential worries and what an advertisement might say to alleviate those worries, which requires making claims and responding to counterarguments. Students complete pros-and-cons charts (Should You Go to Virginia? and Tobacco vs. Silk or Flax) and answer which product or choice they would select, which requires stating reasons and citing information from provided readings. Students complete comparison activities (a Venn diagram comparing Equiano's voyage and the Mayflower) that require identifying similarities and differences and using evidence from texts.

Students evaluate and compare claims and reasons in the Salem Witch Trials activity by listing possible explanations and writing the merits and doubts for each explanation. Students analyze the Mayflower Compact through a word-cloud activity and answer interpretation questions about the ideas most important to the signers. Students compare reasons for founding the colonies in the Founding the 13 Colonies activity and complete a Venn diagram showing similarities and differences between profit- and religion-founded colonies.

Students are asked in Option 2 to prioritize (make a claim about) ten occupations and to provide reasons and descriptions for their rankings, which requires them to state claims and support them with reasons. In Option 1 students write a detailed list about growing a cash crop that includes steps, expected labor, potential problems, and benefits/pitfalls, which asks them to state claims about practices and support those claims with specific details. The Student Activity Page explicitly includes a "Reasons" column and directs students to explain why they assigned each rank, prompting students to connect claims (rankings) with supporting reasons/evidence.

Students complete the "Resistance" activity tables by filling in "What It Did and Why the British Might Have Enacted It" and "Why Colonists Might Have Objected to It," which asks them to state reasons and opposing perspectives. Students write a 4-5 sentence movie review (including a criticism and recommendation) or a 3-4 sentence trailer script, tasks that require them to state claims, reasons, and evaluative judgments. The discussion questions prompt students to explain "taxation without representation" and defend which acts they would have objected to, encouraging articulation of claims and supporting reasons.

Students must plan and deliver a position about whether their character would have supported independence and explicitly "mention at least three specific reasons for discontent with Great Britain" before explaining the character's stance. Students in the soldier option must "discuss why this soldier joined the army and the reasons why s/he thinks the war had to happen," again citing at least three specific reasons. The project rubric includes criteria evaluating the discussion of reasons for or against independence and the accuracy and interest of the information presented, which requires students to link claims and supporting reasons/evidence in their presentations.

Students collect items and record "Properties" and "Reason for Material" in the Survey Details table, prompting them to state reasons and supporting evidence for material choices. In Part 4 (Getting Specific with an Element) students research which elements compose an item and fill in detailed element data and common compounds, connecting elemental evidence to material claims. The project repeatedly asks students to "consider what the primary material is," "what properties are common," and to "find out what elements are present," which requires stating claims about material choice with supporting reasons.

Students analyze paragraph structure by identifying topic sentences, supporting sentences, transitions, and concluding observations (e.g., labeling the function of each sentence in sample paragraphs). They identify and explain out-of-place sentences and write replacement sentences to improve paragraph flow, and they are asked to note transitions between paragraphs (Option 2 notes sentence 7 "transitions to the next paragraph"). In Activity 2 students list positive and negative attributes of John Adams, which requires organizing competing points (pro/con) about a claim.

Students practice editing a paragraph to correct a comma splice and a sentence fragment and to apply proofreading symbols, which requires them to join and separate clauses correctly. The proofreading-symbols chart and the paragraph-editing task prompt students to insert punctuation and revise sentence structure, helping them create clearer connections between ideas. The parent plan also asks students to analyze the structure of a specific paragraph, including the role of particular sentences in developing a key concept.

Students choose a 4–6 sentence paragraph from a news article about girls' education and complete a Paragraph Analysis page identifying each sentence's function and the connections between sentences. The suggested analysis prompts include statements such as "States the main point," "Provides transition to (next line/next paragraph)," and other roles that make students attend to how sentences link ideas. The lesson asks students to consider whether attention to paragraph structure and component parts can make writing more persuasive, prompting analysis of cohesion in practice.

Students are prompted to study the parts of a well-written paragraph (topic sentence, transitions, supporting sentences, concluding observation) on the Student Activity Page, and the unit includes a guiding question about how paragraph structure can make writing more persuasive. The unit test includes a Paragraph Analysis section that asks students to identify supporting evidence and how sentences function in a paragraph. Planning and writing the one-person play require students to write short scripts and include at least one direct quotation from a primary source, which asks them to integrate evidence into their narrative.

Students prepare a 30-second Anti-Federalist speech that requires them to state a claim against ratification and include a specific example that functions as supporting evidence. Students analyze Federalist No. 10 and complete a graphic organizer identifying factions, policies (claims), and who would oppose them (counterclaims or harms). Students research Federalists and Anti-Federalists and answer comparison questions that ask them to identify arguments, reasons, and evidence for and against ratification.

Students are asked to read and summarize the text of a bill in their own words and to record the bill number, title, sponsor(s), and committee actions (Activity 2), which requires them to identify claims about the bill's purpose. Students are prompted to name who might benefit from the bill and who might oppose it and to answer whether they think the bill is a good idea, which requires considering opposing viewpoints and stating an opinion. Students are also asked to note what happened to the bill in Congress, providing factual information they can use as evidence to support their judgments.

Students research and summarize party positions on selected issues in the Political Parties activity and are asked to choose which party's views most closely match their own. Students complete the Action Plan pages by summarizing an issue, listing four facts, explaining why it matters, and writing responses such as "If I wrote to the president about this issue, I would tell him..." and summarizing representatives' positions. Students are also asked to propose changes and describe strategies citizens could use to create change, which requires stating reasons and citing facts.

Students answer guided questions that require them to state claims and support them with evidence (for example, identifying the baking soda–vinegar reaction as endothermic "because the temperature decreased"). Students record observations and measurements (room temperature, temperature of mixture, and height where the candle extinguishes) and use those data to explain causal relationships, such as carbon dioxide displacing oxygen and extinguishing the flame. Students complete items on the activity page that ask them to identify endothermic versus exothermic reactions and to match parts of the fire triangle, practicing linking reasons to observed evidence.

Students sort statements into claim, evidence, or justification in Activity 1, encountering sentences such as "Based on this information, I believe...", "The reason that this statement is true is because...", and "Because the only gas that escaped was carbon dioxide, the claim is supported or true." In Activity 2 students write a claim, record observations as evidence, and compose a justification that must link evidence to the claim; parent guidance gives model justifications that use linking phrases (e.g., "First... Second... Based on the fact..."). The lesson also uses the language of refutation and asks students to support or refute claims with evidence.

Students research substances and complete a table identifying category, risks, benefits, and whether each substance is a good or bad value, which requires them to state claims and provide supporting reasons or evidence. Students are asked to "Explain why you have decided each substance is either a good or a bad value" and to use provided links to gather information, so they must connect evidence to their judgments. The lesson asks reviewers to "check your child's rationale" for making rational connections, which implies students will produce written justifications linking reasons to their value judgments.

Students are asked to make an argument for or against marketing a chosen medicine, collect evidence, and present their decision using the steps of scientific argumentation. The project requires students to prepare a presentation with explicit slides labeled Claim, Evidence, and Justification and to use their research to support those parts. The Unit Study Guide and Lesson 8 mention breaking down the steps of scientific argumentation, and the activity prompts students to generate hypothetical claims and evidence in the antacid example.

Students are asked to make and support assertions about characters' leadership strengths and weaknesses in the "Characters as Leaders" activity, including citing specific examples from the novel. In Option 2, students must compare the Seven Commandments and the Bill of Rights and answer questions that require them to state which is more restrictive and to explain their reasoning. The pronouns activity teaches relative pronouns and clauses and asks students to identify and mark relative clauses, which practices clause-level recognition.

The speech option (Option 2) asks students to write a short (2-minute) speech that explains an individual's role in the battle, highlights admirable qualities, explains an award to bestow, and provides a lesson for the audience, which requires making a claim and offering reasons. The skills list also includes writing an opinion/complaint/request, implying practice in expressing viewpoints. Activity 2 has focused exercises on pronoun reference and agreement, which asks students to revise sentences to make antecedents clear and thus practices cohesion at the sentence level.

Students research historical figures and complete worksheets that ask them to state a connection to Animal Farm and provide "specific evidence that leads to that connection," which requires linking a claim to supporting evidence. Students answer reading questions that require them to identify opposing positions (Snowball vs. Napoleon) and explain reasons for the factions and how Napoleon prevailed, which has them analyze claims and reasons. The skills list also asks students to "write a letter that reflects an opinion," which would require stating a claim and giving reasons or evidence in a written response.

Students are asked in Activity 1 to write a persuasive memoir from Napoleon's perspective and to be "forceful and persuasive," using examples and appeals to emotion, logic, or duty to convince readers. Students answer an evaluative reading question (#4) that requires weighing whether Snowball actually betrayed the farm or whether Napoleon exaggerated his treachery, which invites students to consider competing claims and reasons. Students also practice composing purpose-driven writing in Activity 2 (business vs. friendly letters), which reinforces attention to audience, tone, and organization of ideas.

Students are asked to state a theme in 1–2 sentences and to "show and tell" by identifying specific incidents from the novel that support that theme. Students complete activities that require listing at least two incidents as evidence for a stated theme and explaining how each example connects to the theme. Students create an "Analyzing Theme" bubble map linking a central theme (a claim) to multiple pieces of evidence and must explain the relationship between the incidents and the theme.

Students are asked in Activity 2 to write a paragraph explaining how a theme from Animal Farm applies to a historical or modern situation and to include at least two specific incidents from the book as connections. The Parent Plan skills and answer keys require students to cite textual evidence and analyze how events and character actions relate to themes (e.g., documenting changes to the Seven Commandments and noting specific examples like the pigs wearing clothes or executions). These tasks require students to state claims about relevance and support those claims with reasons and textual evidence.

Students are guided to plan and organize claims and supporting points using the multi-level outline instructions (Roman numerals, letters, numbers) and a provided Sample Outline that maps main ideas to supporting details. Students are asked to write letters that present a purpose, use at least three supporting paragraphs, include topic sentences, and provide evidence (Activity 2, Sample Outline, and the rubric's Ideas and Organization criteria). Students are prompted during revision to check that each paragraph has a clear topic sentence, one definable main idea, and sufficient supporting evidence.

Students are asked to identify and record justifications (claims and reasons) for Indian Removal and objections (counterclaims and reasons) on the "Support and Opposition for Indian Removal" activity page (Activities 1 and 2). Students must read primary documents (Jackson's message, Winfield Scott's ultimatum, John Ross's letter, Emerson's letter) and summarize at least four arguments on each side in their own words, which requires citing reasons and evidence from those texts. In Activity 4, students must take a stance for or against removal for several historical perspectives and provide reasons for that stance, and in Day 2 Activity 3 students summarize personal accounts and explain what those accounts helped them understand (brief evidence-based summaries).

Students are asked to take a position and explain it in the discussion question about whether the U.S. behaved like a bully toward Mexico, which requires presenting a claim and reasons. In the Manifest Destiny activity, students must state what they think the artist was saying (a claim) and what a critic might say (a counterclaim), and describe how a critic would portray the idea in a painting. In the Alamo plaque activity, students must include a direct quote (evidence) and write an explanatory sentence that links that quote to an interpretation of Esparza's memories.

Students are asked to make a scientific argument based on a model and to write a justification that repeats their hypothesis and states whether it was correct. The activity directions require students to "justify (explain why it was correct) or refute (explain why it was incorrect) your hypothesis based on the evidence you collected" and to "include the evidence as part of justification or refutation." The lesson provides an example justification that explicitly links evidence to a conclusion using phrasing such as "The evidence shows... Therefore, Bottle 1 had the greatest increase in temperature."

Students make explicit claims and collect supporting evidence when they predict which set-up will heat faster and record times and observation data in the Part I and Part II activity tables. Students answer explanatory questions such as "Which set-up heated faster? Why?" and "What do both Parts I and II of this activity illustrate about conduction?", which require stating reasons tied to observed evidence. The wrapping-up and parent discussion prompts ask students to explain differences between conduction and convection and to justify why metals are better conductors, linking claims to reasons and evidence.

Students are asked to list three advantages and disadvantages of solar power (Part 1) and to collect data (usable sunlight, roof area, kW, costs) as evidence to support a recommendation (Parts 2–4). In Part 5 students must summarize their final recommendations and "explain why or why not" they would recommend solar panels and then share findings with a parent. The pros/cons chart and the recommendation task require students to make claims and cite reasons and data from the websites and calculators.

Students are asked to research wind energy and make a decision whether to use a wind turbine for their home, then present their findings to family (Presentation Guidelines). Students must explain science (how wind energy is transformed), list benefits and advantages/disadvantages for their area, and state a conclusion with how they came to it. The unit also tells students to summarize readings in their own words (Turbines and Electricity) and reminds them that science involves using facts to make arguments based on evidence (Wrapping Up).

Students are directed to "use spatial transition words (like 'beside,' 'under,' 'between,' and 'around') to move the reader around the picture smoothly and logically," which practices using words and phrases for cohesion. The Parent Plan skills list explicitly includes "Use appropriate and varied transitions to create cohesion and clarify the relationships among ideas and concepts." Students complete descriptive paragraphs and phrase exercises that require linking sensory details into coherent descriptions.

The lesson explicitly directs students to use transition words for clarity and includes a "Process Writing Transition" list of sequence/connective words (e.g., first, next, meanwhile, finally). The Parent Plan skills list states students should "Use appropriate and varied transitions to create cohesion and clarify the relationships among ideas and concepts." The activity rubrics and planning organizers prompt students to produce introductions, sequenced steps/events, and conclusions and note that "clear transitions that move the reader smoothly" are required.

The Parent Plan skills list explicitly tells students to "use appropriate and varied transitions to create cohesion and clarify the relationships among ideas and concepts." The lesson provides a "Cause/Effect Writing Transition" chart with specific phrases (because, therefore, if...then, consequently, etc.) and tells students "The writer uses transition words to link one thought to another." Students are instructed to write a thesis that lists the topic and two reasons/effects and to include supporting details or page-numbered evidence for each point.

Students are given explicit instruction to use transition words to link one thought to another and are shown a labeled list of comparison and contrast transition words (e.g., however, similarly, in contrast). Students are prompted to write a clear introduction/thesis, topic sentences for each item, and to provide specific details or examples to support each point through the Planning and Organization pages. The assignment directions and parent notes also tell students to look for and use transition words and to restate points and conclusions in the conclusion.

The lesson explicitly instructs students to "use transition words to link one thought to another" and provides a "Problem/Solution Writing Transition" chart listing cohesive words and phrases (therefore, because, furthermore, as a result, another solution, one solution, etc.). Students are directed to write two solutions with sentences explaining each and sentences describing pros and cons, and to write a concluding evaluation of the chosen solution, which requires connecting claims, counterclaims (alternative solutions), reasons, and evidence. A modeled sample paragraph and mini-paragraph version show transitions and cohesive phrases in use (e.g., "Since waves...", "However...").

Students are asked to identify and circle transition words and phrases in a student-model research paper (Activity 1) and the rubric explicitly requires "Use of transitions for smooth flow." The parent-plan skills list includes "Use appropriate and varied transitions to create cohesion and clarify the relationships among ideas and concepts." Activities and guidance (Activity 7, the Essay Organizer, and Activity 9) require students to write a clear thesis and integrate quotations and paraphrases as evidence.

Students are asked to write a letter that lists at least two positive and two negative aspects of antebellum city life and to decide whether city life was overall good or bad, requiring them to state a position and support it. Students must create an advertisement recruiting workers for the Erie Canal that tells why the canal is important, describes the work, and explains risks and benefits, which asks them to make a persuasive case with reasons and supporting details. In the diary option, students must state whether they would join a strike and explain why or why not, prompting them to give reasons and evidence for their choice.

Students read pro‑slavery arguments (Hammond) and abolitionist accounts (Frederick Douglass), brainstorm and prioritize reasons opposing slavery, and are asked to choose two of Hammond's points to refute. They create notecards highlighting main points and reasons and prepare a 2–3 minute abolitionist speech responding to counterclaims and presenting at least three reasons. Activities (e.g., the speech task and the brainstorming/numbering of reasons) require students to articulate claims, counterclaims, reasons, and supporting evidence aloud or in writing.

Students are asked to summarize arguments for and against the expansion of slavery on the two-column "Should Slavery Expand?" activity page, with space to write main arguments and to identify who might have held each position. Students also must create a sign or flyer that "summarizes at least one main argument" and urges people to take action, which requires condensing a claim and supporting reason into a succinct slogan. The reading questions and prompts require students to explain party positions, popular sovereignty, and the effects of court decisions, which engages them in identifying claims, reasons, and evidence.

Students are asked to investigate the "Mystery Ailment," analyze interview data (marking Y/N for exposures), and write a report identifying the cause of the illness, which requires making a claim and supporting it with evidence. Students are prompted to summarize the immune response (list or flow chart) and to use information from videos and vocabulary to answer questions, which asks them to organize reasons and evidence. The activity pages require students to rewrite false statements as true, which has students practice rephrasing claims or statements.

Students are asked to analyze their food journal, draw conclusions about their intake, and create a presentation that compares their diet to a healthy diet and makes recommendations. The project requires students to collect and use data (color-coding foods, totaling calories per biomolecule, creating graphs) and to research lipids' importance, acceptable consumption, and impacts, with a rubric category for "Use of Data and Research." Students must produce a written report/summary and a recommendation sheet that use their findings as support for conclusions.

Students identify and compose thesis statements that include reasons (e.g., adding three reasons to a thesis about foreign language study) and plan body paragraphs that each focus on one reason supported by evidence. Students read and analyze a model persuasive essay and answer questions about how the writer begins, what the thesis is, whether reasons are included with the thesis, and what evidence types support each reason. Students practice writing sentences that provide reasoning, emotional appeals, explanations, problem/solution statements, short stories, and similes—activities that connect claims to supporting details.

Students are asked to read a debate article and decide a position, then write a one-paragraph persuasive piece that includes a thesis statement with two reasons and evidence to back each reason. The activity directs students to use a Persuasion Map to plan their thesis, reasons, and the facts or examples that will support them. The lesson also prompts students to consider and analyze the "other side" (counterarguments) as a way to strengthen their paper.

Students are asked to compare and contrast the novel and film and to decide whether directors and actors made good choices, which requires making claims and giving reasons. The activity directs students to take notes observing changes in character, plot, language, setting, or dialect and to explain why they think those changes were made, which requires citing evidence. The Wrapping Up and Parent Plan discussion prompts ask students to explain how changes impacted the movie positively or negatively, encouraging use of reasons tied to observations.

Students are asked in Option 1 to write a short letter that includes an introduction, 2–3 sentences summarizing the chosen politician's position, 2–3 sentences stating whether they agree or disagree and explaining why, and a concluding sentence—requiring them to state a claim and provide reasons. Activity 4 asks students to read Lincoln and Douglas excerpts and fill a chart comparing their answers to three questions, prompting students to articulate contrasting claims and rationales. Option 2 (Stakeholders) requires students to match stakeholders to politicians, asking them to justify which groups would support each position.

Students are asked in Activity 4 (Secession) to list reasons for both the "Slavery" and "States' Rights" positions and then evaluate which cause is more convincing, which requires identifying claims, reasons, and supporting facts. The Parent Plan for that activity instructs that whatever side students choose to defend their argument should be logical and supported with facts and reasonable assertions, prompting use of evidence. In Activity 1 (Webster vs. Calhoun) students summarize each statesman's claim about federal vs. state power and answer questions that require comparing and criticizing those claims, which engages students with claim/counterclaim relationships.

Students read Jefferson Davis's and Abraham Lincoln's inaugural addresses and complete a "Comparing Two Presidents" page that asks them to choose which man various historical personas would support and to "write a brief explanation" for each choice, requiring students to state claims and give reasons. The note-taking activity directs students to summarize each paragraph in their own words, which has students identify main ideas and supporting details from primary-source text. The Fort Sumter timeline and other short-response tasks require students to write one-sentence summaries that link events and evidence in sequence.

Students are asked in Option 1 (Dramatization) to deliver a short verbal argument for or against a young person joining the Union Army and to mention at least two positive and two negative points, which requires stating claims and counterclaims and giving reasons. Students must justify the numeric ratings (-2 to +2) they assign to each side on the Civil War battle cards and are prompted to explain those numerical answers to a parent, which requires linking judgments to supporting evidence. Students respond to reading questions that ask them to explain outcomes and significance of battles, which asks them to connect reasons and evidence to conclusions.

Students are asked to write a short letter from the point of view of a new recruit in the 54th Massachusetts explaining his reasons for enlistment and to include his concerns, fears, hopes, and reasons. Students must draw on readings and online resources ("Based on the readings from today and the online resources, consider why young men might have wanted to join the 54th Massachusetts") which requires using reasons and supporting details. Other prompts (e.g., "Why was this battle important?") ask students to explain outcomes and significance, prompting use of reasons and evidence.

Students must state positions and reasons in the Reconstruction activity where they identify whether a given person would favor a punitive or lenient approach and write 1-2 sentences explaining why. Students answer guided questions such as "Why was this battle important?" on the Civil War battle cards, which requires them to make a claim about significance and provide supporting reasons. Students also answer reading comprehension questions (e.g., Sherman's estimated damages, the role of the Freedmen's Bureau) that ask for factual claims tied to evidence from the text.

Students complete Activity 2 (Cellular vs. Non-cellular) by marking each object as cellular (C) or non-cellular (N) and writing an explanation in the "Supporting Evidence" column, which requires them to state a claim and provide reasons/evidence (e.g., "Meat in refrigerator: C — comes from once-living organisms"). The answer key models linking a claim to supporting reasons for many items (e.g., wooden chair: C — produced from once-living organisms). The reading questions ask students to answer factual prompts (e.g., where new cells come from) that require concise statements supported by the text.

Students are asked in Activity 2 to research and decide whether viruses are "living" or "nonliving" and to "give the reasoning behind your choice," which requires stating a claim and supporting it with reasons and evidence. The Student Activity Page prompts students to circle a conclusion (living/nonliving) and list "Here are my reasons," encouraging students to articulate reasons tied to evidence. The parent and wrapping-up sections emphasize forming and defending a scientific opinion and using research to support a conclusion, which draws on claim-evidence reasoning.

Students complete a Hypothesis section and predict which substances will hinder, not influence, or increase bacterial growth and are later asked to draw conclusions and cite evidence for those conclusions. Students analyze a patient case, make a diagnostic claim (e.g., cold), recommend treatment, identify the likely carrier, and answer which evidence ruled out flu or allergies. The Patient Diagnosis and Antimicrobial Properties activities require students to connect claims (hypotheses or diagnoses) with supporting reasons and observational evidence.

Students are asked to complete the Conclusion section of the "Antimicrobial Properties" activity and to "give a rationale for your answer using the evidence you have collected," which requires them to connect claims about substance effects to observed data. The Student Activity Page asks students to record observations for each substance in labeled petri-dish diagrams, prompting use of those observations as evidence. The timeline/card activity asks students to recall facts and order discoveries, which practices organizing historical claims and reasons.

Students are asked to research and identify a likely cause of an illness using symptoms and comparative data (Activity 1 and Activity 2), which requires forming a claim and supporting it with reasons and evidence. Students are prompted to "explain, using evidence, why a virus is or is not considered a living thing" and to justify a diagnosis based on microscope images, which requires linking claims to supporting evidence. Activity 5 asks students to research how SARS spreads and to explain measures to limit spread, asking for explanations that connect reasons and evidence to recommended actions.

Students are prompted in Activity 4 to write a 6-8 sentence persuasive speech encouraging a newly freed slave to reside in Buxton, which requires stating a claim and giving supporting reasons. The Parent Plan section supplies sample reasons (land to farm/own, houses and gardens, an excellent school, a stable community) that students can use as supporting evidence. Students must record the speech in writing and read it aloud, providing practice organizing reasons into a short written and oral argument.

Students read explicit explanations and lists of transition words and phrases and complete exercises that require identifying, circling, and inserting transitions categorized by function (time/sequence, contrast, emphasis, clarification). Students correct sentences and practice rewriting sentences to add appropriate transitions to connect ideas and improve flow. Students complete a compare-and-contrast graphic organizer that asks them to record similarities and differences between characters, which requires linking ideas across sentences and sections.

Students research a state leader and complete activity pages that ask for the leader's background, notable achievements, impact on the state, and sources, which requires gathering reasons and supporting information. Students write a 6–10 sentence dedication speech that explains why a public space should be named for the leader and highlights qualities relevant to that space, asking them to present claims and supporting reasons. Students generate questions and predict answers based on research, practicing how evidence might support interpretations of the leader's actions.

Students are asked to produce a persuasive bi-fold or tri-fold brochure that explains what the company does, appeals to customers' emotions, and briefly explains how the cloning process works (Activity 2), which requires stating claims and reasons. Students are asked to make a list of pros and cons and discuss whether animal (and possibly human) cloning should be legal, then come to a conclusion and explain why (Activity 3). The reading and questions prompt students to form opinions about cloning and consider benefits and drawbacks, providing content they can use as evidence in arguments.

The Skills section explicitly states that students will "Use words, phrases, and clauses to create cohesion and clarify the relationships among claim(s), counterclaims, reasons, and evidence." The Persuasive Essay Rubric requires that "Transition words help the reader understand the connection between sections of the essay." Activity 3 asks students to identify persuasive strategies in paragraphs (including labeling transitions, counterarguments, and rebuttals), and Activities 5–6 require students to plan and write essays that include a thesis, counterargument, rebuttal, and supporting reasons and evidence.

The lesson asks students to revise and edit a persuasive essay, directing them to check essay structure, topic sentences, and clear supporting details. The Skills list explicitly names using words, phrases, and clauses to create cohesion and clarify relationships among claims, counterclaims, reasons, and evidence. Parent guidance prompts students to explain revisions and to look for topic sentences and supporting sentences when reviewing their essays.

The Parent Plan skills list explicitly states that students should "Use words, phrases, and clauses to create cohesion and clarify the relationships among claim(s), counterclaims, reasons, and evidence." The plan also asks students to introduce claims, acknowledge opposing claims, organize reasons and evidence logically, and to produce a final persuasive essay and deliver persuasive presentations that anticipate and answer counterarguments. Activity 2 requires students to create a final draft of their persuasive essay, implying they will work with claims, reasons, evidence, and counterclaims as part of that product.

Students are asked to describe the structure of a five-paragraph persuasive essay, including an arguable thesis and three supporting paragraphs with facts and details, which requires organizing claims and reasons. Students are prompted to define a counterargument and explain how it can be effectively used and refuted (Question E and Parent Plan guidance). Students write a persuasive essay about cloning and complete reflection pages that ask them to evaluate their use of rhetorical techniques and logical fallacies, which engages them in relating claims, counterclaims, reasons, and evidence.

Students are asked in Activity 2 to brainstorm at least three positive and three negative impacts of Andrew Carnegie and then decide which view (captain of industry or robber baron) is the stronger position, which requires identifying claims, counterclaims, and reasons. In Activity 3 students must imagine and explain the benefits and drawbacks of a sweatshop job to advise a friend, which asks them to present reasons and supporting details. The reading questions require students to cite specific examples (pay practices, beatings, sabotage) that function as evidence for judgments about working conditions.

Students read immigrant letters and record specific push and pull factors on an activity page, naming letter writers and citing evidence. Students read primary-source material about nativism and complete a "Reasons for Joining the Ku Klux Klan" activity that asks them to cite motivations and supporting details. Students watch a video about Ellis Island and take notes of 8–10 facts and statistics, documenting evidence about immigration patterns.

Students are asked to write one- or two-paragraph responses that take a position (e.g., a letter deciding whether to join a union, a speech persuading workers, or a business-owner explanation), which requires stating claims and reasons. The poster activity asks students to explain why an issue is a problem, what a reformer proposes, and what voters should do, which asks students to marshal evidence and reasons to support a claim. The Day 2 prompt explicitly asks students to consider pros and cons and to understand multiple perspectives, prompting consideration of counterclaims and reasons.

Students are asked to write extended responses on the unit test, including Question V: "Choose one of the rabbit leaders from the book. Describe his leadership style. Give two examples of how he exercised leadership and how others responded to him," which requires a claim and supporting examples. The Study Guide and test prompts ask students to explain how story elements relate to each other and to analyze leadership development, tasks that ask for reasons and evidence. The rubric asks students to attend to Organization and Word Choice, calling for a clear beginning, conflict/resolution sequence, and use of strong, specific words that support mood and readability.

Students fill out an activity chart titled "The Atomic Bomb" that asks them to list issues, the facts and advice/estimates available, whether those facts support dropping the bomb, and why or why not, forcing them to connect evidence to a claim. Students are prompted to consider both sides of the question and to justify a decision between a prolonged invasion and use of nuclear weapons, requiring them to state claims, counterclaims, reasons, and supporting facts. Students also have space to write a written response that asks them to weigh facts and consequences and reach a conclusion, which encourages linking reasons and evidence to a claim.

Students are asked to research convergent evolution examples and complete a Convergent Evolution Research page that requires naming species, describing habitats or challenges, and explaining how adaptations are similar and different. In Option 1 students must write a paragraph describing the environmental challenge that led to adaptations and the similarities and differences among species, which requires presenting reasons and supporting details. Option 2 asks students to create a poster with brief descriptions and anatomical details, encouraging students to link evidence (anatomy, habitat) to claims about convergence.

Students choose a religion to study and document issues, religious evidence, and scientific evidence side-by-side on the "Evolution and Religion" pages. Students prepare a talk and slideshow, write text to accompany their presentation, and are asked to state the viewpoint clearly and explain alignment or conflict with evolution per the rubric. Students use the Interview Questions worksheet to frame claims, counterclaims, and responses and are required to draw conclusions that follow from their research.

Students identify claims and supporting statements when they analyze quoted passages from The German National Catechism and other propaganda, noting emotions appealed to and logical fallacies (e.g., labeling a claim as a Hasty Generalization or Post Hoc). Students write explanatory responses about why arguments may have been effective, and they identify which statements serve as evidence or assertions in the propaganda excerpts. In Activity 1 and Part II students produce written lines for political ads and label the fallacy used, which requires them to formulate claims and reasons in writing.

Students are asked in the bottom-middle mini-project to take a side on censorship in wartime, write reasons supporting their opinion, provide examples or specifics to back up two reasons, and identify an opponent's argument and how they'd refute it. The plan also suggests engaging in an informal mock debate to test out reasons and asks students to analyze propaganda posters for logical fallacies and persuasive features. The parent/skills sections list exploring and evaluating argumentative works and comparing arguments and counter-arguments.

Students read primary-source summaries and excerpts (the Truman Doctrine speech and Henry Wallace's letter) and answer directed summary questions that require identifying claims about U.S. foreign policy. Students view and analyze political cartoons and are asked to decide whether the U.S. should aid threatened countries, weighing pro- and anti-positions. Students create a political cartoon or a poster expressing a chosen position, which requires them to represent a claim and supporting reasons visually and sometimes verbally.

Students are asked to evaluate options in the "Decision Making in the Cuban Missile Crisis" activity by listing advantages and disadvantages, identifying the key questions, and explaining their chosen option and rationale. In the speech analysis activity, students list facts JFK provided, explain how he used past events to justify decisions, and evaluate which steps seem effective or controversial, which requires linking evidence to judgments. In the Red Scare activity, students write journal entries both in support of and in opposition to investigations, prompting them to state claims and consider counterclaims.

Students are asked to analyze and explain why community organizers rallied around Rosa Parks instead of Claudette Colvin in Activity 1, using a graphic organizer and full-sentence responses that require them to state reasons and possible explanations. The reading questions and Activity 2 (Option 2) ask students to write a two-paragraph newspaper lead that explains how a person died and describes his life and activism, which requires students to present information, reasons, and supporting evidence in a clear sequence. Several comprehension questions (e.g., Q1 and Q2) ask students to explain reactions and roles, prompting students to connect events with causes and consequences.

Students are asked to list 3–4 reasons for joining the movement and to use a two-column chart to brainstorm objections and counter-arguments in Activity 2. Students must present a brief statement of why they want to participate and role-play a conversation in which they listen to a parent's concerns and address them. Reading questions ask students to identify tactics used to block voting and what the Voting Rights Act did, providing factual evidence students can cite in arguments.

Students are asked to write a 2–3 minute persuasive speech in Option 2 that must include at least one quotation (evidence), information about worker treatment (evidence), and at least two reasons supporting the boycott (reasons supporting a claim). In Activity 1 students complete a Venn diagram comparing the SCLC and the Black Panthers, which requires them to state claims about each group's goals and list similarities and differences (clarifying relationships between claims and evidence). Reading comprehension questions ask students to identify causes of tensions and describe roles of figures like Stokely Carmichael and Cesar Chavez, which requires citing reasons and factual support from the texts.

Students are asked to write a proposal to remember the Korean War using the "A Proposal to Remember" activity page, which prompts them to state "a central message" and provide specific details about goals and what Americans should remember. The proposal prompt requires students to explain why the U.S. was involved and to brainstorm ways to encourage remembrance, which asks them to make claims and support them with reasons and details. The letter option asks students to explain what they have learned and to offer thanks, which requires organizing explanations and supporting points with examples.

Students are asked to write a one-page letter to John Tinker in which they share their opinion of his protest and explain whether they would have protested the war and why, which requires presenting a claim and supporting reasons. Students read primary-source web pages about the Gulf of Tonkin, the Tet Offensive, and ending the war and answer specific comprehension questions, requiring them to refer to historical evidence. Students review veteran interviews and are asked guided questions that prompt them to describe experiences and cite examples from those accounts.

Students are asked to create a persuasive flier in Activity 1 Option 2 that includes a catchy slogan and a 3–5 sentence discussion of the issue to raise awareness, which requires stating a claim and giving supporting points. In Activity 2 Option 2 (Music), students must identify each song's message, note powerful lyrics, describe the music, compare two songs, and answer "Which one was most effective? Why?", which asks for a judgment supported by reasons and evidence. The Television activity asks students to write a short review with prompts (e.g., "What is this show about?", "Your review…", "What can you learn…?") that require organizing ideas and relating observations to historical significance.

Students are asked to produce written projects that include a fake letter from a soldier, a speech for an anti-war rally, or a written list of goals for an activist movement, which require presenting claims and supporting reasons. Students must complete artifact description slips that ask "What is this artifact/document?" and "What will it help future archaeologists understand about this time period?" and prepare brief remarks for a dedication ceremony explaining the importance of the period and each object. The unit test and short-answer prompts require students to explain causes, outcomes, and reasons (for example, why leaders rallied behind Rosa Parks and how activists were treated).

The Parent Plan Skills list explicitly asks students to "Use argument supported by evidence for how the body is a system of interacting subsystems composed of groups of cells," which requires constructing claims and supporting them with evidence. Several formative tasks ask students to explain differences (e.g., Q2 asks students to explain speed and duration differences between nervous and endocrine systems) and to discuss causes/effects (discussion prompts about hypothyroidism/hyperthyroidism), which require giving reasons and supporting statements. The Activities ask students to gather and synthesize information from the book and an external chart when matching hormones to functions, implying use of evidence to support answers.

Students read chapters 5–7 and complete a Student Activity Page that directs them to list five things based on hearsay and five things based on personal experience or reliable sources, then compare and contrast the two columns. Students are asked to develop and write a hypothesis about who Boo Radley really is, which requires them to use textual details as support. The lesson includes a question asking students to explain occurrences (e.g., who folded Jem's pants) that prompts students to support an inference with evidence.

Students identify and diagram compound and complex sentences, labeling independent and dependent clauses and marking coordinating conjunctions (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so). Students practice joining clauses with dotted lines and box or underline subordinate conjunctions, and they diagram example sentences that show how clauses relate (e.g., "Atticus was reading the newspaper when we stumbled in"). The directions ask students to use specific words, phrases, and clause-identification strategies (red/blue underlines, boxes around dependent words) to show relationships between clauses.

Students are asked to keep a running list of similarities and differences between the novel and the film, which requires them to state claims and support them with examples. Students answer directed questions such as "Why do you think those changes were made? Do you agree with the director's decisions?" and "Which did you enjoy more, the book or the movie? Why?," prompting them to give reasons and evidence. Students produce written products (a poster summary sentence or a short script) and compare/contrast responses that require organizing ideas about the text and film.

Students are asked to "Present claims and findings, emphasizing salient points in a focused, coherent manner with relevant evidence, sound valid reasoning, and well-chosen details," and to "support judgments through references to the text" as they plan and give an oral presentation. The unit includes grammar instruction that has students identify phrases and clauses, distinguish independent and dependent clauses, correct run-on sentences, and diagram compound and complex sentences. Students must plan and revise their presentations to "smooth out any sections where your ideas are unclear or too wordy," and record key points and quotations to use as cohesive anchors during the oral delivery.

Students read a balanced background article (Activity 4) and take notes by dividing a page to record arguments for and against immigration policies, identifying claims and supporting reasons. Students then write a short letter to the editor (3–5 sentences) taking a side and expressing reasons for their point of view. In Activity 3 students reflect in a sentence or two from the perspectives of different stakeholders, practicing stating differing claims or reactions.

Students are asked to compare and analyze two presidential speeches and to "Explain your answer," which requires them to state a position and give reasons (Activity 1). In Activity 4 students research an environmental issue, familiarize themselves with different positions, pick a side, and create a persuasive design with a slogan, requiring them to articulate a claim and supporting reasons. In the Landmark Court Cases and Leadership in Crisis activities students summarize cases or accusations, describe decisions or responses, and explain who might support or oppose rulings, which asks them to link claims with reasons and evidence.

Students are asked to rank technologies and "write why your top-rated technology is most critical, including real-life examples of its impact" (Activity 1), which requires stating a claim and supporting it with reasons and evidence. For the final project (Activity 4, Illustrated Essay) students must draft a paragraph that gives an overview, explains how a technology improved on earlier options, and describes how it changed America and why it was important, which asks for claims supported by reasons and examples. In Option 2 (Reacting to the Moon Landing) students must write a 2-3 paragraph diary entry or letter that explains their reaction and considers the importance of the space race, prompting argumentative explanation and supporting details.

Students are asked to write an introductory paragraph that explains which three technologies they will discuss and why they are important, which requires stating claims about significance and giving reasons. Students must include appropriate citations for each paragraph, which connects their claims to supporting evidence. The unit test and short-answer prompts also ask students to identify an important technology and explain its impact, prompting students to state a position and support it with reasons.

Students are asked to gather information and evidence from readings and videos (Activity 1 and Activity 2) and record effects and facts about different drugs on the Student Activity Page. Students are asked to write persuasive products that state reasons and evidence, including a one-minute Public Service Announcement (Activity 2, Option 2), an imaginary persuasive email to a cousin (Activity 3, Option 1), and a list of five reasons teens should avoid alcohol (Activity 4). These tasks require students to make claims and supply supporting reasons or facts drawn from the provided resources.