Students are prompted to compare two places and then "explain, in a lined space, which of the two places they would prefer to live in and why," with encouragement to "use information from 'Prisoners of Geography' to support their argument." The Comparing Two Environments activity asks students to list pros and cons for Place 1 and Place 2, which requires organizing reasons and supporting details. Multiple activities require students to write responses (dot map labels, benefits/challenges, ways people alter environments) that contribute evidence for a written argument.

Students are explicitly told to "write in complete sentences, using rich descriptions" and to "check for proper grammar, punctuation, and spelling to ensure your writing is clear and polished." The parent notes and rubric emphasize "Written descriptions are rich and interesting" and encourage polished writing mechanics. The project requires students to produce a formal book cover listing the author and to share polished written pages (Written Descriptions, Human Activities) as part of the final product.

Students are asked to write discipline-based products that typically require formal tone: a research-based project with a newspaper report announcing the end of a war or plague, and a three-paragraph explanatory essay about a new environment. Multiple rubrics (Wars and Plagues Rubric; New Environment Rubric) evaluate writing quality, sentence length/flow/clarity, and require revision with minimal spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors. The lesson requires students to edit, revise, and produce a final copy after conferencing, which gives students practice refining their writing.

Students are asked to write short explanatory sentences about the significance of battles on the Civil War Map and to add events and notes to a Civil War timeline. Students must complete a Civil War Monument worksheet that requires a written description of the monument, statements of the main ideas it should convey, notes on why the battle was a turning point, and spaces for dates/locations/important details. Students also answer reading comprehension questions in writing about specific battles (e.g., what went wrong with McClellan, why Antietam was important).

Students plan and write exhibit cards that require 2–3 sentence explanations summarizing the significance of Civil War topics. Students write a short (30 seconds–1 minute) first-person speech for a living wax museum and/or write scripts and voice-over narration for a documentary film. Students complete open-ended test questions that require written explanations and may produce extended responses assessed by rubrics that require clear, engaging, well-researched, and convincing explanations.

Day 2 explicitly tells students: "This is a formal writing assignment, so your writing should have a professional, not conversational tone," and gives concrete rules: avoid using "I," avoid contractions, and avoid slang, with a model sentence rewriting. The revision and final-copy steps require students to edit and revise for clarity, organization, grammar, and to produce a polished typed final draft, which directs students to maintain formality through editing. The rubric and parent guidance emphasize understanding elements of an argumentative essay and professional presentation, which reinforce expectations for formal style.

Students are asked to write a brief letter to President Roosevelt using a provided letter template labeled "Dear Mr. President" with a closing of "Sincerely," which models a formal letter format. The prompt requires students to state a position on whether the U.S. should enter World War II and to provide at least two reasons or specific examples to support their argument. The student activity pages for leaders also prompt organized, factual entries (country, form of government, important actions, goals) that encourage structured, discipline-specific writing.

The Skills list instructs students to "Revise drafts to clarify meaning and enhance style" and to "Use elements of the writing process to compose text," which indicates students will engage in revising for style. Students practice editing with specific proofreading symbols and copy/edit paragraphs, which gives them opportunities to alter wording and mechanics. The Propaganda Posters activity requires students to decide on a persuasive message and choose images and text to influence an audience, involving deliberate language and stylistic choices.

Students are asked to "paraphrase major ideas and supporting evidence in formal and informal presentations," indicating practice with formal presentation contexts. Students learn and practice proofreading and editing (sp, -s, s/v, T) by rewriting and marking paragraphs, which targets grammatical correctness that supports a formal register. Students retell Barbara Rodbell's story and answer a reflective journal question, which requires composing written responses.

Students learn and practice editing abbreviations that affect tone and clarity (Wdy for wordy, Ww for wrong word, Pron for pronoun) and are asked to rewrite a paragraph in their journal correcting these issues. The Skills list includes editing final products for grammar, language conventions, and format, and students review and apply proofreading symbols across activities. Students complete a proofreading exercise and check answers against an answer key that marks wordiness, word choice, and pronoun problems.

Students are explicitly instructed to write in a formal magazine style and to avoid using "I," contractions, and slang when drafting their article. Students practice using transition words and paying attention to word choice through a provided "Transition Examples" sheet and an "Interesting Words" rubric category. Students revise and edit their drafts using proofreading symbols and a rubric that specifically evaluates organization, word choice, and mechanics, which guides them to correct informal language and maintain formality.

The lesson's Skills section explicitly lists paraphrasing major ideas and supporting evidence in formal and informal presentations, indicating attention to formal presentation. Several student tasks require formal writing or presentation formats—researching and writing an essay about Alexander Hamilton, writing a newspaper-style article, and composing the back-cover summary for a book jacket—providing opportunities to use formal style. The Number the Stars test and answer key include editing symbols and capitalization questions that relate to conventional writing mechanics.

Students are given a explicit "Rules of Debate" sheet that instructs them to avoid words like "never" and "always," to not present opinions as facts, to refrain from saying "you are wrong" and instead say "your idea is mistaken," and to "attack the idea, not the person," which guide formal tone and word choice. The Skills section requires students to "give an organized presentation" using conventions of language and to "construct engaging, well-argued" responses, and the opening/closing argument tasks require students to prepare a concise, valid two-minute opening and a brief closing statement, promoting controlled, formal presentation of ideas.

Students are asked to write multiple formal-facing products: a one-paragraph explanatory card for a listening or learning station, a script for a mock interview, and a book review that must list author, title, publisher, and publication date and include structured paragraphs. The project rubric evaluates "Text or spoken/recorded script is clear and well-written," and the book review instructions direct students to examine published reviews for ideas about structure and content.

The lesson repeatedly directs students to write a formal letter: Things to Know lists the format of a formal letter, Activity 2 asks students to write a 6–10 sentence letter to the head of the school board, and a formal letter template (address, date, salutation, body, closing, signature) is provided. The Parent Plan explicitly lists conventions (date, salutation, closing) and gives examples of formal salutations and closings (e.g., "To whom it may concern," "Sincerely"). The Wrapping Up section tells students to review the format for a formal letter.

Students practice combining short, choppy sentences into longer ones in the "Combining Sentences, Part I" activity, with explicit instruction to vary how sentences start and their lengths. Example transformations show students rewriting independent + dependent clauses and joining independent clauses with conjunctions. The Parent Plan reiterates that students should try different ways to combine sentences (e.g., dependent clause + independent clause) to avoid repetitive sentence patterns.

The Parent Plan skills list includes "Revise drafts to clarify meaning and enhance style" and "Edit drafts for grammar, mechanics, and spelling." The Editing and Revising Sentences activities ask students to combine short sentences, correct sentence fragments and run-ons, add details, and use descriptive verbs. Student activity pages require students to revise sample paragraphs and incorporate information from their reading while fixing grammar and punctuation errors.

Students plan and deliver a persuasive presentation directed to a formal audience (the mayor) and create organized slides/posters that state problems, examples, solutions, and outcomes. The presentation rubric evaluates tone and the maintenance of a clear, coherent message, and parent guidance asks students to practice effective pitch, tone, focus, and articulation of important ideas. The parent/skills section instructs students to use preliminary strategies to plan and organize the writing and speaking task with attention to purpose and audience.

The lesson asks students to "Write persuasive letters" and offers Option 1 where students write a short letter to Jonas' community explaining freedom, including a sample opening salutation "Dear Members of the Community." Students are prompted to use symbolism and ideas the community can relate to and to explain benefits and costs of freedom, which requires constructing a reasoned argument for an audience. The wrapping up directs students to share their letter with family, reinforcing an intended audience and communicative purpose.

Students are taught the difference between active and passive voice in the "Things to Know" and Activity 1 sections, including explicit advice to use specific, descriptive verbs and to avoid passive voice. Students practice identifying and labeling sentences as active (AV) or passive (PV) on the Student Activity Page and are instructed to answer reading questions in complete sentences. The parent notes also direct students to circle subjects, underline verbs, and label voice, reinforcing recognition and correction of voice.

Students are explicitly instructed to use active voice rather than passive voice in both the storyboard instructions and the final-chapter directions. The Final Chapter Rubric includes a criterion that asks whether the student "wrote in active voice?" which will be assessed. The Parent Plan skills list asks students to "determine the impact of word choice on written and spoken language," which invites attention to tone and diction.

Students are directed to use a variety of sentence structures and transitions to link paragraphs (Skills section) and told that transitions are important when writing informative or research papers. Activity 2 has students rewrite topic sentences to include transitional elements and gives an example showing how to vary wording so writing does not sound mechanical. The materials list common paragraph transitions and an answer key with possible transition words/phrases for practice.

Students are asked to write two paragraphs summarizing the falls of the Aztec and Incan empires with a topic sentence, supporting details, and a concluding sentence (Activity 3). The lesson instructs students to review their writing for proper capitalization and punctuation and to take notes from videos to use in their summaries. Additional activities require students to compose original quotes (Option 1) or write labels and glue quotes onto ships (Option 2), and to answer guided questions about an Incan artifact, which involve composing descriptive responses.

Students are asked to write explanations and reasoned answers throughout the lesson (e.g., Part B: "Explain your reasoning," Part C: "Thinking Like a Scientist," the "Make a Prediction" and "Measuring Mass Question" prompts, and the "Things to Ponder" questions). The Skills list explicitly states students will "Use oral and written language to communicate findings," and students record data, calculate density, and draw conclusions in written tables and conclusion sections. Multiple activities require students to use evidence from measurements to explain patterns (e.g., "Use evidence from your measurements to explain your answer").

Students answer written questions requiring explanations of erosion, weathering, and deposition and are prompted to "explain your answer using evidence." Students construct explanations based on evidence, create diagrams, and use scientific vocabulary on worksheets (e.g., labeling erosion vs. deposition, using at least two vocabulary words). Students are asked to use oral and written language to communicate findings and to analyze evidence in written responses about how rivers shape the land.

The Skills list repeatedly asks students to "Construct an argument supported by evidence" and to "Use oral and written language to communicate findings," which requires written argumentation about water systems. Multiple activities require students to answer written questions, analyze graphs, write explanations of observations from the runoff experiment, and complete a Mini-Design Challenge that asks them to draw, label, and explain their solution in writing.

Students correct and edit sentences for grammar, spelling, and punctuation in Activity 1, with provided corrected versions that show attention to formal sentence conventions. Students add sentences and phrases to a stylistic device log and are asked to consider how each one affects the reader, which prompts attention to word choice and tone. The Parent Plan asks students to share stylistic devices they recorded, indicating practice in identifying stylistic choices.

Students write a persuasive speech defending or prosecuting Kino and are instructed to use persuasive techniques and evidence from the story. Students prepare for and conduct a mock trial for Kino, assigning roles and using evidence to argue the case. Students create brief scripts and short-answer responses that require organizing ideas and citing evidence from the novella.

Students are prompted to write explanations using evidence from Chapter 2 when they "choose three of your placements and explain your reasoning using evidence" in the Layer Sorting Challenge. Activity pages ask students to write responses for Part 4 (How does temperature change...), Part 5 (Explaining the Layers), and Part 6 (System Thinking), requiring written explanations and use of facts. The Answer Key models formal-sounding explanatory responses (e.g., "The troposphere...because nearly all weather occurs there"), which students are expected to emulate in their answers.

Students are asked to write an argumentative letter to the editor about Uluru (Choice 1) using a provided template that begins "To the Editor: I think that climbing Uluru should be...". Students complete a Current Events Report that asks for a brief summary (2–3 sentences), significant people, regions, and personal reactions. The lesson also asks students to share and explain opinions about public policy (climbing Uluru) and to produce written artifacts (letter, bumper sticker text, current events summary) that relate to discipline-specific social studies content.

Students are asked to write a short paper (Option 3) and to "organize the information... into paragraphs and write a brief report," which gives them practice with formal written composition. An example report about Mount St. Helens is provided that models a factual, objective style and includes organized paragraphs and specific details (dates, effects, causes). Students are also asked to present findings in slideshow or poster formats, which may require selecting and summarizing information in a more formal register for an audience.

Students are asked in "Activity 1: Editing Sentences" to copy and correct sentences for grammar, spelling, and punctuation, and the Parent Plan provides corrected versions that model standard grammar and punctuation. Students are instructed to answer reading questions in complete sentences, practicing more formal sentence-level conventions. In Option 1 students must write five interview questions and explain the reasoning for each, which requires them to formulate purposeful questions and provide rationale in writing.

Students are asked to answer reading questions in complete sentences and to summarize chapters and record examples of literary devices in their journal, which requires composed written responses. The lesson includes an "Editing Sentences" activity in which students correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors, and provides corrected versions for comparison. The Parent Plan lists a skill to "identify, analyze, and critique persuasive techniques," and the activities ask students to collect examples of consumerist advertising and record two- or three-sentence descriptions, requiring them to produce written analyses.

Students practice joining independent clauses with semicolons and with semicolons plus transitional expressions (e.g., moreover, in fact, however) in both Part II and Option 2 tasks. Students select appropriate transitional expressions to show relationships between ideas and rewrite sentences using a semicolon and a transitional expression. The activity asks students to form complex sentences and to revise run-ons using a variety of methods, including formal transitions shown in the provided chart.

Students are told to "Use present tense when talking about the book" and to "Try not to use many 'I' statement[s]," which directly instructs voice and tense choices. The Literary Response Outline and rubric include a "Writing Style: Clarity, organization, and sophistication" criterion, and students produce a rough draft, edit and revise using an editing-symbols chart, then type a final copy. These elements require students to plan, draft, and revise writing with attention to style.

Students are instructed to write a script for either a puppet show or a multimedia slide presentation, with directions to ‘‘write up your own retelling'' and to ‘‘finalize your script'' that will be used during the presentation. The multimedia option requires a written script that elaborates slide points and reminds students to include image citation information (title, creator, source). The project rubrics explicitly evaluate that ‘‘the script of the show is clear and well-written'' and that ‘‘the script of the presentation is informative and well-written.''

Students are asked to write a paragraph explaining how a new volcanic island might be repopulated and to add that paragraph (with a title) to a Weebly site or portfolio, which requires producing a written scientific explanation. The Parent Plan and Skills list say students will "use oral and written language to communicate findings and defend conclusions," indicating students will produce and present written work about scientific processes. The activity also asks students to add captions and descriptions to images, requiring organized explanatory writing tied to disciplinary content.

Students are asked to use oral and written language to communicate findings and defend conclusions (Skills section) and to write a paragraph describing how the extinction could have been prevented, including recommendations where human activity was involved. Students must produce a presentation (Weebly page or portfolio) with captions and a coherent message that explains causes and preventions, and they collect evidence and images to support their conclusions.

Students practice pronoun agreement through a dedicated activity where they correct or rewrite sentences to make pronouns agree in number and gender, including rewording sentences to avoid awkward gendered forms. Students are asked to write a short paragraph describing how Linda Sue Park's experiences and relationships influenced her writing, and the Skills list includes "appropriate English usage (e.g., pronoun reference)."

Students are told that "The antecedent for a pronoun must be clear" and are given explicit strategies to fix unclear pronoun references (rewrite sentences, eliminate pronouns, use quotations, or reword). Students complete targeted exercises rewriting sentences with ambiguous pronouns and clarifying vague references such as "this" and "which," with an answer key provided. The parent plan also directs students to use a variety of complete sentences that include correctly identified antecedents, parallel structures, and consistent tenses.

The lesson explicitly teaches formal pronoun usage (noting "In formal writing, you should use who instead" and explaining the that vs. which rule). Students practice identifying and punctuating restrictive and nonrestrictive relative clauses in Exercise 1 and underline pronouns in a paragraph in Exercise 2. Option 2 asks students to write a paragraph containing various pronoun types and create an answer key, which has them produce targeted, correctness-focused writing related to formal pronoun use.

Students are asked to "revise writing to improve organization and word choice after checking the logic of the ideas and the precision of the vocabulary," which requires attention to diction. Students practice editing and revising using a proofreading-symbols chart and the Handy Guide to Writing, and they produce a typed final draft. Students also use a rubric to evaluate mechanics, ideas/support, and organization when preparing their comparison-and-contrast essay.

Students are asked to write a 30-second radio or TV advertisement script and to "choose the words that you will use in your poster carefully," which requires attention to wording and tone. The parent notes describe the script task as "carefully-worded" and link the activity to persuasive writing, and the storyboard pages provide lined space for students to draft and organize a formal script. Both the poster and advertisement options require students to explain what is happening, why it is a problem, and what people should do, which are elements of constructing a discipline-specific argument.

Students are asked to write answers to questions and complete the "Questions to Consider" sheet in complete sentences and paragraphs (e.g., "Your answers may be as brief as one sentence or up to a paragraph in length. Be sure to answer in complete sentences."). The activity requires written explanations connecting Sun's energy and the water cycle and prompts students to explain processes (e.g., "What is the importance of the sun and what processes are occurring in the solar still?" and "How is the solar still a model of the water cycle?"). The parent plan reiterates expected written responses when reviewing the student's answers.

Students are instructed to revise for "voice, word choice, and conventions," and to insert transitional words and phrases (e.g., however, moreover, therefore) to create cohesion and clarity. Students are guided to format a clean final paper (appropriate margins, font, name/date/title) and to correct spelling and grammar using a dictionary and spell-check. Students use an Argumentative Essay Rubric to evaluate their drafts, set goals for improvement, and focus revisions on organization and ideas before fine-tuning voice and conventions.

Students are asked to produce discipline-specific written products (a news article, a short research essay, and other writing options) and to brainstorm, draft, and polish their final pieces. Students are evaluated by a rubric that requires the Main Course to be "well-written, using appropriate organization, correct grammar, and accurate spelling," and appetizer activities require 5–10 minute oral reports and speeches comparing governments.

Students are asked to "record this explanation" and complete Prediction/Results/Explanation sections where they must explain observations and relate them to Newton's laws, which requires written explanations using discipline-specific vocabulary. The Parent Plan instructs students to "describe and explain the situations as precisely as possible, using the language of Newton's laws of motion and the relevant vocabulary words," and activity pages ask students to "describe the forces" from different observers' perspectives.

Students are asked repeatedly to answer comprehension questions "in complete sentences," which requires attention to sentence-level correctness. In Activity 1 students correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation in a provided sentence, practicing conventions of formal written English. In Option 2 and the character-card tasks, students write short descriptions of gods and goddesses, and the vocabulary strips require matching words to formal definitions and using motions to memorize academic vocabulary.

Students are asked to correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation in Activity 1, requiring them to apply standard written conventions. Students are asked an opinion/argument question ("Do you think Prometheus should have given fire to the people? Why or why not?") that invites them to give a reasoned response. Students are instructed to follow a published script-writing format and to produce a script with specific formatting and stage directions in Activity 4, which exposes them to formal formatting conventions.

The homophones activity explicitly tells students to "Avoid using contractions, especially in formal writing assignments," and gives proofreading guidance to search for apostrophes. Students are asked to write sentences using homophone groups and to record connections in a journal as a "Connector," and to write one or two sentences describing relationships at the beginning and end of the book.

Students practice parallel structure and consistent verb tense through explicit instruction and correction exercises (Activity 1 and Option 1/2). Students identify and correct tense and voice shifts, and are reminded to prefer active voice, with guided examples and online tense-consistency practice. The Skills section instructs students to use a variety of complete sentences that include parallel structures and consistent tenses, which supports maintaining sentence-level formality.

Students are asked to prepare formal arguments for a debate: they must write three arguments for each side with supporting facts and later write a short (2-sentence) opening statement and a 3-4 sentence closing statement that clearly state and summarize their position. The lesson repeatedly frames the activity as a "formal debate," provides the formal debate sequence (opening, arguments, rebuttals, closing), and requires students to present rebuttals after each opponent argument. Students also practice organizing evidence-based claims by using facts from readings and the activity pages to support their positions.

The lesson requires students to write a well-organized five- to six-paragraph essay, instructing them to prepare an outline, write an introduction and conclusion, and use specific examples as evidence. Tips direct students to read prompts carefully, pay attention to verbs (e.g., analyze vs. describe), and produce clear, well-written sentences with minimal grammar, spelling, punctuation, and capitalization errors. Parent guidance emphasizes expecting focused paragraphs, specific supporting examples, and clear sentence-level writing.

Students are asked to produce written work using discipline-specific content: Activity 1 asks students to create a vacation poster that explains why people should visit a chosen moon and to include information from the book about atmosphere, weight, and geographic features. Option 2 asks students to write a short story that includes those same scientific details. Activity 4 asks students to record and compare planetary data on the "Planetary Passport" or game cards, which requires organizing and using factual astronomy information in writing.

Students are asked to write persuasive letters using the provided letter templates that begin with a salutation ("Dear ___,") and close with "Sincerely,". The Option 2 "Two Views" requires students to write an adult's point of view letter that, per the parent notes, should include facts and figures. The parent notes also remind students how to write a letter, including an introduction and a signature.

Students are asked to write a short proposal to Queen Elizabeth I (Activity 4) that explains how a colony will benefit her nation, which requires making claims and supporting them with reasons about Spain, Portugal, strategic advantage, and royal support. Several other activities ask students to produce written perspectives (diary entries, lists, monologues) that require organizing ideas in extended sentences. The proposal is explicitly disciplinary (colonization/foreign policy) and asks for a 4–6 sentence persuasive piece.

Students are asked to write a short epitaph booklet that includes a summary of Elizabeth's leadership and three important accomplishments, with an example epitaph (Abraham Lincoln) provided as a model of concise biographical writing. Option 2 requires students to select adjectives describing Elizabeth and provide a concrete example for each, with instructions to defend their selections—an exercise in evidence-based historical writing. Student pages prompt students to produce 1-3 sentence summaries of qualities and 1-2 sentence early-life descriptions, which require composing brief formal-seeming statements about a historical figure.

Students are asked to answer reading questions in complete sentences and to give an oral summary of research about an artist, which require composed, coherent responses. Students must write a 1-2 paragraph sidebar about the artist, including a caption and a descriptive paragraph, and then check that sidebar for grammar errors and diagram two sentences. Students also revise sentences by changing tenses and practice sentence-level correctness through diagramming exercises.

Students are asked to write a multi-paragraph technical essay about Newton and his influence, guided by a "Technical Writing Rubric" that evaluates mechanics (capitalization, punctuation, spelling), clear introductions and conclusions, and organization/structure with transitions. Students outline their paper using a formal outline (I, II, III; A, B, C) and are instructed to draft, revise, and produce a final copy while using editing symbols and a rubric to guide improvements. Students are also directed to use unit vocabulary in their writing and to review grammar topics such as verb tenses and subject-verb agreement.

Students are asked to write a one-paragraph (5–6 sentence) introduction about the diversity of Europe, explicitly including geographies, governments, economies, and cultures. The final-project rubric includes a "Writing Quality: Well-written and engaging introduction" criterion and a "Thoughtful Response to Questions" criterion that will be used to evaluate students' written work. Unit test open-response items ask students to explain preferences about forms of government and to describe cultural traditions, requiring written explanations.

Students are asked to write a letter or email to a business, organization, or government office and are instructed to use the provided Business Letter Template and Business Email Template as a guide for structure and formatting. The Parent Plan lists specific components students must include (sender address, date, recipient address, salutation with title, body paragraphs, closing, signature) and gives explicit formatting directions (paragraph spacing, salutation punctuation, subject line for email). Students must produce a formal communication to request information, voice a concern, or make a proposal and print or save a copy to show a parent.

Students read and analyze the Mayflower Compact and create a word cloud to identify prominent words and themes, directing attention to specific diction in a formal historical document. Students are asked to write their own compact—a short statement of purpose and list of tasks—which requires composing a structured, formal-seeming statement. Students complete written comprehension and analysis questions about readings and the Salem Witch Trials, producing discipline-specific written responses.

Students are instructed to "write a well-formed paragraph" that ends with a concluding idea and to use "primarily active voice" when describing the Paul Revere engraving, which guides sentence-level clarity and organization. The activities require students to identify and revise passive constructions into active voice and to produce organized paragraphs (with a concluding sentence) about historical events. The lesson repeatedly directs students to choose active voice and to produce well-organized, descriptive paragraphs, reinforcing choices that support clearer, more formal sentence construction.

Students are asked to perform a paragraph editing activity that explicitly tells them to "look especially for problems related to voice and mood," and the proofreading chart and answer key direct students to correct verb mood and voice errors. The Parent Plan lists vocabulary acquisition and analysis of paragraph structure, and multiple skills target use of verbs, mood, and formal grammar conventions. Students complete vocabulary work with domain-specific words, which supports use of more academic diction.

Students are asked to investigate a chemical substance, make an argument for or against marketing it, and present their conclusion to an audience of potential investors while acting as a CEO. They must collect evidence, use steps of scientific argumentation, and produce a multi-slide presentation that includes a claim, evidence, and justification. The project requires the creation of formal artifacts (executive decision slides, PowerPoint with specified slides) and an organized oral/visual presentation.

Students read an explicit explanation that a business letter is "more formal" and that the "Body of Letter: Provides a specific, formal, and concise message." Students practice formal conventions by completing the Jumbled Business Letter activity (placing sender address, date, recipient address, salutation, body, closing, signature) and by correcting errors on the "Fixing a Business Letter" page (e.g., changing "Dear James." to "Dear Mr. Hardscrabble:", moving the date, fixing closing punctuation, and noting an enclosure). The lesson also contrasts business letters with friendly letters, so students compare formal and informal formats and conventions.

Students are asked to write a short (2-minute) speech honoring a participant in the Battle of the Cowshed, explaining the individual's role, highlighting admirable characteristics, proposing an award, and providing a lesson for the audience. Students must produce a written, discipline-specific piece (a commemorative speech) and then read it aloud to a parent. The Skills section also lists writing opinion/requests letters, indicating students will practice composing targeted, audience-aware prose.

Students compare business and friendly letters and are explicitly told that "The tone of a business letter would be much more formal and professional" and that business letters are "more terse or direct" and usually do not bring in feelings. Students decide which scenarios require a business (formal) letter versus a friendly (informal) letter in Option 1 and brainstorm three situations for business letters in Option 2. Students are asked to identify specific portions of sample letters that indicate formality and to discuss their choices with a parent before writing.

Students are instructed that a business letter "should be concise, professional, and courteous" and that "the tone should be professional and formal throughout." Students are asked to write the short (one-paragraph) body of a formal, professional letter from Mr. Frederick to Mr. Pilkington and are given a structured letter template (sender address, date, recipient address, salutation, body, closing, enclosure). The Parent Plan reiterates that the tone of the letter should be formal and that the student will write a business letter reflecting an opinion, complaint, or request.

Students are instructed to review the format and style differences between business and friendly letters (Things to Know; Activity 1). Students choose a letter type and are told to "review the appropriate tone and format" and to ensure their letter follows the appropriate format and tone (Activity 2, Activity 4). The rubric and editing checklist require students to evaluate whether the style and tone are appropriate and assess letters on audience, purpose, structure, and mechanics. The unit test asks students to explain how the tone of a business letter differs from a friendly letter and to identify examples of business vs. friendly letters.

Students are asked to read Thomas Jefferson's First Inaugural Address and either select provided summaries for each paragraph or write their own paragraph-by-paragraph summaries, and to write briefly about the speech at the conclusion of the activity. Students compare Jefferson's address with John Quincy Adams's speech and answer evaluative questions such as whether a speech was persuasive and which speaker is the more impressive orator, requiring written analysis. Students also complete short-answer worksheets asking them to explain Jefferson's aims and interpret key phrases, which involve composing concise written responses about discipline-specific texts.

Students are required to write explanatory text for storyboard panels and 1-2 sentence gallery cards describing each image's significance, and short-answer responses on the unit test (1-3 sentences). Both the storyboard and art gallery rubrics include criteria assessing organization, conciseness, and correctness of text (spelling and mechanics). Students must also explain their storyboard or lead a guided gallery tour, practicing clear, organized oral explanation of their written work.

Students read descriptions stating that expository writing "uses formal, concise, or summary, exact language" and is "clear and straightforward," so they learn the characteristics of a formal expository style. Students compare narrative and expository writing by underlining and circling indicators on the book cover and jacket, identifying features that signal a more formal, informational tone. Students sketch a graphic of the five modes of expository writing and match types to real‑world scenarios, reinforcing recognition of expository conventions that often require formal language.

The lesson contrasts an informal Version 1 with a more concise, technical Version 2 of an experiment write-up and explains why Version 2 is preferable (clearer naming of tools, concise wording, better transitions). Students are directed to design a poster that must use at least three domain-specific terms, define unfamiliar terms the first time they appear, and use concise, precise technical language. The Parent Plan skills explicitly list using precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform or explain a topic and acquiring grade-appropriate academic and domain-specific words.

The lesson explicitly instructs writers to avoid expressions like "I believe" or "In my opinion" and instead use objective statements (e.g., replace "I think that SpeedySnail has a lean, sporty look" with "the SpeedySnail car has a lean, sporty look"). The lesson provides a transition-word chart and directs students to use appropriate transitions to create cohesion, which supports maintaining a formal tone. Planning/organization pages require a thesis, topic sentences, and structured introduction and conclusion, guiding students to organize writing in a formal essay-like way.

The Skills list explicitly includes "Establish and maintain a formal style," and students are required to write a formal expository research paper with specified formatting (1" margins, double-spaced, 12-point font). Students analyze a student model (identifying thesis, topic sentences, and transitions) and are given rubric criteria that address Organization, Sentence Fluency, Word Choice (domain-specific vocabulary), and Conventions (citations/Works Cited). Instructions also show students how to integrate quotations and paraphrases and require use of multiple sources and a formal Works Cited page.

The Parent Plan Skills section explicitly lists "Establish and maintain a formal style," and the activities require students to write an expository compare-and-contrast paragraph with a strong hook and textual evidence. The lesson gives an explicit instruction not to write an announcing sentence ("I will compare Jim and Huck...") and provides a sample introductory sentence that models a neutral third-person voice.

Students complete a sentence-editing task that asks them to correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors and references verb mood (subjunctive), addressing sentence-level conventions. Students analyze Frederick Douglass's writing, identifying vivid adjectives and repeated verbs, which models disciplined word choice and rhetorical diction. Students are asked to write short pieces (a 4–5 sentence descriptive paragraph showing emotion and a 3–4 sentence welcome note) that require purposeful word choice and sentence construction.

Students complete a Sentence Editing activity that requires them to correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation, and the Parent Plan provides suggested corrections with notes about agreement and punctuation. Students write 2–3 sentences explaining an allusion's origin and connection to the book on the Allusions activity page, and they choose between composing interview questions/answers or writing a descriptive paragraph for a historical fiction novel. The activities require students to produce written responses and demonstrate control of sentence-level conventions.

Students are asked to check grammar, spelling, punctuation, indentation, and syntax on their final draft, and the parent plan explicitly says these will be evaluated. The rubric requires that the narrator establish a clear tone and maintain it, and the writing directions tell students to make sure their tone is communicated with strong verbs and adjectives and that they work to create a particular mood. The activities require use of appropriate transitions and conventions, and students must edit and revise their drafts for correctness.

Students are asked to write and deliver a dedication speech (Activity 2) that welcomes visitors, gives information about a state leader, and discusses qualities relevant to the use of a public space. The instructions require a 6–10 sentence informative speech and provide a sample speech and graphic (Henry Ford example) that models a public-address text. The parent notes describe the speech as "relatively short, but informative, highlighting some key contributions" of the leader.

Students are explicitly asked to "establish and maintain a formal style" in the Skills section and are told writers must "establish a positive and respectful tone" in the Ideas to Think About. The Persuasive Essay Rubric asks that the author "establishes a reasonable and thoughtful tone" and be "fair and respectful toward opposing viewpoints." Writing instructions for paragraph 1 tell students to "establish an appealing tone, to connect with your audience," and other activities require students to practice persuasive techniques (ethos, pathos, kairos) that relate to voice and persona.

Students are instructed to revise and edit their persuasive essays, reading for proper structure, correct persuasive format, topic sentences, supporting details, clarity, and mechanics. The Parent Plan skills list explicitly names "Establish and maintain a formal style" as a learning target. Students are also directed to use proofreading symbols and focus on conventions of standard English, which supports formal written expression.

The Skills section explicitly lists "Establish and maintain a formal style." Students are directed to produce a final draft of a persuasive essay, type it on a computer, follow formatting guidelines (title centered, indented paragraphs, 12-pt font, double-spaced), and run spell-check. The skills also reference delivering persuasive presentations that "maintain a reasonable tone" and instructions to create a Works Cited page, implying attention to formal presentation conventions.

The lesson explicitly reviews active and passive voice and tells students, "In your own writing, you should use passive voice sparingly," explaining when passive voice is appropriate. The Student Activity Page has practice tasks in which students identify voice and rewrite passive sentences into active voice (and vice versa). The "Things to Review" section asks students to review why they should try to use active voice in writing and when passive voice is preferred.

Students are asked to describe the structure of a five-paragraph persuasive essay, including a clear thesis and supporting paragraphs, and to write short-answer and essay responses in complete sentences. Students learn about rhetorical appeals (ethos, kairos, pathos), counterarguments, and refutation and complete an "Evaluating My Essay" activity that asks them to reflect on rhetorical and logical fallacies. Multiple student activity pages require detailed written responses and a unit-test essay prompting students to reconsider and possibly rewrite their argument about cloning.

The lesson requires students to produce a written product (Option 1 brochure or Option 2 report) that must include the animal's scientific name in italics and a paragraph summarizing the digestive process in their own words. The parent notes instruct students to summarize and paraphrase information (avoid copying word for word). The report option asks students to take notes and then put the process into their own words and to include a graphic and scientific name.

Students are asked to read an essay on censorship and then "take a side on this issue and write down reasons that support his opinion, examples or specifics to back up two of the reasons, and a specific argument his opponent might make (and how he'd refute it)." The Student Activity Page and Parent Plan describe a "Censorship in Journalism Debate" and ask students to write an essay on the topic and optionally engage in a mock debate. Students are also directed to revise, edit, and produce polished, typed work for their projects.

Students are asked to "use full sentences" on the Claudette Colvin and Rosa Parks organizer and to write a headline plus two paragraphs for a newspaper clipping, which requires structured, informational writing. The Option 1 poem asks students to produce a tone "appropriate to mourning," directing attention to register and tone in writing. The newspaper option also directs students to place the most critical information in the first two paragraphs, which models a formal news-writing structure.

Students plan and deliver oral presentations and multimedia slide shows that ask them to present claims and findings with relevant evidence and sound reasoning (Skills and Activities sections). Students write responses, paraphrase and summarize passages on the unit test and study guide, and are asked to support judgments through references to the text and other sources (Study Guide, Unit Test, and Skills list). The rubric and planning activities require concise summaries, paraphrases, and use of quotations, which engage students in crafting disciplined, evidence-based explanations.

Students are asked to produce a 3–5 page illustrated essay with three body paragraphs, writing 1–2 sentence overviews and explaining how each technology improved on earlier options and changed America. Students are instructed to conduct research, use primary sources, do writing and editing, and cite research sources properly. Students are given an "Illustrated Essay Rubric" that assesses introduction, body paragraphs, clarity, accuracy, and conclusion and are told to review the rubric before drafting.

Students are asked to write a rough draft of Paragraph 2 of an illustrated essay that must include an overview of a technology, how it improved on earlier options, how it changed America, and proper citation of sources. Students must create an annotated bibliography listing three primary and five secondary sources and record correct MLA citations using a Citation Builder. Students also complete research-based activities (Space Age Technology) that require explaining why NASA created a technology and how it is useful outside the space program.

Students are asked to write an introductory paragraph that explains which three technologies they will discuss and a conclusion that sums up the technological changes, and to add citations for each paragraph. Students are instructed to edit the finished draft to be "error-free, engaging, and well-written" and to prepare a formal presentation of the essay. Students in the History Day option write a short (3–5 sentence) process paper answering structured questions about topic choice and research, and assemble materials for review.

Students are asked to produce several persuasive or argumentative texts: create a one-minute Public Service Announcement explaining why teens should avoid drugs, write a list of five convincing reasons to avoid alcohol, and design a persuasive poster discouraging tobacco use. Students also draft an imaginary email convincing a 12-year-old cousin not to try smoking and work with a parent to write a contract committing not to try drugs or alcohol. These activities require students to organize reasons and present claims to specific audiences.