Students are asked in Activity 1 to find weather data sources, watch a local forecast, brainstorm five specific audiences/purposes, and choose one audience to rewrite the forecast so it is most useful to that audience. The materials define and discuss "predict" and "forecast," and Activity 1 requires using current conditions (data) to create a tailored forecast. Activity 2 explains probabilistic prediction and lists instruments and factors (e.g., air pressure, wind) that students can use as evidence when making a prediction.

Students write hypotheses and draw conclusions in the "Air on the Move" experiment, recording results and stating whether their hypotheses were correct. Students record data in a weather journal and use barometric pressure and wind direction to make and justify daily weather predictions. Students construct and use an anemometer and Beaufort/wind-speed charts to estimate wind speed and record evidence that supports their weather interpretations.

Students record cloud observations in a weather journal and are instructed to "Use the clouds you see in the sky and/or today's air pressure reading to predict the weather for later today or tomorrow," which asks them to make a claim (a forecast) and support it with evidence. The Cloud Chart activity requires students to research each cloud type and take notes in columns for Description, Altitude, Type of Weather, and Clues, organizing evidence about cloud characteristics. Directions state that students will use the completed cloud chart and research when they write a typed cloud article in the future, indicating collection and organization of supporting information for a written product.

Students are asked to respond to the prompt "Do you think it was selfish of Sophie not to want to take the helm? Why or why not?" which requires them to state an opinion about a character's action. The activities ask students to write one or two sentences for each character in a scenario and to supply quotes and thoughts, giving students opportunities to state positions or perspectives in writing. Discussion prompts (e.g., "What do you think Sophie's story might be?") invite students to articulate interpretive claims about characters and events.

Students are prompted to compare two places using a pros-and-cons table on the "Comparing Two Environments" page and then "explain... which of the two places they would prefer to live in and why," asking them to use information from Prisoners of Geography to support their explanation. The "Humans Interact with Their Environments" pages require students to record benefits, challenges, and ways people alter physical geography, supplying organized reasons and evidence they can cite. The activities direct students to gather population and geographic data (dot maps and regional summaries) that they can use as evidence when making a choice between places.

Students are asked to write or perform a movie review of The City of Ember in Activity 2, which requires them to describe characters, setting, plot, and their feelings and to discuss how the setting influences the story. The Skills section lists using oral and written language to influence the thinking of others and making informed judgments about film, and students are directed to read/watch movie reviews to understand what to include. The review task asks students to express judgments and to explain how the setting plays an important role, which would require providing reasons or evidence for their opinions.

Students are directed to "decide whose side you are on and compose three arguments" and to "support each argument with evidence," which requires introducing a clear claim and providing reasons. The activity definition of a debate tells students they "must anticipate points of the opposing opinion and how to respond to them," prompting acknowledgement of alternate claims. The Student Activity Page includes a Position box and three labeled sections for Arguments and Support, making students record a claim and organize supporting evidence. The Parent Plan Skills explicitly list stating a clear position, supporting it with organized evidence, and anticipating/addressing counterarguments.

Students are asked to answer opinion questions in complete sentences (e.g., "Are Tick's ideas good ideas? Why or why not?" and "Do you think they should share them or keep them? Why?"), which asks them to state a position and provide reasons. Students are asked to add entries to Doon and Lina's learning log and to explain illustrations and discuss similarities/differences, providing opportunities to state and support viewpoints verbally or in writing. The Venn diagram and discussion prompts require students to compare two communities and provide reasons for similarities and differences.

Students are asked in Activity 1 to "select one media source" for Sparks and Ember and "write a paragraph that describes which media outlet you would select and why," which requires stating a position and giving reasons about benefits and effects. In the reading questions students respond to Q3 ("Do you think Casper should have shared food... Why or why not?"), which asks them to take a stance and justify it. Both tasks ask students to provide reasons that support a chosen claim.

Students are asked to make evaluative choices and give reasons (e.g., Question #2 asks who is a more effective leader, Mary or Ben, and Why). Option 1 directs students to compare American city governments and Sparks, decide which system is more effective, and "defend her reasoning," prompting students to state a claim and support it with considerations of offices, hierarchy, economics, decision making, and elections. Option 2 requires students to design a government for Ember and "describe the system," which asks students to propose a plan and explain who leads and how leaders are chosen.

Students are asked to answer opinion questions in complete sentences (e.g., "What do you think the Emberites should do to solve their problem?" and "Would you follow Tick? Why or why not?"), which requires stating a position and giving reasons. Discussion prompts ask students to consider causes and reversals of revenge and whether violence leads to more violence, prompting students to explain and justify their thinking. The sequencing activity asks students to order events and note how events lead from nonviolence to violence, which has students organize factual events as support for causal claims.

Activity 1 asks students to brainstorm at least three nonviolent solutions, select the best option, and write a 6–8 sentence speech to "explain your solution and why both groups should work together peacefully," which requires stating a claim and giving supporting reasons. The Story Conflict bubble map and its directions ask students to "Describe each side in one conflict from the story" and to "provide evidence from the text that reveals and supports the conflict," prompting consideration of alternate positions. The student activity page sidebar instructs students to "determine which side you support," encouraging students to weigh sides and use reasoning and evidence.

Students are asked to gather and record research on causes, effects, and how a war or plague ended using a Research Organizer that prompts those categories. Students create a Timeline of Events and a map to organize chronological and geographic evidence, and they must integrate research into a newspaper report and revise it using a rubric. For the New Environment option, students plan and write a three-paragraph essay with specified main ideas for each paragraph and revise it using an essay rubric.

Students are asked to make explicit hypotheses (e.g., "The dry charcoal briquette will ______") and later record Results and Conclusions for the Ice Cold Weathering experiment, which requires them to state whether hypotheses were correct and explain what happened. The Drip, Drip, Drip Demonstration and Observations sections ask students to describe how different drips changed the sugar structure and to connect those observations to how water affects rocks, prompting students to cite observed evidence. The Weathering Walk and Sorting Out Soils tasks require students to collect, document, and describe multiple pieces of evidence from their environment (photographs, sketches, or written descriptions).

Students are asked to plan and create presentations (slides, video script, artwork, or puppet show) that answer focused questions such as "What are the stages of the rock cycle?" and "How does each stage of the rock cycle change the face of the Earth?," requiring them to gather and explain disciplinary evidence. Rubrics and templates require students to write slide descriptions or scripts, sketch visual aids, and present explanations, and the rubrics evaluate ‘‘Well-organized information'' and ‘‘Easy to understand,'' which prompt students to order reasons and evidence. Assessment items and short-answer test questions ask students to explain processes (e.g., lithification, differences between weathering and erosion), which requires use of evidence to support explanations.

The Parent Plan lists that students will "Make reasonable assertions about a text through accurate, supporting citations," and Activity 3 (Short Story Critique) asks students to write a 6–8 sentence review that highlights opinions and includes specific references. Activity 4 (Sympathetic Females) has students complete a Venn diagram comparing two characters, which has students organize similarities and differences. These elements require students to state claims about texts and provide supporting details or organize comparative evidence.

Students are asked to answer map-based questions (e.g., which region had more factories and how do you know?) that require making a claim and citing map graphics and ratio data as evidence. Students are prompted to explain the kinds of work in each region and who did it, and to respond to questions such as whether large cities would be beneficial during a war, which asks for a reasoned judgment based on provided data. Activity 3 asks students to create travel brochures for the North and South and to compare the two regions, requiring students to state differences and support them with details from readings and maps.

Students are asked to plan and write arguments for both sides in Activity 2, using the two debate pages titled "Slavery Should Be Allowed in New Territories" and "Slavery Should Not Be Allowed in New Territories," which prompt them to state regional positions and list reasons. Activity 2 also directs students to choose reasons from the opposite page and craft how one side might respond, which requires acknowledging and engaging opposing claims. In Activity 3 students list potential positive and negative consequences of a civil war as an adviser to Lincoln, which asks them to organize reasons and weigh evidence for a decision.

Students are asked to decide which battles they think were most critical and "write your explanation" on the Civil War Map activity, which requires them to state a position about significance and provide reasons. In the Build a Monument activity, students must choose a battle, describe "why it was a turning point," list the "main ideas you want your monument to convey," and provide important details (casualties, strategies) as supporting information. The timeline and map tasks require students to select events and record their significance, prompting them to make and support evaluative claims about historical importance.

Students are asked to write short exhibit-card explanations (2–3 sentences) that summarize what is important about topics such as Antebellum America, Slavery, and Major Battles. Students plan and write scripts or narration for a documentary and prepare a poster and timeline, which require organizing information and sequencing events logically. The unit test and test answer key ask students to give reasons for the start of the Civil War and to list important details about slavery, prompting students to organize cause-and-effect reasons and supporting details.

Students analyze primary sources and are asked to discuss the perspectives of two journal authors and to identify facts and opinions (Activity 4 and Parent Plan discussion questions). Students research the Battle of Bull Run and record information on color-coded note cards by topic (Activity 5), and students write steps for state admission in their journal (Activity 2). The unit asks students to summarize author purpose and stance and to determine importance of word choice (Skills in Parent Plan).

Activity 2 asks students to record three factual statements and three opinion statements from a Civil War speech and to identify at least two statements that could be propaganda, requiring students to distinguish fact from opinion. The activity directs students to examine Civil War posters and explain how each picture could have been used as propaganda to sway Northern attitudes, prompting students to support interpretations with textual and visual evidence. A parent discussion question asks, "Do you think the use of propaganda is wrong under all conditions? Why or why not?", which asks students to state a position and provide reasoning.

Students are asked to design a Civil War propaganda poster in Activity 2, choosing a side (North or South) and creating short persuasive text and/or images intended to influence readers. The parent notes and skills list indicate students will make informed judgments about propaganda, explore bias and hidden messages, and draw conclusions based on evidence. Reading questions ask students to interpret characters' motives and meanings, requiring them to state and support opinions in complete sentences.

Students are asked to respond to a discussion prompt about A.B. Tilbury—deciding whether his perception of southerners is accurate and explaining why—requiring them to state an opinion and give reasons. Students must answer text-based questions in complete sentences about characters and perspectives, which asks them to make interpretive claims about the book. Students write sentences describing how Civil War photographs make them feel and explain titles, which asks for a stated reaction and a justification for that reaction.

Students are instructed to introduce the topic, present both points of view (pro and con), and end the introduction with their position and reasons. Students plan pros and cons, choose two supporting arguments and one opposing argument to refute, and fill in structured 'Argumentative Outline' pages that prompt specific arguments and supports for each paragraph. The rubric and body-paragraph directions require students to state reasons with support, present an opposing claim in paragraph three, and explain why that opposing claim does not hold merit, with guidance on transitional words to organize ideas logically.

Students are asked to write hypotheses for multiple activities (e.g., parachute, dropping objects, weightless water), which requires them to introduce a claim about an outcome. Students record experimental results in tables and answer conclusion prompts that ask them to explain results and whether their hypotheses were correct, which asks them to use observational evidence to support or revise their claim. Several activities explicitly prompt students to explain how surface area, air resistance, or gravity produced the observed outcomes, prompting organization of reasons tied to data.

Students write a hypothesis (a testable claim) in the Force Experiment (Option 1 and 2) and are asked to record data, plot mass vs. force on a graph, and write a conclusion answering whether the hypothesis was correct. Students are also asked to state each of Newton's three laws in their own words on the Laws of Motion poster and to explain Newton's first law in the reading questions. The experiment and graphing tasks require students to collect and organize empirical evidence and to draw a conclusion based on that evidence.

Students are prompted to write a hypothesis asking which magnet is stronger and to record predictions, results, and a conclusion on the student activity page. Students perform experiments (measuring how many paperclips or using procedure from the book) and record data, then answer questions about what the results tell them about the size of each magnet's magnetic field. Students use a compass to map magnetic field lines and label poles, producing observational evidence to support claims about field direction and strength.

Students are asked to use the Student Activity Page to compare Wilson's Fourteen Point Plan with the Treaty of Versailles, filling a table that links key points, Wilson's reasons, and similarities/differences. The activity includes two short-response questions asking "Why do you think Wilson was not able to achieve the kind of peace..." and "Why do you think Wilson was not able to generate sufficient support for the League...", which prompt students to state reasons and cite causes from the readings. The provided answer key models stating reasons and contrasting Wilson's aims with the treaty outcomes and political opposition.

Students are instructed to create two columns labeled "reasons to go to war" and "reasons to stay out of the war," collecting ideas from the reading. Students must write a "Dear Mr. President" letter stating whether the United States should enter World War II and provide at least two reasons for their position; if undecided, they must present at least one reason for each side. The student activity page and parent notes prompt students to provide specific examples to support their argument and to produce a convincing argument or, if undecided, compelling arguments for both sides.

Students read and analyze President Roosevelt's speech, underlining powerful words and answering questions about his message and whether he seems certain the correct course is war. Students analyze World War II posters and complete a "Planning Your Poster" page in which they identify an audience, state what they want people to do (an explicit persuasive objective), choose emotions/imagery, and draft powerful words or slogans. Students then create a poster based on their plan, practicing persuasive choices in words, images, and intended actions.

Students are asked in Question #4 to state which of President Roosevelt's achievements they personally believe to be most important and to explain why, which requires introducing a claim and giving reasons. In Activity 4 Option 2 (Double V public service announcement), students must write a slogan and a brief announcement that explains the need for a "Double-V" campaign and tells people what they can do, which asks them to make a persuasive claim and provide supporting reasons or actions. The Radio Script Vocabulary activity asks students to write a coherent radio script using selected vocabulary and at least two events, prompting students to organize content and supporting details into a structured spoken piece.

Students are asked to take reporter's notes answering who/what/when/where/why about Hiroshima and Nagasaki, which requires them to collect and organize factual reasons and evidence. Activity 4 asks students to design a monument and explicitly prompts them to decide on a goal or message and whether the monument will present one side or multiple perspectives, which engages consideration of different viewpoints. Parent discussion prompts and Activity 1 ask students to discuss reasons U.S. leaders decided to use the atomic bomb, providing contextual evidence students can use to support explanations.

Students are asked to choose two or three passages and explain their reasons for picking them aloud to a parent, which requires stating a position about which passages are important and supporting that choice. The Skills section explicitly lists that students should "paraphrase major ideas and supporting evidence in formal and informal presentations," which asks students to organize evidence when they retell or present. Students also read Barbara Rodbell's story and answer a journal prompt about how her message applies historically and today, an activity that invites students to make a claim and provide supporting explanation.

Students use a bubble map organizer that requires a central topic and three subtopics with three supporting details each, which scaffolds organizing reasons and evidence logically. Students are instructed to write an introductory paragraph that describes the topic and main ideas and three body paragraphs that use the bubble-map details as support, plus a concluding paragraph; the Expository Rubric emphasizes organization, introduction of topic/main points, supporting details, and use of transitions. A student activity page includes a "QUOTE" box that directs students to use a relevant quote to support an argument, indicating some practice linking evidence to claims.

The plan asks students to "paraphrase major ideas and supporting evidence" and to "present findings in a specified format," and several tasks require extended writing or presentations (e.g., "researching Alexander Hamilton and writing an essay," "writing an article as if reporting for a newspaper," and creating a book jacket that includes a summary and what was learned). The Number the Stars test and answer key require students to explain plans and describe characters and events using evidence from the text. The Think-Tac-Toe choices ask students to research, write, and present information in various formats, which requires gathering and using supporting evidence.

Students sort and color a periodic table by state of matter and record the state (solid, liquid, gas) for metals, metalloids, and nonmetals, which requires them to state a classification. Students run experiments (freeze, melt, evaporate) and complete before/after observation tables, recording data about color, volume, layering, and form. Students answer conclusion prompts such as "What did you discover about how elements might change when they change states?" and a discussion question asks how physical state could be used to identify an element or its category.

Students are asked to state a hypothesis (circle whether metals or nonmetals conduct electricity best) and to record observations in tables for electrical and thermal conduction experiments. Students conduct tests with specific materials (aluminum, copper, iron, pencil lead, wooden stick), note which materials conduct, and draw conclusions about which materials conducted electricity and heat best. Activity pages include conclusion prompts that require students to determine which material conducted electricity or heat most effectively and to answer follow-up questions comparing categories (metals, metalloids, nonmetals).

Students are prompted to write a hypothesis and a conclusion on the Cold Salt and Hot & Cold Salt activity pages, and to record procedures and observations during experiments. The Hardening Water activity asks students to perform a demonstration about calcium and then read and discuss observations. The activities require students to collect and use experimental evidence to evaluate whether solutes change freezing/boiling points and whether calcium causes hard water.

Students are asked to record observations and test results on the "Mystery Element Observations" pages and on the Matter Challenge chart, which requires them to decide whether each sample is a metal, metalloid, or nonmetal and to name the element. The rubric and activity direct students to "explain reasoning behind classification and element identifications well" and to "write guesses" and "share your guesses ... and explain why" with family, which asks for supporting reasons and evidence. Students also compare and eliminate possibilities by crossing off elements and by using prior unit information and a periodic table to support their identifications.

In Activity 2 (Everlasting Life) students are asked to list "Pros of Drinking the Water" and "Cons of Drinking the Water" and then decide whether to take a sip, which requires generating reasons for and against a choice. Option 2 asks students to write a paragraph imagining life ten years after drinking the water and to state whether they are glad or regret the decision, prompting them to express an evaluative stance and supply supporting details. The Wrapping Up section reinforces that students considered whether living forever would be a good or bad decision, emphasizing weighing reasons.

Students are asked to consider whether Winnie's life is about to change for the better or worse and to think about the positive and negative outcomes of change (Wrapping Up and Ideas to Think About). Discussion prompts and life-application questions ask students to state their view about a change in Winnie's life and to relate it to personal experience (Questions to Discuss; Life Application). The Parent Plan encourages discussing ways events and interactions have changed students' lives, prompting students to formulate an opinion.

Students are asked multiple opinion questions that require a claim and reasons, e.g., "Do the Tucks seem like the kidnapping type? Why or why not?" and "Do you think the Tucks should have kidnapped Winnie? What other options did they have?" The parent/teacher prompts ask students to summarize the Tucks' story and to retell evidence (the Tucks drank the water, cannot die), which encourages using story details to support answers. Discussion prompts also ask students to consider alternate options, which invites consideration of alternative viewpoints.

Students are asked to take a position when they answer questions such as "Do you consider the Tucks' eternal life a blessing or a curse? Why?" and when they decide which family they would rather be part of and explain why. In the Juxtaposition Option 1 students write short paragraphs describing each family and then state which they prefer, using the author's descriptions and putting quotations around any text they use. Students are directed to locate words and phrases from the text (Option 2) and record them, which encourages citing textual evidence to support their views.

Students are asked to state and defend viewpoints in several prompts (Wrapping Up: "Do you believe his theory is correct? Why or why not?" and parent discussion questions asking "Why or why not?"). Students are prompted to predict outcomes and give reasons (e.g., "Do you predict that Winnie will drink the water when she gets older? Why or why not?"). Students explain the significance of items collected from nature, which requires them to connect observations to claims about cycles and change.

Students are asked to create a print ad or a 30-second commercial to persuade an audience to purchase the spring of eternal life, which requires them to write a script, select images and text, and plan a two-page layout or a filmed spot. The directions prompt students to think about grabbing the reader's attention and leaving a lasting impression and to decide what text and images to include. Students are also asked to rehearse and produce a recorded persuasive performance, which practices formulating and presenting a claim for an audience.

Students are asked whether they would recommend the book to a friend and to explain why or why not, which requires stating a claim and giving reasons. Students are asked to record three ways the movie differed from the book and three things they would have done differently, which requires identifying differences and supporting those judgments with examples from the text and film.

Students record three quotes/actions and list three pros and three cons about living forever, collecting textual evidence and others' opinions. Students decide a position (pro or con) and prepare a two-minute opening argument that states the importance of the issue, their position, and why their argument is valid. Students prepare three questions for an opponent, swap questions, and prepare timed answers, and then participate in a structured debate with opening arguments, timed responses, rebuttal opportunities, and closing statements. The Rules of Debate and parent notes instruct students to consider both sides and prepare to refute opposing arguments.

Students are asked to create a persuasive flyer or prepare a short speech supporting the Montgomery Bus Boycott, which requires them to state why they oppose segregated buses and why others should join the boycott. The speech worksheet prompts students to list reasons (e.g., "Why do you oppose segregated buses?" and "Why should people join the boycott?") and to plan logistics and anticipated responses from opponents ("How will people get to work if they can't ride the bus?" and "What kinds of response should people expect from whites in Montgomery?"). The activities direct students to refer to the assigned reading for factual details (dates, outcomes) that they can use when composing their persuasive material.

Students collect firsthand accounts about voting through a recorded or note-based interview (Activity 1) and review historical reading about Freedom Summer and voting barriers, providing sources of reasons and evidence. In Activity 2 students create a magazine advertisement that explicitly "encourages people to vote and explains why voting is important," which requires them to state a persuasive position and use supporting details and imagery. The reading comprehension questions ask students to identify obstacles and events related to voting, which can supply factual support for a claim about the importance of voting.

Question #1 asks students to take a position on whether the Voting Rights Act meant the Civil Rights Movement had been successful, inviting argumentation. Activity 1 (poem or object analogies) requires students to explain how America changed and to justify those explanations with examples and analogies. Activity 2 Option 2 asks students to research a modern example of discrimination and create an informative flyer that includes at least two ideas for action, which requires gathering and presenting supporting information.

Students are asked to write an introductory paragraph for a learning station and to prepare introductory remarks for their presentation explaining who they studied and why that person is important, which requires stating a central claim about the topic. Students must prepare written scripts, mock interview answers, a book review with reasons for a recommendation, and a podcast or poster that incorporate historical background and excerpts from research, which requires selecting and presenting supporting evidence. The rubric and instructions emphasize clear, well-written text and logically ordered presentations, so students organize reasons and evidence for an audience.

Activity 2 requires students to write a 6–10 sentence formal letter to the head of the school board in which they explain what the county is doing wrong, why it is wrong, and what should be done to correct it, and to identify at least two problems. The Parent Plan and Skills sections state that students will write persuasive letters and formal business letters, and the letter template guides students to present an address, salutation, body, closing, and signature. The activity also asks students to include specific sentence structures (an independent clause + independent clause and a dependent + independent clause) within the body of the letter.

Students are asked to take a position and provide reasons in questions such as "Do you think Lillian Jean was worth Cassie's taking a stand for? Why or why not?" and "Do you think Ms. Landon should have given T.J. a break… Why or why not?", which require stating a claim and supporting it. In the Boycotts activity students must underline the three most important suggestions and explain to a parent why they selected them, which asks students to support choices with reasons. The wrapping-up prompt asks students to explain what they learned about the Montgomery Bus Boycott and to discuss the story's boycott, prompting students to present claims about historical events.

Students are asked to write a five-paragraph book report that aims to "convince the reader of the book's importance" and to "entice the reader" to read the novel, which requires stating a recommendation or claim. The Organizing Ideas pages require students to plan each paragraph (setting, characters, major problem, suspenseful events, and convincing the reader why to read), guiding students to record reasons across a logical paragraph structure. The rubric and writing prompts emphasize developing a persuasive voice and crafting engaging, varied sentences to support the report's purpose.

Students are instructed to finish the rough draft of a book report and to revise and edit that draft, including combining sentences and adding details. Discussion questions ask students to state and justify opinions (e.g., "Do you think Stacey should have tried to rescue T.J.? Why or why not?"). The wrapping-up activity asks students to read their report aloud and explain whether a listener would want to read the book and why, which prompts students to give reasons supporting an evaluation.

Students are asked to present the problem and why it is important (Slide 1), which requires them to introduce a central claim about the issue. Students must provide examples of discrimination (Slide 2) and suggestions for change (Slide 3), which requires them to collect and present reasons and supporting evidence. The PowerPoint Organizer, slide structure (problem → examples → solutions → outcomes), and rubric criteria about maintaining a clear, coherent message and supporting opinions with detailed evidence indicate students organize and present reasons and evidence in a logical sequence.

Students are asked directly to decide whether combinations they create are compounds or mixtures (Activity 2: "Will you create a compound or a mixture?"; Student pages ask to classify the metal/sand/water combination). Several prompts require students to explain their conclusion using observations (Activity 3: "Explain how the demonstration showed the original combination was a mixture, not a compound."). The reading questions and student worksheets ask students to describe differences between mixtures and compounds and to justify why ocean water is or is not a pure substance.

Students are prompted to write hypotheses (e.g., the Color Shift Experiment and Prepare a Precipitate pages ask students to predict outcomes), and to record observations and organized data in tables (Rusty Shapes and Clean Pennies require day-by-day observations and temperature records). Several activities require students to draw conclusions and explain causes (questions ask "What do you think caused the color changes?" and "How does this demonstrate that a gas was produced?"), and the Valence game asks students to record names, formulas, and molecule types, reinforcing organization of evidence and facts.

Students are asked to conduct demonstrations and decide whether processes (chewing, saliva action, stomach acid, antacid effects) are physical or chemical changes and to take notes, photos, and measurements to use in a poster or slideshow. The rubric and instructions require students to "explain why changes are chemical or physical," document observations and results, and "communicate scientific concepts and explanations, based on evidence, through oral and written presentations." The Chemistry Fair plan and activity pages require students to list the principles each experiment demonstrates and include those concepts on their posters.

Students are asked to state and defend opinions in discussion prompts such as "Do you think the community would be a good place to live? Why or why not? What changes are positive? What changes are negative?", which requires stating a claim and giving reasons. In Activity 2 Option 2, students must write 3–4 sentences explaining why a chosen Assignment is the best fit for them, prompting them to assert a claim and provide supporting reasons. The Parent Plan lists that students will "draw inferences, conclusions, or generalizations about text and support them with textual evidence and prior knowledge," which requires students to support claims with evidence.

Students are asked to evaluate each community rule by recording a positive effect and a negative effect and then check 'Rule' or 'No Rule' and write a sentence explaining their decision. Question #4 and the parent prompts ask students to defend their decisions and discuss whether anything is wrong with the system, prompting them to provide reasons. The Skills section explicitly includes "Explain whether facts included in an argument are used for or against an issue," which directs students to analyze evidence used in arguments.

Students are asked in Activity 2 to 'Think of three events from history that could help the people in Jonas' community,' to describe each event in three or four sentences, and to 'explain how the memory could help Jonas' community,' which requires stating claims and giving supporting reasons. Question #2 asks students to choose which of the eight rules would be most challenging and explain why, prompting a claim with justification. The parent prompts ask the child to explain Jonas's selection and predict what the job will entail, which asks students to make and support a claim about the text.

The lesson requires students to "Write persuasive letters" and offers Option 1: "A Letter to the Community," asking students to explain freedom, include symbolism, and "explain the benefits of freedom and why it is worth the pain." Discussion prompts and the "A Call to Freedom" activity ask students to evaluate dangers of uniformity and whether sacrifices for freedom are worth it, which prompt students to take a position and give reasons. The activities also ask students to compare Jonas' community with U.S. communities, prompting use of examples to support a viewpoint.

The discussion prompt asks students to answer, "Do you think Jonas and The Giver can change the life the people live in the community? Why or why not?", prompting students to state a position and give reasons. The Musical Selection activity requires students to list five songs and "explain why" they would share each one, which asks students to support choices with justification. The Parent Plan lists a skill to "Write responses to literary or expository texts," indicating students will produce written responses tied to the text.

Students are asked in Option 2 to compare and contrast a multiparty democracy with a one-party state and to explain what it would mean for citizens to live in each system, which requires making claims about preferences and differences. The parent plan directs students to state that voters in a multiparty democracy have more choices than in a one-party state and to explain that this leads to citizens having more voice, giving explicit reasons students can use as evidence. The Skills section lists "Compare and contrast the government of the United States with the governments of selected countries in Central and South America" which asks students to analyze and produce comparative claims about governmental systems.

The Parent Plan lists a skill: "Analyze, make inferences, and draw conclusions about the author's purpose... and provide evidence from the text to support understanding," which asks students to support interpretations with text-based evidence. In Activity 2 Option 1 students are asked to "describe how the phoenix might serve as a symbol for Esperanza's circumstances," which requires forming an interpretive claim about the text. The Wordsmith role and guided discussion ask students to select and explain passages they find important, prompting them to cite and discuss textual support for their choices.

Students are guided to write a paragraph that begins with a topic sentence stating a problem (introducing a central claim) and to follow with two to three sentences explaining why the problem exists and two to three sentences describing a solution with details, which models organizing reasons and evidence. The example paragraph is explicitly broken down into topic sentence, explanation of why the problem exists, solution, and concluding sentence, giving students a clear model for sequencing reasons and evidence. The Parent Plan skills direct students to "offer persuasive evidence" and to "sequence reasons to support the solution," which reinforces instruction on organizing reasons and evidence logically.

The discussion question "Do you think this would work? Why or why not?" asks students to take a position about Marta's actions and provide reasons for their view. The Shrine activity asks students to explain the elements of their shrine and why they are important, which requires students to connect evidence (objects) to claims about meaning. The prompt to "Describe the agricultural labor system in California" asks students to explain a topic and could prompt reasoned claims about causes and effects.

Students are prompted to state an opinion about whether caring for the children might be good for Esperanza and to explain why or why not. Students practice using transition words to connect ideas, combine sentences, and order events in the "Using Transition Words" activity and on the student activity page. Students take on the role of Connector and record connections between the book, their life, and the outside world, which requires linking ideas logically.

Students examine reasons workers might strike and are instructed to "record examples from the book that could support the reasons," summarize those examples, and provide page numbers (On Strike! activity). Students are asked discussion questions that prompt taking a position (e.g., "Do you think Esperanza and her family should strike also? Why or why not?"). The activity requires students to match textual evidence to specific reasons for striking, which involves organizing evidence under reason categories on the provided graphic organizer.

Students are asked to write a hypothesis ("Will a change in ______ help more brine shrimp hatch? Hypothesis: ______") that introduces a testable claim about an ecosystem variable. Students design and run experiments, record results across multiple days, and write conclusions about which conditions produced more hatchlings, which organizes evidence from observations. Students also share findings with a parent and compare control and experimental conditions, using collected data to support their conclusions.

Students write a hypothesis in the Camouflage (Option 2) activity, conduct a timed procedure (pick up black vs. white dots), record the number of dots picked up, and write a conclusion stating which color was easier to pick up. The Camouflage page explicitly prompts students to state a hypothesis, follow a procedure, report results (I picked up ___ black dots; I picked up ___ white dots), and answer a follow-up question about what the experiment reinforces about animal camouflage. These tasks require students to make a claim about a scientific question and to collect and cite empirical observations as support.

Students are asked to order warfare items by importance and then "explain to a parent how you decided on your order," which requires them to state a claim (their ranking) and give reasons. Question prompts (e.g., which weapon would be most effective and why) and Option 2 (answering questions about what gold meant to the Incas and what the Spanish did with it) ask students to make reasoned responses based on provided readings and a linked video. The answer key and activity pages direct students to cite uses and origins of gold and to describe functions of objects, which supports using evidence from texts and sources.

Students are asked to write two paragraphs summarizing the fall of the Aztec and Incan Empires with a topic sentence, supporting details, and a concluding sentence, which requires them to introduce a main claim/central idea and organize supporting evidence. In the Incan Archaeology activity, students must state what an artifact is, speculate how the object was used, and answer what the object can tell us about Incan culture, requiring them to make interpretive claims and provide reasons. Several activities (timeline, video notes, and artifact sketch) ask students to collect and use details from sources to support their written responses.

Students are asked to analyze three artifacts and to "explain the reasoning behind your conclusions," requiring them to draw conclusions (claims) about past people based on physical evidence. Students record detailed observations on the Analyzing Artifacts pages and mark artifact locations and depths on the Dig Site Map, gathering and citing concrete evidence to support their conclusions. The Things to Review section explicitly states that the student's "arguments should be logical and supported by the available evidence."

Students read and analyze Hammurabi's laws in Activity 3, completing a table that asks them to record a law, describe how the same issue is handled in their modern community, and answer "Which law seems preferable or more fair, and why?" Students research and create a poster in Activity 8 that requires them to gather facts (a map, environmental uses, cultural elements, and an invention) and write one-sentence explanations for each item. In Activity 6 students summarize informational pages in their own words, practicing condensing evidence from texts into concise statements.

Students are asked to make predictions and state which solution they think will have the greatest mass ("Make a Prediction") and to conclude whether dissolving salt was a chemical or physical change, providing explanations for their reasoning. Students collect and record mass and volume data for four solutions, calculate density (Density = Mass/Volume), and are prompted to "use evidence from your measurements to explain your answer." The activities require students to explain observations (e.g., why denser water sinks) and complete conclusion statements that link salinity, mass, and density.

Students are asked to "construct an explanation based on evidence for how temperature and density cause water to move" (Skills) and to "use oral and written language to communicate findings," which requires organizing reasons and evidence. In Activity 2 students develop a model from observations (food coloring dispersal) and answer prediction and reflection questions that ask them to explain cause-and-effect relationships. In Activity 3 students build a model connecting particle motion to large-scale ocean currents and glue arrows into loops, which requires arranging reasons and evidence into a coherent explanatory sequence.

Students are prompted to "construct an argument supported by evidence" in the Skills list and to "Make a claim about what happens in the ecosystem and support it with evidence (from your model)" in Activity 4 questions. Multiple activities require students to develop a testable question, state predictions, explain cause-and-effect relationships, and use models (food chains/webs and game results) to support explanations. The lesson repeatedly asks students to use oral and written language to communicate findings and to answer prompts that link claims to specific evidence from investigations and models.

Students are prompted to choose which force caused the most change (water, wind, or ice) and "Explain your answer using evidence from your observations," requiring them to state a claim and support it with evidence. Multiple activities ask students to "analyze evidence," "construct explanations based on evidence," and "use oral and written language to communicate findings," which asks students to organize reasons and cite observations (e.g., river map analysis and the modeling diagram). Worksheets ask students to identify where erosion and deposition occur and to explain how water speed affects these processes using evidence from maps and models.

Students are asked to "construct an argument supported by evidence" for how population growth, resource use, and changes to ecosystems affect water systems (listed repeatedly in the Skills section). Students analyze graphs and experimental observations and are prompted to "use evidence to explain" relationships between pollutants, temperature, and dissolved oxygen in the Activity 1 and runoff investigation. In the Mini-Design Challenge and related questions, students must design a solution, explain how it works, and consider trade-offs and competing solutions for reducing agricultural impacts on water quality.

Students design, build, test, and evaluate water filtration systems and then answer reflection questions about which design worked best and why, requiring them to provide reasons and evidence for their conclusions. The skills list explicitly asks students to "construct an explanation based on evidence," "evaluate competing filtration designs based on how well they meet criteria and constraints," and to "use oral and written language to communicate findings." Students also analyze and interpret data (e.g., observations from filtration, water quality comparisons, and the leak investigation) and record those observations on activity pages.

Students are asked to collect and analyze a water sample and then "explain what you discovered about human impact and water quality," citing evidence of contamination and observations. They must create and present an ecosystem model and a food web and "use your materials to support your explanation," organizing the presentation into three main parts (ecosystem, human impact/evidence/solutions, food web). Activity pages prompt students to record observations, list evidence of human impact, describe how contamination could affect organisms, and propose possible solutions—tasks that require citing reasons and data.

Students are asked to respond to discussion prompts that require a position and reasons, for example: "Juana believes the pearl is evil. Do you agree? Why or why not?" and questions that ask whether the doctor is truthful and why. Students must answer reading questions in complete sentences, which prompts them to state claims (e.g., why Kino became "every man's enemy") and support them with textual details. The Stylistic Devices Log asks students to select phrases and sentences they feel are meaningful and effective, which has students gather textual evidence to support interpretations.

Students are asked to develop four discussion questions and "Provide answers or possible answers" which requires them to state positions and support them. The parent discussion prompts ask students to respond to opinion questions such as "Do you agree with Juana? Why or why not?" and to explain how the pearl changed relationships, which asks students to make claims and give supporting reasons. The Author and You and On My Own question types require students to combine textual information with their own knowledge to create answers, prompting students to construct reasoned responses.

Students are asked to list moral lessons from The Pearl and choose one to be the heart of their parable (Activity 1), which requires them to state a central idea or claim about the work. Students must describe the lesson to a parent and, per the parent notes, may be asked to support their chosen lesson with evidence from the text. The story map and rubric direct students to identify the theme and organize story elements (setting, characters, plot, introduction through resolution), which requires organizing material to portray the chosen lesson.

Students are asked to write a speech "defending or prosecuting Kino" and to "use persuasive techniques and evidence from the story," which requires them to state and support a claim. Students prepare and conduct a mock "Kino Trial," assigning roles and using evidence from the book to argue the case, which involves making opposing arguments. The Skills list asks students to "Draw conclusions based on evidence, reasons, or relevant information" and to "Identify and trace the development of an author's argument, point of view, or perspective in text," and Part D short-answer prompts require supporting answers with evidence.

Students are asked to write a short, well-organized paragraph in Option 2 explaining how a country's environment influences its economy, which asks them to connect causes (environmental features) to effects (economic activities). Students complete Option 1 by filling a table that requires them to gather and arrange evidence about climate, crops, farming influences, and major exports for four countries. Students also create Current Events Report pages where they summarize news (2–3 sentences) and record sources and significant people, practicing selection and organization of supporting information.

Students are asked to create a persuasive brochure inviting travelers to visit Central East Africa, which requires developing a slogan (a claim) and writing descriptions that encourage travel (providing reasons and supporting details). Students are also asked to research an issue (e.g., endangered mountain gorillas) and create a poster and a 2-minute public service announcement speech that provide information and encourage action (making claims and including supporting information). The current events journal and research options require students to gather facts and include them in presentations, which supports using evidence to back up their claims.

Students are prompted to state a conclusion and support it with evidence in Activity 1 (e.g., the "Explain Your Thinking" answer: "This investigation shows that air takes up space because it filled the cup and prevented water from entering..."). Several prompts ask students to record observations and reasons (Record Your Observations, "Why is it important that air is considered matter?", and Cause and Effect questions) that require citing evidence from the experiment and reading. The sample responses model a claim-plus-evidence structure when explaining how the atmosphere interacts with other Earth systems.

Students are asked to sort phenomena into atmospheric layers and "choose three of your placements and explain your reasoning using evidence from Chapter 2," which requires them to state positions and support them with facts. The Build-a-Layer and 3D Stack activities ask students to record altitude, temperature, unique characteristics, and importance and to "use your model to explain why each layer is different," prompting organized reasons and evidence. Discussion prompts (e.g., "How would Earth be different if one layer of the atmosphere didn't exist? Choose a layer and explain.") ask for cause-and-effect explanations supported by chapter content.

Students record observations and answer explanation questions for the can experiment, describing cause-and-effect (e.g., why the can collapsed) and citing evidence from the procedure. On the "Air Masses Move" activity, students state a prediction for Day 6 (a claim), answer questions that ask them to use data patterns to support that prediction, and complete prompts to "Explain What's Happening" and "Support Your Prediction" using the provided weather table. Students also draw and explain a model linking pressure differences to air movement and weather, which requires them to organize reasons and connect evidence to explanations.

Students are prompted to write a hypothesis (claim) about which surface will absorb the most energy and later write a "Final Explanation" using evidence (absorption, reflection, energy, uneven heating, atmosphere). The Mapping Energy activity asks students to choose six locations, record energy levels in a table, and answer targeted questions (e.g., "Which location absorbs the most energy? Explain why using both surface type and location.") that require organizing reasons and citing data from their model and measurements. The Surface Heating investigation requires students to collect temperature data, record results in a table, and use those data to support conclusions about absorption and reflection.

Students analyze weather maps and case studies and answer guided questions that require them to use evidence and explain reasoning (Weather Front Investigation, Severe Storms Case Study, It's Snowing, and the Your Weather at Home reflection). The Parent Plan and skills list call for constructing scientific explanations, using models, and analyzing/interpreting data to support explanations. Several student pages ask students to compare and apply ideas (e.g., compare tornadoes and hurricanes, explain what the map clues mean) and to write a short reflection paragraph about how fronts influence local weather.

Students analyze graphs of atmospheric CO2 and global temperature and are asked to use that evidence to explain relationships and causes (Climate Data Analysis parts 1–3). Students evaluate real-world actions, identify strengths and limitations, and design or improve solutions while explaining how their solution reduces emissions or a carbon footprint (Designing Solutions activity). The skills list and SEP notation explicitly call for 'Engaging in Argument from Evidence' and for using evidence to support explanations and compare solutions.

Students are asked to respond to the question "Do you think that Nhamo should have listened to Ambuya when she told her to leave? Why or why not? (Answers will vary.)", which requires them to state a claim about the character's choice and give reasons. As a Literary Luminary, students must choose two or three passages and "explain your reasons for picking them," which asks students to make evaluative claims about text passages and support those choices orally. Students also record page numbers and mark passages, which reinforces selecting evidence from the text to support their explanations.

Students are prompted to "clarify and support spoken ideas with evidence and examples" and to "support opinions in verbal presentations with detailed evidence and with visual or media displays," which requires them to back up statements during their oral narrative. Students must "select a focus, organizational structure, and point of view for a presentation" and identify parts of the writing process (prewriting, drafting, revising, proofreading), which asks them to organize their work. Students practice delivering their narrative aloud, using gestures and evidence/examples to enhance meaning and keep audience attention.

Students are asked to complete a "Current Events Report" that prompts them to state "What do you think about this story?" and to record reactions and interpretations, which requires them to state a position about a topical issue. Students use tables in "Comparing the Nations" (Option 1 and Option 2) to summarize government/economic information and to calculate and compare population densities, which requires organizing facts and evidence logically. Students complete the "Written and Non-Written Sources" activity, where they list and compare types of evidence and answer questions about what can be learned from different sources.

Students plan and write a short (20–30 second) radio advertisement about the Australian economy, requiring them to choose a focus, craft a script that highlights key exports, and arrange persuasive language to leave listeners feeling positively. Students conduct research for the "Reporter's Notebook on Aboriginal Rights," taking notes on a current concern, listing three relevant facts, and recording possible solutions and sources. Students complete a Venn-diagram comparison of the governments of Australia and the United States, organizing facts such as constitution dates, branches of government, heads of the executive branch, and legislative structures into similarities and differences.

Students are asked to write a Letter to the Editor (Choice 1) that directs them to state a clear position about climbing Uluru — e.g., "I think that climbing Uluru should be encouraged, be prohibited, be permitted but discouraged because..." — which prompts them to introduce a claim and give reasons. The Current Events Report activity requires students to summarize a news item related to Aboriginal Australians and record their reaction, which asks them to gather and record evidence and reasoning about contemporary issues. The Amazing Australian Animals research activity asks students to collect factual information and list five unusual facts and adaptations, supplying factual evidence students could use to support a claim.

The Vacation Planning activity asks students to list "Reasons to Take a Pacific Islands Vacation" and "Reasons to Go Elsewhere" in a two-column organizer and to complete the sentence "I've decided to book my flight to ___ because ___," which asks students to state a position and provide reasons. The Tourism & Village Life option directs students to identify resources, jobs, and how daily life might change if tourism becomes popular, prompting students to weigh positive and negative claims from a resident's perspective. The Current Events Report asks students to summarize a news story and write "What do you think about this story?", providing a place for students to state an opinion informed by a specific article.

Students plan and organize content using structured planning pages (e.g., a three-column table for Australian history and separate organizers for government, economy, natural environment, and cultures) that require them to list important ideas and how they will present them. Students create brochures with labeled sections (Overview, Government, Economy, Natural Environment, Cultures) and must produce a map, model, and oral presentation to a museum board, which asks them to "make a convincing case" for their design. The grading rubrics require accurate descriptions, inclusion of specified parts, clear planning, and a polished presentation, prompting students to collect and present supporting information.

Students read Chapter 1 about scientific theories and are prompted to consider the definition of a scientific theory and how that differs from everyday use. Students answer questions that require them to identify isostasy, continental drift, causes of mid-ocean ridges, and to list Wegener's evidence (matching rock formations, fossils, coal deposits, glacial evidence). Students perform demonstrations and build models (isostasy rebound drawings and a sea-floor spreading model) and are asked to describe observations and explain how the models illustrate geologic processes, and the skills section names constructing explanations based on evidence.

Students research a specific earthquake or volcanic eruption using guided question sheets (Find Out! or Real-Life Research) that prompt them to collect dates, locations, causes, damage amounts, and aftereffects. Students organize the information into a 5–7 slide slideshow, a poster with an oral presentation, or a written report, and are instructed to organize information into paragraphs and include causal explanations (for example, linking earthquakes to eruptions and describing resulting landslides). The Parent Plan also states students will "construct a scientific explanation based on evidence," which implies students will gather and use evidence to explain geologic events.

The Skills section instructs students to "Construct a scientific explanation based on evidence from rock strata for how the geologic time scale is used to organize Earth's 4.6-billion-year-old history," which directs students to gather and use evidence to support an explanation. The Activity asks students to reconstruct events from a model, highlight significant events, and explain what parts are missing and what the remaining parts can tell a scientist, requiring students to organize observations and reasons. The Parent Plan requires students to show and explain their model, describe effects like folding, faults, or erosion, and explain causes, which prompts use of evidence and reasoning in an oral or written explanation.

Students are asked opinion and justification questions such as "Do you think Bilbo should go on the mission? Why or why not? Would you go? Why or why not?" and a Life Application prompt asks students to think of a time they faced a challenge and whether they wanted to tackle it. Students are directed to "answer the questions below in complete sentences," which requires them to state positions and give reasons. Discussion prompts ask students to summarize the reason for the mission according to Thorin, which asks students to cite textual reasons supporting a claim.

Students are asked to use the "Problem Solving" page to write a problem statement, brainstorm three different solutions, and list the pluses and minuses of each option. Students must select the best solution and "explain the solution and why it is the best option," which requires them to state a position and give reasons. The parent plan and activities ask students to present the problem-solving process and construct essays/presentations that respond to a problem by proposing a solution with relevant details.

Students are asked to take positions and support them in prompts such as "Do you think Bilbo should have given Thorin the Arkenstone... Explain" and "Do you think Bilbo was a burglar... Why or why not?", which require them to introduce a claim and give reasons. Students must "answer the questions below in complete sentences" and "explain to your parent how each element affects the theme and mood of the story," which asks them to provide explanatory evidence linking text elements to their claims. The activity prompts (e.g., describing why Bilbo admitted giving the Arkenstone) require students to state motives and provide supporting reasoning from the chapters.

Students are instructed to introduce the title, author, and a brief premise in an introductory paragraph and to present three body paragraphs each with an argument or opinion supported by examples from the text. The outline template requires topic sentences and places for multiple supporting ideas and a conclusion, guiding students to organize reasons and evidence logically. The rubric specifically evaluates "Textual Evidence," "Comprehension," "Interpretation," and "Writing Style," which require students to use direct quotes and organize their responses.

Students are asked in the "Life Under Different Chinese Dynasties" activity to summarize accomplishments for each dynasty and answer "Would you have liked to live in China during this period? Why or why not?", which requires stating a claim and giving reasons. In Activity 5 (The Tao Te Ching) students must write on the back cover what they think the passage says about wealth and optionally state whether they agree and why, requiring them to state a position and support it. The timeline and dynasty summary tasks require students to select and cite factual details (accomplishments, dates) that can serve as evidence to support their reflections.

Students are asked to take a position about whether humans are part of an ecosystem (prompted in the Getting Started and Introducing the Lesson sections) and to justify their thinking (Questions #2 and the discussion prompts asking "Why or why not?"). Students gather and record observable data about biotic and abiotic components using the Survey Table and then create diagrams that show relationships and flow of matter and energy, which requires organizing reasons and evidence from their observations. The activities require students to explain necessary components (e.g., sunlight, producers, water) and provide reasons for those choices.

Students are prompted to list organisms, classify them as producers/consumers/decomposers, and record what they eat, where they live, and how they interact, which requires stating claims about each organism's role and supporting those claims with observations. The Environment 1/Environment 2 tables require students to describe abiotic factors and then answer the "Question for thought: Would the organisms in your environment survive in a different environment? Explain your answer," which asks students to make a claim about survivability and justify it with environmental evidence. Several short-answer questions (e.g., why a generalized feeder has an advantage, what happens when two species compete) require students to state positions and provide reasons grounded in ecological concepts.

Students answer direct questions that require taking a position and supporting it (for example, QUESTION #3 asks "Is succession beneficial for ecosystems? Why or why not?" with an explanatory answer). Students create a slideshow or portfolio with captions that explain stages of succession and the role of producers, which requires organizing images and explanatory text in a logical sequence. The skills section instructs students to "use oral and written language to communicate findings and defend conclusions," implying students will present claims and supporting evidence in their captions or descriptions.

Students are asked to "Explain in a paragraph how this island might gradually be repopulated," which requires them to state an explanation (a claim) about succession. Students must "create or find at least five images" and add captions that represent stages of succession, which asks them to collect and present supporting evidence. The Skills section instructs students to "use oral and written language to communicate findings and defend conclusions," and several guided questions ask students to give reasons linking causes (e.g., CO2, El Niño, disasters) to ecosystem changes.

Students are asked to collect and present photographic evidence of an ecosystem before, immediately after, and at present, and to write captions and paragraphs explaining why changes have occurred and what succession stages are represented. The activity requires students to identify the type of succession (primary or secondary), match stages of succession to provided graphics, and write a 20–30 year prediction with explanations for that prediction. The skills section explicitly states students will "use oral and written language to communicate findings and defend conclusions of scientific investigations."

Students are prompted to "make a guess regarding what will happen" when an abiotic factor changes and to "draw conclusions" about how changes affect organisms. Students gather information from readings and record factors, proposed changes, and expected results on the "Ecosystem Characteristics" activity pages, linking observations to predicted outcomes. The Parent Plan lists the skill to "Analyze evidence to explain observations, make inferences and predictions, and develop the relationship between evidence and explanation," indicating students practice using evidence to support inferences.

Students are prompted to write hypotheses/predictions for each experimental cup in the "Predictions" row of the Student Activity Page. Students collect and record daily quantitative and qualitative data (height and color) for Days 1–5 and record final observations in the "Results" row. Students compare results with their predictions and answer reflective "Questions to Ponder," and the Parent Plan lists skills that include making inferences, drawing conclusions, and analyzing evidence.

Students are asked to record a hypothesis before the slime investigation and to answer guided questions that explain how the carbon cycle illustrates the Law of Conservation of Matter and Energy. Students collect and organize quantitative data (cup weight, item-only weight, total weight, and a Difference calculation), and they are prompted to speculate and explain reasons for any differences in mass. In Activity 2 students create a food web diagram that represents and differentiates the flow of matter and energy using labeled arrows, linking evidence to an explanatory model.

Students are asked to research an extinct organism, gather reasons for its extinction, and collect supporting images and maps, which requires them to assemble evidence about causes. Students must write a paragraph describing how the extinction could have been prevented, including recommendations for changes where human activity was involved and examples of possible adaptations, which asks them to make and support a claim. The Skills section requires students to "use oral and written language to communicate findings and defend conclusions," and the Parent Plan encourages students to consider and critique other viewpoints about human versus natural causes.

Students create a mini-book in which they list specific "opportunities" for Tree-ear and "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 requires citing reasons or evidence from the text. The Parent Plan instructs parents to ask students to "defend his answer with a logical explanation" and to "provide evidence from the text to support his conclusions." Students also answer comprehension questions in complete sentences, which asks them to state explanations (e.g., why Min laughed or what the emissary told Min).

Students are asked to answer text-dependent questions in complete sentences (e.g., explain why Tree-ear decides to go on the journey), which requires them to state a position and support it. The discussion prompt "Do you think Min should teach Tree-ear to be a potter even though Tree-ear is not his son? Why or why not?" asks students to take a stance and give reasons. The Quotes activity directs students to "explain each of Crane-man's quotes" and to "share...two ways" a quote rang true in their life, prompting students to justify interpretations with examples.

The Skills section asks students to "organize interpretations of literature around several clear ideas" and to "justify interpretations of literature through sustained use of examples and textual evidence," which requires students to state positions about the text and support them. The Relationship Web and Relationship Words activities require students to describe relationships in at least two sentences and "support your descriptions with examples from the text, including the characters' thoughts, words, and actions." The discussion questions (e.g., "Do you agree? Why or why not?" and "Do you think Min is an admirable person? Why or why not?") prompt students to take a position and provide reasons from the text.

Students are instructed to write an introduction paragraph that informs the reader about the subject and to create topic sentences for body paragraphs that describe similarities and differences. The essay organizers prompt students to record ideas for each paragraph and to "provide support from the text" for each similarity and difference. The rubric evaluates whether the paper "compares and contrasts items clearly, providing specific examples," and whether the paper "follows the outline, providing topic overview, comparison, and contrast paragraphs," which directs students to organize reasons and evidence logically.

Students are asked to create a persuasive poster or a 30-second radio/TV advertisement that explains an environmental issue, describes why it is a problem, and offers actions people can take. The Option 2 script requires students to write text that answers "What is happening in the environment?", "Why is this environmental issue a problem?", and "What should people do about the problem?" Students must revisit readings about the Aral Sea, Caspian Sea caviar harvesting, or pollution in Kazakhstan to use as content for their message.

Students are prompted to make a choice and justify it in the Farming activity ("Do you think you would prefer to live in a river valley or in the uplands? Why?"), which requires stating a position and giving reasons. In the Resources and Economies activity students imagine being investors and must collect and record evidence about natural-resource-based versus capital/human-resource-based industries in charts or a flapbook, organizing information by country and activity type. The Farming compare/contrast page asks students to describe lifestyles and farming methods for two regions and create a labeled sketch, prompting students to organize observations and supporting details visually and in writing.

Students are asked to record threats (pollution, monsoon rains/tropical storms, tourism) on the Environmental Threats activity page and to choose one issue to create a poster raising awareness or proposing a solution. The poster rubric evaluates whether the topic is clear and whether the text "makes a strong statement," which requires students to state a position about an issue. The Student Activity Page tasks require students to describe the impact of each threat, which prompts them to gather reasons and evidence about their chosen issue.

Students are prompted to state how each country "fits the theme" on the Final Project Planning Page, requiring them to introduce a claim about a country's relevance to their chosen tour theme. Students must select five countries and justify choices, list specific destinations and activities, and write an overview for each country page using words and phrases to persuade travelers to participate. The Final Project rubric explicitly assesses "Relevance of countries to the tour's theme" and "Destination relevance and interest for travelers," and the unit test asks students to write well-organized paragraphs explaining how environments influence cultures.

Students collect mass measurements across Tests 1–4, record 'Change in Mass', and write observations and explanations on the Defining Matter activity page, which requires them to justify conclusions about the cookie. The Questions to Consider (e.g., 'At what point is this no longer a cookie? Why?') prompt students to state a position about the cookie's identity and to support it with observations and data. The activity asks students to answer conceptual questions (e.g., whether matter is created or destroyed and the role of energy), which requires organizing evidence from the hands-on measurements and prior readings.

Students develop an inquiry question and make predictions about whether selected substances contain carbohydrates, which functions as an explicit claim about a topic. Students perform tests, record observations in a structured table (predicted result, test result, actual result, explanation), and write brief explanations tying evidence (color changes) to conclusions about carbohydrate presence. Students are prompted to take evidence and make an explanation based on it and to consider the role of photosynthesis and carbohydrates in ecosystems when drawing conclusions.

Students make written predictions and record daily observations and results in the "Observing Decomposition" tables, linking those observations to explanations. Students write brief paragraphs answering prompts (e.g., explain what you would do and why for the hypothetical scenario) and complete "Decomposer Observations" entries that require naming, locating, and describing organisms as evidence. The parent guidance and activity prompts ask students to explain what happens to carbon and to justify answers with observed results.

Students research how nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium are used by plants using provided web links and complete the "Plant Food" activity, identifying nutrient functions and calculating pounds of each nutrient in a fertilizer bag. Students are asked to recommend which type of fertilizer to use for a lawn (organic vs. inorganic; quick vs. slow release) and to justify their recommendation using their research. Students answer questions about eutrophication and the effects of over-fertilization, using those explanations as supporting reasons in their evaluations.

The lesson requires students to select a controversial topic, develop research questions, find and record information from multiple sources, and write an argumentative essay (Steps to Independent Study checklist). The Point of View activity asks students to list how multiple stakeholders would view the Dakota Access Pipeline and to note reasons for supporting or opposing the project. The Argumentative Essay Rubric evaluates Ideas and Organization, and the Independent Study Rubric prompts students to consider whether their big question answers "so what?" and whether they used a note-taking method to collect evidence.

Students read two contrasting articles about Sir Sam Hughes and complete the "Detecting Bias" handout by describing how each article portrays Hughes and citing examples of bias. Students answer journal questions about the U.S. propaganda leaflets that require them to identify propaganda techniques, explain the government's purpose, and judge effectiveness, supporting answers with text evidence. Students watch and analyze advertisements in Activity 3 and complete a "Propaganda in Advertisements" handout that asks them to identify techniques, intended audience, and explain how effective each ad is.

Students brainstorm and select controversial topics that have multiple viewpoints and matter to others, as shown by the brainstorming and topic-selection activities and guiding questions. Students use KWM charts and 'Just Right Questions' and 'Focusing Your Topic' rubrics to form focused, open-ended, and important essay questions. The skills list and activities require students to generate a research plan, gather evidence from varied sources, and evaluate and synthesize collected information.

Students are asked to develop a position statement (example provided) and to create 4–5 research questions supporting their position and 2–3 questions for the opposing argument (Activity 6). Students must find at least three opinions from different stakeholders and record at least three supporting details for each (Activity 5). Students are directed to organize evidence using a gathering grid or note cards and to document sources on a Works Cited page, and they practice evaluating websites for purpose, authority, currency, and objectivity (Activities 1–4).

Students are directed to write a clear position statement in the Introduction and to "build up to your position statement," providing explicit instruction to introduce a claim. Students are asked to include a dedicated Counterarguments paragraph that tells them to "acknowledge other points of view and briefly state why you disagree with them," and the Example Outline models opposing points with counterarguments. Students are taught to organize reasons and evidence logically by outlining arguments from least to most important, using topic sentences, reasoning, multiple pieces of evidence, and transitional phrases to connect ideas.

Students are instructed to present their position on a controversial topic to a live audience and to prepare a visual aid to support that presentation. Students are told to create an outline to organize their presentation and to follow the same sequence of ideas as their argumentative essay, and some visual-aid options (e.g., Propaganda, Poster) explicitly ask students to show opposing views or explain multiple points of view. Students are guided to plan materials and steps for creating the visual aid and to reference the Independent Study Rubric for presentation guidelines.

Students are asked to write two diary entries (Activity 4, Option 1) in which they explain how they would act as an Athenian citizen and as a U.S. citizen to influence a proposed law, which requires stating a position and describing actions. In Activity 4, Option 2 students record advantages and disadvantages of Athenian direct democracy and representative democracy and then answer whether Athenian direct democracy would be suitable for the United States, which prompts them to take a stance and give supporting reasons. Optional extension and other tasks (e.g., creating an advertisement to entice travel to Athens or Sparta and the Marathon poster) ask students to produce persuasive material that asserts a claim and presents reasons to convince an audience.

Students are asked to write about a chosen ancient Greek in sections that prompt a claim and supporting ideas: the activity pages ask for "Best Known For," "Why the Person Was Important to Ancient Greece," and "Why the Person's Ideas/Contributions Are Important Today," which require students to state a position about the person's significance and provide reasons. The Famous Ancient Greek Option 1 also asks students to summarize what the person is "Best Known For" and generate questions, which requires identifying key evidence from readings. Activity 2 asks students to create a historically accurate daily schedule and to "refer back to your readings to help you determine a detail for each part of the day," prompting students to use evidence from sources to support their choices.

Students are asked to answer 'Why has Alexander the Great been considered great?' and to brainstorm qualities or achievements that made him significant. Students sketch a monument and are prompted to explain why they incorporated each element, which requires them to state a claim about his greatness and provide supporting reasons. The parent notes instruct that the child should be able to explain and thoughtfully discuss events of Alexander's life to justify design choices.

Students are asked to take a position about Brutus (hero or traitor) and either prepare a pros-and-cons list that weighs opposing claims or write and deliver a 3–5 minute persuasive speech that states a position, provides background, and gives specific reasons and a conclusion. In Activity 1, students compare and contrast multiple origin stories (Romulus and Remus, Trojan settlers, archaeological explanation) and assess how likely each theory is, requiring them to distinguish alternate explanations. The reading and provided web resources ask students to use historical details about Caesar, the Senate, and Roman government to support their judgments.

In Option 2 (Comparing Emperors), students complete side-by-side boxes for two emperors listing accomplishments, challenges/failures, and what made each a good leader. They are then asked to answer which emperor was the more effective leader and why, which requires choosing a claim and supporting it with the listed reasons/evidence. Option 1 (Augustus diary) asks students to describe how Augustus became emperor and to reflect on lessons and leadership qualities, prompting them to state a position about leadership qualities.

Students sort cut-out factors into "Internal" and "External" categories in Activity 2, which requires them to organize reasons and evidence about Rome's decline. In Question 4 and other short-answer prompts, students are asked to state whether external attacks caused Rome's downfall and to support their answer with specific causes, prompting them to give reasons and evidence. In Activity 3 (diary option) students write from one perspective (poor Roman or Roman official) and are explicitly asked to "think about" or consider how the other perspective would view Christianity, which prompts acknowledgement of alternate viewpoints. In Option 2 students read New Testament passages and analyze the authors' messages, which requires use of textual evidence to support interpretations.

Students are prompted to make predictions, record results, and write explanations in the Accelerometer activity (Prediction, Results, Explanation with Law #1 and Law #2 columns). In the Bucket Swing activity students must describe forces from two perspectives (the rock's rotating frame and a ground observer) and decide whether the rock is at equilibrium. The provided answer keys model contrasting conclusions and reasons (rotating-frame explanation invoking centrifugal + centripetal balance vs. stationary-frame explanation invoking an unbalanced centripetal force).

Students collect quantitative data and calculate work and mechanical advantage across activities (Activity 1, Ramp It Up, and Activity 4) and record results in tables. Analysis questions ask students to state whether a ramp or pulley provided mechanical advantage and to explain why using their measured forces and work values. The pulley comparison prompts students to compare two systems and answer "why" one system might be preferable and "why" the other might still be used, requiring students to cite data (input/output force, work, distance).

The Parent Plan explicitly lists a skill for students to "Construct and present arguments using evidence to support the claim that gravitational interactions are attractive and depend on the masses of interacting objects." In Activity 1 students collect quantitative data, record it in tables, graph results, and answer analysis questions that ask them to explain observed paths using Newton's second law (F=ma). In Activity 2 students are asked to apply Kepler's laws and prior experimental observations to answer explanatory questions, requiring use of evidence and reasoning from their investigations.

Students are asked to take a position in QUESTION #1: "Do you think Prometheus should have given fire to the people? Why or why not?" and provided sample pro/con answers, which requires stating a claim and giving reasons. Several comprehension questions (e.g., asking for examples of greed causing consequences) prompt students to cite examples from the myths as support for their answers. The play assignment asks students to choose and retell a story, which requires organizing dialogue to convey a clear point or perspective.

The Parent Plan explicitly lists synthesizing ideas across texts and supporting findings with textual evidence as a targeted skill. Students complete a Venn diagram comparing Heracles to a modern superhero and fill a detailed chart comparing the traditional Daedalus and Icarus myth to a contemporary retelling, which require organizing similarities, differences, and textual details. Several short-answer prompts ask students to state opinions (e.g., whether Jason or Medea is the hero) and explain why, prompting students to make brief claims and give reasons.

Students are asked to write out a summary or take notes and to "write responses to literature and develop interpretations" and to "organize literary interpretations around several clear ideas" (Skills). Students will retell the Trojan War orally using props and are prompted to pick out the most important events and to justify a choice in the discussion question, "Whom do you think should have won the battle over Helen? Why?", which asks for a position and reasons.

Students are asked to give personal judgments and reasons (e.g., "Do you think you would like to be a member of a royal family…? Why or why not?") and to explain the significance of the Magna Carta (e.g., "Why do you think the Magna Carta is considered one of the most important documents…?"). In Option 1, students complete a two-column table comparing ‘Before the Magna Carta' and ‘After the Magna Carta' on who held power, who made laws, whether the king had to obey laws, and available recourse, which requires citing differences as evidence. In Option 2, students generate and compare word clouds from the Magna Carta and other documents and answer analytical questions about which groups and ideas the text focuses on, prompting evidence-based comparisons.

The Planning a Siege activity asks students to choose weapons and methods of attack, place them on a diagram, and then write a "well-organized paragraph" describing the details of their attack, the defenses the castle might mount, and how their soldiers might defeat those defenses. The activity directs students to review descriptions of weapons and siege methods (pages 28-30, 42-45) and to justify which weapons and methods would be most effective. The Code of Chivalry option also asks students to explain and justify actions in response to scenarios, providing additional opportunities to state and support decisions.

Students are asked to write persuasive "Help Wanted" ads for a journeyman and an apprentice, including descriptions of the work, expectations, benefits, and reasons why the trade is valuable in the community (Activity 4). In the Personal Hygiene activity students complete a comparative table (Modern vs Medieval) and answer a reflective question asking whether it was easier or harder to take care of oneself, which requires stating a judgment and supporting it with observations. The plague activity asks students to roll dice, record numbers before/after, and analyze impacts on labor and defense, prompting students to use quantitative evidence to support conclusions.

Students are asked to list important events, discoveries, or ideas and then identify the most significant ones, which prompts them to evaluate evidence. Students must name the current era and explain their choice, requiring them to state a claim about how the era should be labeled. Students survey at least four people and mark repeated responses, which asks them to gather and use evidence and to note alternative views.

Students are asked to write 2-3 paragraph scripts for three historical characters and to use planning pages that prompt them to describe a day in the life, power relationships, and important issues (e.g., the Crusades or the plague). The planning prompt explicitly allows students to "give an opinion on the Crusades from another perspective," and the map option requires students to explain each map feature and its connection to what they have learned. Rubrics for both the fair and the map include criteria for clarity, historical accuracy, and a polished verbal walk-through, which require students to organize and present information aloud.

Students perform magic-with-refraction activities (Reappearing/Disappearing Penny) and complete the sheet "Shhh! Here's How It's Done," where they describe which trick they performed, what observers saw, what really happened, and provide a written explanation or diagram. Students explain the workings of lenses and refraction when they show a concave and convex object to their family and answer guided questions about focal points and how rays bend. Students also construct a camera obscura and answer directed questions that require them to state causes (e.g., why the penny reappears) and describe the paths of light.

Students are asked to "Describe clearly what the tool will do" and to "Explain the science that makes the tool work" on the Tool Background and activity pages, which requires stating a purpose or claim about their tool. Students must list materials and write an 8-step Procedure, record Observations (e.g., "How did your tool work? Did it do what you expected?"), and note Adjustments, which prompts organization of evidence and reasons. The Final Project Rubric and the Options (Periscope, Make Your Own, In the Mind's Eye) require students to plan, build, test, and explain their tool, providing places to present supporting evidence and reasoning.

Students are asked to write 3–4 sentence commentaries from the perspectives of a knight, a lord, and a peasant (Activity 2), which requires them to articulate different viewpoints and consider advantages and disadvantages of feudalism. Activity 1 directs students to record observations about jobs, clothing, homes, inventions, military defense, and comparisons to modern neighborhoods, which requires collecting and organizing evidence from a map. The parent plan also prompts discussion of different points of view and the advantages/disadvantages of the feudal system, encouraging students to compare perspectives aloud.

Students take on the role of a Line Locator and identify three to five lines or short passages they believe reflect good writing or are key to the story, recording page and paragraph numbers and explaining their choices. Students write explanations in their journals about why selected passages are examples of good writing or important to the story, giving reasons tied to textual locations. Students complete a Venn diagram comparing a personal event to Alyce's experience, identifying two similarities and three unique aspects, which requires organizing comparative evidence.

Students are prompted to state an opinion in the discussion question, "Do you think Alyce makes the right decision to go back to the village? Why or why not?," which asks for a judgment and reasons. Students complete the Relationships activity by describing Alyce's relationships at the beginning and end of the book and are asked to "Provide details from the book to support your answers," which requires citing evidence. The Connector role asks students to record connections between the book, their life, and the outside world, encouraging them to articulate and support interpretations.

Students are asked in Option 2 to prepare and deliver a speech as a monarch, gathering five index cards labeled Religion, Competition, Wealth, Glory, and Knowledge, writing ideas on each, and organizing the cards in an effective order for presentation. In Option 1 students must write 1–2 sentence explanations for each motivation, practicing stating reasons in writing. The reading and question set also requires students to explain historical interpretations (e.g., why historians' views change), which has students give explanatory reasons based on the text.

The Activity 2 options require students to adopt a viewpoint aboard the Pinta and either write a journal entry (Option 1) or plan/perform a skit (Option 2) that presents both pro-Columbus and pro-Pinzón perspectives. Option 1 explicitly asks students to state a date, give at least three reasons they initially joined the voyage, give at least three reasons sailors might be discontent, and then make and explain a decision to support Columbus or Pinzón. The directions tell students to review pages 22–23 to prepare, directing them to use the historical reading as background for their reasons and explanations.

Students are asked to write three arguments for each side of the Columbus Day question and to provide specific facts to support each argument (Activity 2 and the affirmative/negative student pages). Students must choose a side and write a short opening statement that "clearly states your position" and a 3-4 sentence closing statement that summarizes and persuades (Activity 3). The debate format requires students to present arguments in order, make rebuttals after each opponent argument, and to anticipate and counter opposing points, encouraging them to distinguish their claim from alternate claims and respond to them.

Students are asked to present a short introductory speech in the role of Copernicus where they must share his background and "important findings," which requires them to introduce Copernicus's claims about the heliocentric system. In Activity 4 students draw diagrams of the medieval (Earth-centered) model and the Copernican (Sun-centered) model, which has them distinguish Copernicus's claim from the prior opposing view. In Activity 2 and the discussion prompts students compare medieval and modern ways of thinking and list factors that led to the shift, which asks them to contrast different claims about how knowledge is justified.

Students choose a modern scientific controversy, conduct internet- or library-based research, and ask at least three people for opinions. Students form and state their own position and write a short (200-word) letter to the editor in which they address the central issue and provide at least two strong arguments in support of their position.

Students are asked to choose which of Newton's achievements they would like to learn more about and to explain why (Question #3), which requires stating a claim and supporting it with reasons. Activity 3 asks students to select one invention to explore in greater detail and to complete activity pages that ask "Why do you think [the invention] is regarded as an important invention?" and to describe what it makes possible, which prompts students to give reasons and examples. The final project requires students to choose a voyage and a scientific idea or invention, study them, and "present... and explain why these voyages and discoveries were so earth-shaking," which asks students to state and support an evaluative claim to an audience.

The lesson requires students to write a well-organized five- to six-paragraph essay (Option 2) and gives explicit guidance to sketch an outline, write an introduction and conclusion, and include specific examples as evidence. The parent guidance for the essay emphasizes a strong introductory paragraph stating the main point and asks for specific examples to support main points. The final project asks students to "make a strong argument" that chosen figures are historically important and the rubric includes criteria for evidence of careful planning/research and explanation of historical significance.

Students are directed to plot sunspot data, label maxima and minima, and calculate the average length of time between maximum years, which requires organizing numerical evidence. The instructions ask students to "decide whether this pattern could be considered a cycle that the Sun goes through regularly" and to "explain what a sunspot cycle is and whether the graph suggests regular intervals," which prompts students to state a claim about the data. The activity pages require students to use the graph and calculations to support their answers and to respond to follow-up questions that rely on evidence from their analysis.

Students are asked in Activity 1 Option 1 to create a vacation poster that argues why people should visit a chosen moon and to include information on the atmosphere, environmental hazards, and how the vacation spot has overcome those hazards. The instructions require students to include factual information from the book about gravity (heavier/lighter), atmospheric composition, and geographic features as supporting details. Activity 4 (Planetary Passport and board-game cards) requires students to gather and compare specific planetary data (diameter, distance, rotation/orbital periods, temperature, rings, etc.), which prompts students to collect evidence about planets.

Students are asked to write a report on a space technology (Option 1 or 2) and to record structured information such as year inducted, innovators, technologies/skills from the space program, how the device improved over previous technologies, and how many people were helped. Students complete a "Space Explorers" activity page that requires listing materials, a step-by-step procedure, and evaluating whether the spacecraft succeeded, and they must create and present a model and attach a photo. Option 2 requires students to pose two research questions and answer them, which prompts students to gather and organize evidence from sources.

Students are asked to "suggest a model that could appear in a museum" and to complete a "Written Plan for a New Solar System Model," which requires an overall description of their suggested model. Students complete a comparison chart listing advantages and disadvantages for the Grocery Bag and Stand models and sketch disadvantages on the "Drawing Plans" page, showing they identify alternative models. Students respond to guided questions (e.g., how the model will show relative sizes, distances, and orbits) and use a rubric to address criteria that could serve as reasons or evidence for their suggested model.

Students are asked to identify and analyze persuasive techniques (promises, dares, flattery, glittering generalities) and to collect real-world ads that use those techniques. The Media Awareness activity asks students to write their own ads (Option 2) and role-play as the creator, and the skills list includes "Recognize effective arguments in oral presentations and media messages."

Activity 2 requires students to choose a persuasion technique and write or ad-lib a 30-second message from the flower to convince the little prince to return, then perform it and name the technique(s) used. The task asks students to draw on a prior "Persuasion Techniques" or "Write Persuading Copy" activity, which directs students to produce persuasive language (flattery, dares, promises, glittering generalities). Students practice composing a concise persuasive claim and supporting language for an intended audience.

Students plan and write persuasive letters to a planet inhabitant proposing a solution, using the Planet Problem worksheet to identify the inhabitant, describe the planet, list problems, and brainstorm solutions. The Two Views option requires students to write two letters (child and adult perspectives) with prompts such as "I'd like to solve your problem by ____" and "This will solve your problem by ____," which asks students to state a claim and explain how it will work. The parent notes ask students to include facts and figures in the adult viewpoint and to discuss which persuasion techniques they used, prompting students to supply supporting reasons and audience-specific appeals.

Students are prompted to state and support an opinion in Question #3, which asks "Do you think this is true? Why or why not?," requiring students to make a claim and give reasons. The wrapping-up prompt asks students to explain why the fox says friendship prevents activities from becoming monotonous and to give two examples, which asks for explanation and supporting examples. The skills section also asks students to paraphrase major ideas and supporting evidence in presentations, which encourages using evidence to support statements.

Students are asked in Activity 2 ("Persuading the Fox") to create a poem or drawing with an accompanying explanation that reassures the fox that the little prince made it home, prompting them to state a claim and provide supporting details. The Student Activity Page directs students to "List two ways the narrator says he knows the little prince made it home" and to answer "What else could the narrator say to persuade the fox?," which requires offering reasons and evidence. The wrapping up task asks students to share a letter and "Explain why you agree with the narrator that the little prince made it home or why you do not," prompting students to state a position and support it.

Students are asked to write a short paragraph about a chosen passage that explains what the passage "has to say about the idea of love or friendship" (Option 1) and to "summarize what happens and how the passage deals with persuasion" (Option 2). The Parent Plan Skills section lists "Summarize author's purpose and stance in oral presentations and media messages," and the discussion question asks students to state whether Demetrius's love is real and to explain why or why not.

Students are asked directly to state whether A Midsummer Night's Dream is a comedy or a tragedy and to explain why (Question #3), which requires introducing a claim and providing reasons. Students watch and then discuss the animated adaptation, answering prompts about included scenes and how well the story is told, which elicits defending a viewpoint with supporting observations. A wrap-up prompt asks how the play might have ended differently if it were a tragedy, prompting students to compare outcomes and consider alternate interpretations.

Students are asked to create a persuasive message from Romeo or Juliet to their parents using persuasive techniques (glittering generalities, flattery, dares, or promises) and 2–3 vocabulary words (Activity 2). The Parent Plan lists a skill to "identify, analyze, and critique persuasive techniques," and students must share their message and explain which type of persuasive message they used. The persuasive task requires students to produce a written message that would typically state a position or request directed at their parents.

Students are asked explicitly to "state the thesis or purpose of your essay" and the "Play Cupid" and "Strongest of All" pages prompt a thesis/main idea, problem, solution, evidence, important quotes, and conclusion. The OUTLINING page directs students to develop a thesis, list 2–3 reasons (each as its own body paragraph), and place supporting evidence under labeled subpoints (A, B, C, D). The Classics Rubric evaluates Ideas and Support and Organization and Structure, reinforcing expectations for logical organization and evidence use.

Students explicitly compare and contrast Martin Luther's views with Catholic Church teachings in Activity 2 by writing Luther's objections to four Church statements (indulgences, good works vs. faith, special connection of officials to God, number of sacraments). Option 2 has students verbally state Luther's perspectives in response to parent prompts, and the answer key and reading references guide students to cite specific reasons (e.g., selling indulgences as corruption, 'faith alone'). Activity 3 role-plays and brainstorming ask students to explain how religious beliefs and official policies produce real-world consequences, requiring them to connect claims about religion to supporting reasons about social and political effects.

Students write short (2–3 sentence) gallery introductions that explain why they selected particular Renaissance works and describe connections among the pieces (Activity 4, Option 1). In the Digital Art Field Trip (Option 2) students record title/artist/year/website and explicitly explain why they found each work interesting and why they included it, which asks for reasons supporting their choices. In Activity 3 students place and label events on a map (e.g., Silk Road, Gutenberg, Marco Polo) to show how influences combined and spread, which requires organizing historical evidence to support a causal narrative.

Students answer focused questions (e.g., why Elizabeth I and advisors worried about Catholics in Scotland; what the papal bull declared and why it mattered) that require stating causes and supporting reasons. Students also organize information about Reformation figures on timeline cards and create a color-coded map that organizes religious affiliations geographically. The 'Things to Think About' prompts ask students to consider roles of leaders and how cultural changes spread, encouraging analytical thinking about causes and effects.

Students are asked to write a short proposal (Activity 4) that states how a colony will benefit England and to include specific points (what Spain/Portugal found, advantages of a colony, reasons the queen should support it), which requires stating a claim and giving reasons. In Activity 2 students write diary entries from distinct perspectives (Privy Council, Jesuit) and are asked to list three reasons a supporter might fear a Catholic uprising, which has them articulate claims and supporting reasons. One Activity 2 option also asks students to list three reasons to hide Jesuits and the dangers in doing so, which requires producing both supporting reasons and counterarguments.

Students are asked to make evaluative claims about Elizabeth I by writing an epitaph (Option 1) that selects three important accomplishments and summarizes her leadership qualities. In Option 2, students pick four adjectives that describe Elizabeth and provide a concrete example from her life for each adjective, and they are told to be prepared to defend their choices in conversation. Discussion prompts (e.g., "Do you think that she was a good ruler? Why?") require students to state a position about her rule and give reasons.

Students are asked to write a paragraph about an object's inventor and when the technological design was invented, which requires stating a claim about the device's origin. Students choose an optional Part 3 topic such as the rationale for the device or the tests and trials associated with its development, which asks them to explain how and why the device was used and to provide supporting facts. Discussion questions prompt students to rate inventions as beneficial or harmful and to justify their positions, encouraging them to state a position and provide reasons.

Students are asked to choose two technologies and state whether each is a necessity or a luxury, directly introducing a claim about a topic. Students must answer structured questions about whether the design solved a societal problem and why it became important, requiring them to provide reasons and supporting information. The materials instruct students to "back up her claim with evidence" and provide guiding questions (e.g., did it improve survival, reduce mortality, save time) to help gather evidence. The lesson also notes that "in some cases either answer may be possible" and asks students to "be prepared to explain your rationale," which prompts consideration of alternative perspectives.

Students are asked in Option 3 to "advise the festival coordinators when the winds are less than 20 mph," which requires making a recommendation based on measured data. The prompt tells students to "consider what you would do and how you would collect the evidence needed" and to "make notes of what you are doing," which asks students to gather and record evidence. The Skills section also asks students to "use information systems to locate resources to obtain ideas," supporting students' use of sources to back up their conclusions.

Students are prompted to make a value judgment (e.g., "was da Vinci crazy then or did he make a lot of sense") and to evaluate inventions by assigning ratings and writing supporting evidence in the provided "Rating" and "Evidence" columns for parachute, ornithopter, and helical air screw. The "Standards" rubric and activity pages ask students to identify scientific principles, risks, benefits, constraints, and testing protocols and to use evidence from the text (and optionally other resources) to justify their ratings. Students are also asked to build a chosen design, then revisit and revise their evaluations and explain why they changed any ratings, which requires providing reasons and evidence for their judgments.

Students are asked to research and evaluate contemporary designs using structured "Rating" and "Evidence" columns for categories such as Scientific Principles, Risks, Benefits, Constraints/Limitations, and Testing Protocols. The Engineering on a Budget activity asks students to identify the need/problem (Step 1), research solutions (Step 2), and develop possible solutions with diagrams or descriptions (Step 3). Students are directed to collect and record evidence from web resources and to organize findings on student activity pages.

Students are asked to select the best solutions (Step 4) and construct prototypes (Step 5), then test and evaluate each solution while recording test results, reasons, and modification recommendations on the provided table. Step 7 asks students to prepare an engineering presentation that includes a discussion of how the solutions best meet the needs of the initial problem and to address societal impact and trade-offs. The activity requires students to use test data from trials and to determine whether solutions meet original design constraints.

Students are asked to make an engineering presentation that includes a rationale for why they chose certain designs over others and to be prepared to share test data, history, and evaluations that support their choices. The final project rubric evaluates an "Evaluation Report" for use of data to generate redesign criteria and a "Design Solutions" criterion that asks students to evaluate multiple designs and identify optimal solutions. The testing and evaluation steps require students to test prototypes, record results, and write ideas for improvement, which requires organizing reasons and evidence from their tests.

Students read pages about Newton and answer a question asking why Newton hated Hooke, which requires them to describe Hooke's opposing wave theory and Newton's particle view. The Parent Plan prompts students to discuss how Newton and Hooke were similar and why they did not work together, asking students to acknowledge the disagreement and explain differences. Questions instruct students to answer in complete sentences and to summarize important information from the text, which has them articulate claims about historical positions in prose.

Students are asked in Question #1 to identify who convinced Newton to publish and "What arguments did the person make?", which requires identifying someone's reasons. In Activity 1 students must take notes on what each person thought about an event and either act out each person's viewpoint (using index cards to note what he or she would say) or write opposing newspaper headlines and notes for two perspectives on the same event. The Student Activity Page directs students to describe the event and record two distinct perspectives in separate columns.

Students are prompted to write a thesis statement and to identify three areas of Newton's expertise that will each support the thesis, then transfer those areas into a traditional Roman-numeral outline (I, II, III) with 2–3 supporting details per area. The Technical Writing Rubric requires a clear introduction and conclusion and evaluates Organization and Structure for logical ordering and cohesive transitions. The Ideas and Support rubric asks students to list 2–3 relevant areas of Newton's studies and explain their relation to current industries, guiding the use of reasons and evidence.

Students are asked to create a public service poster that requires a brief, easy-to-remember statement telling people what they should do, which functions as an introduced claim. The poster also requires "at least one reason why the action you're suggesting is a good idea," prompting students to provide supporting reasons/evidence. The newspaper option asks students to summarize three news stories and write 2–3 sentence summaries, which engages students in identifying and condensing evidence about environmental issues.

Students are asked in Activity 5 to choose between a unicameral and bicameral legislature and answer "Which option would you prefer and why?", prompting them to state a position and give reasons. The optional campaign poster extension asks students to create a poster encouraging votes and to list one campaign promise, which asks for a persuasive claim and supporting rationale. Activity 5 also includes guided discussion prompts about pros and cons and which groups might be unhappy, which asks students to consider alternative viewpoints. Activity 6 asks students to research and record government features and to use a Venn diagram to compare countries, providing organized evidence that could support claims.

Students must respond to Unit Test Question 8: "Would you want to live in a single-party government or a multi-party democracy? Explain your answer," which requires choosing a position and giving an explanation. The rubric includes a criterion for "Thoughtful Response to Questions," and Activity 5 asks students to share their Quick Guide and be prepared to answer questions, prompting students to state and defend a viewpoint or explanation orally or in writing.

Students collect and record observations in Activity 3 using a four-column table (Phenomenon, Form of Energy, Evidence, Additional Energy), which requires them to identify a claim about which form(s) of energy are present and to list evidence supporting those identifications. In Activities 1 and 2 students match vocabulary terms with definitions and sort items into categories (forms vs. sources; renewable vs. nonrenewable), practicing organization of reasons and evidence when justifying categorizations. The Reading and Questions section asks students to provide examples and definitions (e.g., energy carriers), which requires citing supporting examples as evidence.

Students are instructed to write a formal letter or email stating their purpose, introducing their idea, explaining how they recognized the problem, and proposing a resolution (Business Letter/Email templates and Parent Plan components). Examples prompt students to explain who they are, why they are writing, include supporting details (such as a linked study), and ask the recipient to take action. The presentation and parent evaluation prompt students to share their reasoning, utility-bill evidence, and audit results as support for their recommendations.

Students are asked in Activity 6 to write a two-paragraph analysis of one of their own poems with a required topic sentence and at least two supporting sentences in each paragraph, which requires stating a main claim and giving supporting reasons. The Skills section specifies that students should provide evidence from text to support understanding, and the rubric's Supporting Materials awards points for a two-paragraph analysis that clearly expresses purpose and inspiration. Students also produce a one-paragraph autobiography and a poem analysis that must be proofread and organized neatly onto designated pages, reinforcing paragraph-level organization of reasons and evidence.

Students are asked to create a recruitment poster that persuades young people to come to Virginia and to consider what worries a potential colonist might have and how an advertisement could alleviate those worries, which prompts persuasive positioning. Students complete a "Tobacco vs. Silk or Flax" pros-and-cons chart, read background sources, and answer which crop they would choose and why, which requires choosing a position and supplying reasons. Students complete a two-column "Should You Go to Virginia?" table listing pros and cons for two specific people, and a Venn diagram comparing Equiano's voyage and the Mayflower, which asks them to compare perspectives and note differences.

Students compare reasons for founding colonies using a Venn diagram and fill-in tables that require them to organize reasons and economic evidence for colonies founded for profit versus religious freedom. Students evaluate multiple competing explanations for the Salem witchcraft hysteria by listing merits and doubts for each explanation in a table, distinguishing among alternate claims. Students create and analyze the Mayflower Compact (via a word cloud and by drafting their own compact), writing a statement of purpose and listing actions that support that purpose.

Students are asked in Option 2 (Colonial Occupations) to prioritize a list of occupations, rank them from 1 to 10, and provide reasons for those rankings, requiring them to select and support a position. The Student Activity Page directs students to describe each occupation's function and to justify their rank, prompting them to organize reasons for their choices. Option 1 (Colonial Farming) asks students to create a detailed list including benefits and pitfalls, labor needs, and specific steps, which has students assemble and present organized evidence about a chosen topic.

Students complete Activity 2's "Resistance" table by writing what each Act or Policy did and why the British might have enacted it, and by writing why colonists might have objected, which asks them to articulate two opposing perspectives. Students answer discussion questions such as which act they would have objected to most and why, requiring them to state a position and give reasons. In Activity 1 students write a short movie review or trailer script that asks for a recommendation or evaluation and supporting comments (summary, what was interesting, a criticism), prompting a concise claim with supporting reasons.

Students examine Jefferson's rough draft of the Declaration, choose 3–5 significantly revised sections, and suggest 2–3 edits while noting reasons for those changes on an activity page. Students imagine being colonial youths and discuss how religious revival ideas might influence political views, explaining connections and using evidence from Library of Congress and other readings. Students answer focused reading questions that require stating causes and supporting answers with textual information (for example, explaining why girls in Providence spun homespun cloth as a protest).

Students answer targeted questions that require stating reasons and causes (e.g., explaining why James Forten supported the Revolution and why children were used as spies). Students write an extended piece in Option 2 by composing a letter that asks them to explain why they signed up, describe daily life, give a specific battle scene, and state hopes for the future — activities that require them to present claims and supporting details. Students complete the Revolutionary National Parks brochure questions (e.g., "What factors led to American victories at Saratoga?" and "What was the impact of Saratoga on foreign involvement?"), which ask them to identify and explain reasons and evidence for historical outcomes.

The project requires students to state whether their character would have supported independence and to explain that stance, explicitly asking for "at least three specific reasons for discontent with Great Britain" before explaining support or opposition. Both Option 1 and Option 2 ask students to plan and present organized parts (overview, colony history, reasons for/against independence, role in the Revolution or military life) and to speak about each part for about five minutes. The provided rubrics assess "Discussion of reasons for or against independence," clarity of delivery, use of evidence (demonstrations/images), and accuracy, which ties student performance to presenting reasons and supporting details.

Students are prompted to answer the essential question "How do we know that all matter is made of smaller, 'invisible' parts?" and to collect and discuss evidence from Activity 1. Students record mass measurements at time intervals, sketch observations of the milk jug, and answer guiding questions about what is happening and why, which requires them to cite observational evidence (mass, shape changes, particle behavior). Students are also asked to discuss their results with a parent and to explain what evidence supports that matter is not lost when it changes state.

Students make a list of fifteen household items and identify primary and secondary materials on the Survey sheet. Students complete a "Survey Details" table where they record the properties of the materials and the "Reason for Material" for each item, and they research elemental composition on the "Getting Specific with an Element" page. Students collect and record atomic and compound evidence (element names, atomic number, properties) and create "Atomic Cards" that summarize periodic-table information for elements found in their chosen item.

Students analyze paragraph structure by identifying topic sentences, supporting sentences, transitions, and concluding observations in multiple activities (Paragraph Analysis Options 1 and 2). Students identify and remove sentences that do not belong and write replacements, practicing organization of reasons and evidence within a paragraph. In the John Adams the Suitor activity, students list positive and negative attributes of a candidate, explicitly considering pros and cons.

The Boston Massacre activity (Option 1) directs students to "state your argument about what the artist might have thought" and to "support that argument with 2-3 specific examples," ending with a concluding idea. The activity prompts students to write a "well-formed paragraph," and the Option 2 writing task asks students to compose a descriptive first-person paragraph and to use active voice. Activity 1 asks students to rewrite passive clauses in active voice to improve clarity, which supports clearer presentation of claims and evidence.

Students read primary-source letters and complete an activity comparing their own reading to how the biographer used the same letter (Exploring Primary Sources Option 1), answering questions such as "What point or idea was the author attempting to convey using selections from this letter?" and noting which parts the author did or did not quote. Students working in Option 2 explicitly analyze sources by answering who created the source, the content, context, point of view/bias, and how the source connects to what they are studying. In Activity 2, students list John's and Abigail's responsibilities and answer how shifts in duties may have influenced Abigail, requiring them to make interpretive claims supported by textual evidence.

Students complete a three-column "Federalists and Republicans" chart in which they identify leaders, stances on federal versus state power, who should govern, views of the French Revolution, and whom each party endorsed for president, requiring them to distinguish opposing political claims. Students answer targeted reading questions about John and Abigail Adams' views on the French Revolution and John Adams' career, which requires them to cite and interpret textual evidence. Students compare and contrast party positions and summarize differences in discussion questions, demonstrating analysis of alternate claims.

Students are asked to plan and write three short scripted scenes that explain events in Abigail Adams's life, including stating dates and explaining context, which requires them to present ideas with supporting historical details. The project requires quoting at least one primary source and the rubric explicitly asks for accurate dates and historical information, encouraging the use of evidence. The study guide and review boxes include instruction on parts of a well-written paragraph (topic sentence, transitions, supporting sentences, concluding observation) and mention how paragraph structure and verb choice can increase persuasiveness.

Activity 4 asks students to prepare a 30-second Anti-Federalist speech that summarizes an Anti-Federalist claim against ratification and includes a specific example of how the Constitution might cause problems. Activity 2 directs students to research two Federalists and two Anti-Federalists, write brief biographies, note connections to Federalism/Anti-Federalism, and draw similarities or generalizations comparing the positions. Activities 1 and 3 require students to complete structured tables and graphic organizers that link specific weaknesses or faction policies to concrete harms or limits, which prompts students to gather and record reasons and evidence.

Students research a real bill in Activity 2 and are prompted to "Summarize, in your own words, what this bill is designed to do" and answer "Do you think this bill sounds like a good idea?", which requires them to state a position. Students are also asked "Who do you think might oppose this bill?" and "Who do you think might benefit from this bill?", which prompts them to identify alternate or opposing viewpoints. Students locate committee actions and the bill's status, which requires gathering factual evidence about the bill's progress.

The Option 2 "Change in Your Community" activity asks students to research an issue, briefly summarize the issue, and identify organizations or individuals involved (prompts 1–3). The same activity asks students to identify strategies used to create change and then answer "Which side of this issue do you think you would be on, personally? Why?", prompting students to state a position and give reasons. The activity prompts require students to collect factual information (organizations, strategies, history) that can serve as evidence to support a claim.

Students research and summarize the positions of five political parties on chosen issues (Political Parties activity) and are asked to circle the position they agree with most and identify which party most often matches their views. Students complete an Action Plan that requires them to list four facts about an issue, explain why it matters, state what change they want, and summarize the president's and their representatives' positions. Students are prompted to write what they would tell the president or a member of Congress and to propose laws or citizen strategies at state, local, and personal levels.

Students study and are asked to "understand the key arguments of the Federalists and Antifederalists" and to review those positions for the unit test. The unit test includes open-ended prompts asking students to "explain the main weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation" and to describe checks Congress has on the executive and judicial branches, requiring students to state reasons and supporting ideas. The lapbook presentation rubric requires students to "explain contents comfortably" and "answer questions accurately and thoughtfully," which asks students to articulate claims and supporting information orally.

Students record observations in a structured chart for two reactions, noting changes in volume, temperature, and reactions (Observation Guide and Student Activity Page). Students answer and discuss Questions to Consider and Questions to Discuss that ask them to use observed evidence (e.g., gas production, temperature change, conservation of mass) to explain whether a chemical reaction occurred and why results should be consistent. Students also compare outcomes of different conditions (baking soda vs. cream of tartar; dry vs. wet matches) and explain how energy affects reactions.

Students are asked to decide whether the baking-soda-and-vinegar reaction is endothermic or exothermic and to explain why, which requires stating a claim and supporting it (Parent Plan questions and Answer Key). The Student Activity Page has a data table where students record room temperature, mixture temperature, and observations across trials, so students collect and use evidence to support conclusions. Several guided questions ask students to explain temperature changes and classify reactions as endothermic or exothermic, prompting reasoned justification based on observed data.

Students are prompted to write an initial, testable claim in Activity 2 with a dedicated "Claim" section and to record observations as evidence in the "Observations and Evidence" section. In Activity 1 students sort explicit statements into claim, evidence, or justification categories, practicing distinguishing those elements. The Parent Plan presents two opposing claim options (a reaction will occur vs. will not occur) and asks students to justify or refute a chosen claim using experimental data.

Students are asked to make value judgments about specific substances (Cholesterol Medicine, Tylenol, Fertilizer, etc.), classify each into categories, and state risks, benefits, and whether each is a good or bad value. Students are instructed to research each substance using provided links and complete a table that records Risk, Benefit, and a written Value Explanation for each substance. Activity 1 requires students to determine whether listed materials are natural or synthetic, which asks students to assert a clear determination about each item.

Students are asked to act as a CEO and "make a case for or against the production of a substance," requiring them to state a position. The project directs students to collect evidence about a chosen medicine (chemical name/formula, benefits, harms, risks, natural counterparts) using the "What Does It Do?" activity. Students must create a presentation that explicitly includes Slide 6: The Claim, Slide 7: The Evidence, and Slide 8: The Justification, and the parent/sample responses model listing positives and negatives to support a decision.

Students are asked in Option 1 to evaluate characters as leaders and "list specific examples to support your assertions about each leader's strengths and weaknesses," which requires stating claims about each character and supporting them with evidence. In Option 2, students must compare the Seven Commandments to the Bill of Rights and answer questions such as "Which of the Seven Commandments do you think is most important? Why?" and "Would you rather live under the rule of a government based on the Seven Commandments or one based on the Bill of Rights? Explain," which asks students to choose a position and justify it. The Characters as Leaders table and the Seven Commandments comparison prompt require students to provide reasons and textual examples to back their responses.

Students are asked in Activity 1 to compare how work was done on Manor Farm and Animal Farm and to "use specific examples from the text to support your points," which requires them to gather reasons and textual evidence to back claims. The business-letter example and prompts (e.g., advocating for legislation supporting farmers' rights) ask students to compose correspondence that "reflects an opinion, registers a complaint, or requests information," providing an opportunity to state a position in a formal format. The unit's "Ideas to Think About" also prompts students to consider how persuasive writing can be used to share opinions and encourage change.

Students are asked to write a short (2-minute) speech honoring a participant in the Battle of the Cowshed that must explain the individual's role, highlight admirable characteristics, and explain what award or honor they would bestow. The speech task requires students to provide the audience with a lesson drawn from the example, which asks them to give reasons or rationale for the honor. The activity directs students to read the chapter carefully and base their explanations on evidence from the text.

Students research Russian Revolution figures and complete activity pages that ask them to state a "Connection to 'Animal Farm'" and to provide "Specific evidence that leads to that connection," which requires making a claim and supporting it with evidence. The student pages for Leon Trotsky, Vladimir Lenin, Czar Nicholas II, Karl Marx, and Josef Stalin explicitly prompt students to record roles and links to the novel and to supply supporting details. The skills list also names a writing task to "Write a letter that reflects an opinion," which could require introducing an opinion-based claim.

Students are asked in Activity 1 to write forceful, persuasive advice from Napoleon's perspective and to use examples and appeals to emotion, logic, or duty to convince readers, which requires them to introduce and support a central claim. The reading question that asks whether Snowball was truly betraying the farm or whether Napoleon exaggerated provides a prompt for students to consider opposing explanations. Activity 1's prompts (e.g., how to squelch dissent, how to deal with traitors) guide students to generate reasons and illustrative examples to support their advice.

Students are instructed to write a 1-2 sentence statement of the novel's main theme on their plot diagram, which requires them to introduce a claim about the text. Students are asked to identify and list specific incidents from the novel that illustrate each theme and to explain how those incidents support the theme (Developing a Theme, Analyzing Theme bubble map). Students are directed to "show" and "tell" by providing textual evidence and explanations and to use graphic organizers (plot diagram and evidence bubbles) to arrange supporting incidents.

Activity 2 asks students to write a paragraph explaining how a theme from Animal Farm applies to a historical or modern situation and requires answers to specific prompts (which events, how the book is relevant, and at least two specific incidents) that ask for supporting examples. The Skills section requires students to cite textual evidence and analyze and evaluate themes and central ideas, which directs students to use evidence and analysis in their writing. Students are also instructed to revisit and complete their Plot Diagram and to revise ideas about theme, which supports forming a central claim about the novel's meaning.

Students are instructed to choose a situation and state the purpose of their letter, with Step Four explicitly requiring an introduction that includes the purpose and at least three supporting paragraphs. The provided sample outline models a clear claim ("To tell Napoleon that he has abused his power...") and organizes reasons and evidence into Roman numeral sections and supporting details. The rubric and editing checklist require topic sentences, main ideas, and supporting evidence, and the lesson directs students to create outlines and logically order ideas before drafting.

Students are prompted to take positions and give reasons in discussion questions such as "Do you think Daniel Boone was a hero? Why or why not?" and "Do you think it was fair for the U.S. government to allow settlers to move west into lands already occupied by native people? Why or why not?". Students must create a movie poster based on Daniel Boone's account and explain their choices (title, tag line, imagery, actor), answering questions about dangers he faced, what was exciting or hard, and what kind of person he presents, which requires citing details from a primary source. Parent-plan prompts ask students to discuss and justify their answers and poster choices, reinforcing explanation and use of evidence from the readings.

Students read four perspective essays and complete a Comparing Perspectives chart that asks what each group was fighting for, how they responded, and how outcomes affected them, which has them identify and contrast multiple claims about the war. Students can also write a Movie Review from a chosen perspective, give a rating, and answer directed questions including whether the film was biased toward any perspective, prompting evaluative claims and supporting observations. Students summarize bolded sections of the Monroe Doctrine, which requires extracting main ideas and could supply evidence for claims about U.S. foreign policy.

Students read primary-source documents (Andrew Jackson's message, General Scott's ultimatum, Chief John Ross's letter, Emerson's letter) and record at least four justifications supporting Indian Removal on the left side of the activity page and at least four objections on the right side. Students complete Activity 4 by choosing a perspective in 1830 and stating whether they would support or oppose removal and explaining why, which requires stating a position and giving reasons. Students also summarize personal narratives (Activity 3) and add timeline cards, providing additional factual evidence they can draw on when forming positions.

Students view two paintings about Manifest Destiny and answer questions that ask them to state what the artist was trying to say and explain how they can tell, which requires claiming an interpretation and citing visual details as evidence. Question 4 explicitly asks students to state what a critic of Manifest Destiny might say, and Question 5 asks them to describe how a critic might create a painting to express that opposing view. The Alamo activity asks students to write summary and explanatory sentences and to include a direct quote, prompting use of textual evidence.

Students are asked in Option 1 to write a letter that includes an assessment of whether coming to California "had been, ultimately, a good idea," which requires stating an evaluative claim and supporting it with reasons and evidence (hopes, preparations, process, observations). In Activity 1 students create a personal narrative monologue that asks them to explain where the character came from, why they headed west, and what challenges they encountered, prompting them to state reasons for a decision. The reading question about supply and demand requires students to explain how evidence (scarcity of goods, high demand) relates to an economic claim about price increases.

Students are asked to write explanatory text for storyboard panels that describe the character's reasons for moving west, expectations versus realities, and at least two federal government actions that impacted the character. Planning pages and storyboard instructions require students to place their character in historical context and to explain motivations, hardships, and outcomes. Rubrics for both the storyboard and art gallery evaluate organization, clarity, historical plausibility, incorporation of government actions and diplomacy, and explanation of significance to visitors.

Students are asked to develop and test a hypothesis in Activity 2 and then "repeat your initial prediction (hypothesis) and then state whether it was or was not correct." The instructions require students to justify or refute their hypothesis using the evidence they collected, with a 3–5 sentence written justification. Earlier activities ask students to make a scientific argument based on a model of the Sun and Earth's atmosphere and to discuss limitations and improvements of the marshmallow fusion simulation.

Students are asked to make predictions (claims) about which set-up or spoon will heat faster and to mark their prediction on the activity pages. Students record timed data and actual orders for trials in tables (e.g., prediction and time for Set-up 1 and Set-up 2; prediction order and actual order for spoons). Students are asked to 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?", prompting them to link observations to explanatory reasons.

Students are prompted to make explicit predictions such as "The bucket will or will not topple the cup/bowl" and to predict pendulum behavior on the Moon and Jupiter, which asks them to introduce claims. Students record observations from hands-on trials and from the Pendulum Lab simulation and answer directed questions about what the energy graphs show (KE, PE, thermal), linking observations to explanations. Students are asked to explain causes (e.g., why the swing came up short, why friction affects motion), which requires citing experimental evidence to support their explanations.

Students are asked to make and justify a recommendation about installing solar panels (Part 5: Your Recommendations) and to "explain why or why not" they would recommend solar power for their home. Students complete a Pros and Cons chart (Part 1) where they identify three important advantages and three disadvantages of solar power, which requires considering opposing viewpoints. Students gather and record quantitative evidence (usable sunlight hours, roof square footage, recommended kW, cost and savings calculations) to support their recommendation.

Students are prompted to research wind energy and make a presentation that states whether wind turbines would be practical for their family, with explicit Presentation Guidelines asking them to explain how wind energy is transformed, list benefits, and describe how turbines work. The Presentation Guidelines also require students to evaluate "Wind Energy in My Area" by explaining practicality, estimating costs, and listing advantages and disadvantages for their location. Students build and use a wind turbine model and are asked to explain "Why my area is adequate/inadequate" and "How I came to this conclusion," and the unit wrap-up reminds students that science uses facts to make evidence-based arguments.

Students read an Expository Writing document and sketch a graphic of the five modes of expository writing, practicing identification of expository structures. Student pages and the answer key describe expository organization, noting a thesis at the beginning followed by clearly organized paragraphs that support the thesis. The Parent Plan skills state students will "write informative/explanatory texts" and analyze organization, so students practice organizing content and recognizing thesis-driven exposition.

Students are asked to write a clear thesis that states the topic, indicates whether they are covering causes or effects, and briefly lists the points to be covered. Students complete Planning and Organization pages that require listing 3–4 specific causes or effects and recording supporting details or examples with page-number citations. Students are guided to organize writing into introduction, two body points (each with a topic sentence and supporting details), and a conclusion, and to use transition words to clarify relationships among ideas.

Students are directed to write an introduction with a hook and thesis that names the two things being compared or contrasted and the two points of comparison/contrast, fulfilling the "introduce claim(s)" element. Planning and organization pages require topic sentences for each person/thing, list 2-3 points with specific details/examples, and provide a conclusion that restates points and gives a verdict, supporting logical organization of reasons and evidence. The sample contrast paragraph uses an "Although..." construction that acknowledges an alternate view (the SwiftSloth's nicer appearance) and then distinguishes the writer's verdict (SpeedySnail as more practical).

The assignment directs students to describe a problem, present two possible solutions, list pros and cons for each, and write a sentence or two explaining the chosen solution and why it is better than the other proposed solution. A problem/solution planning graphic organizer and a sample paragraph show students how to organize the problem, alternate solutions, and the final choice into coherent mini-paragraphs. The lesson provides a transition-word chart and explicitly instructs students to use transitions and logical paragraph organization when presenting solutions and evaluations.

Students are instructed to write a thesis statement that includes the topic, what they are saying about the topic, and the three points that will support it (Activity 7). The Research Rubric requires a thesis that states the topic and points, body paragraphs with clear topic sentences, and use of transitions to create cohesion. Students practice identifying a model paper's thesis, topic sentences, and transition words (Activity 1) and are guided to organize notes and outlines (KWS chart, Essay Organizer) and to integrate quotations and paraphrases as evidence (Activity 9).

Students are asked to answer Question #5 ("What do you think were the key differences between the North and the South prior to the Civil War?"), which prompts them to state a claim about regional differences. Activity 1 directs students to fill a Venn diagram comparing features unique to the North, unique to the South, and shared traits, asking them to jot down ideas while viewing the film. The Reading and Questions directions ask students to pause and record answers and ideas from the video, encouraging collection of facts and observations tied to their comparisons.

Students read primary and secondary texts about the Bank of the United States and answer comprehension questions that summarize arguments (e.g., Q3 asks why Andrew Jackson objected to the bank). In Option 2, students sort statements into two columns labeled "Supporters of the National Bank" and "Opponents of the National Bank," which requires them to distinguish opposing claims and the reasons each side gives. Option 1 asks students to analyze Jackson's veto message via a word cloud and infer the big issues Jackson raised, supporting recognition of claims and central issues.

Students are asked to create an advertisement recruiting workers for the Erie Canal that "tells workers why the canal is important," "lets them know what kind of work they will be doing," "alerts them of the risks," and "tells them the benefits"—requiring a persuasive claim and supporting reasons. Students must write a letter from an elder describing city life that lists at least two good and two bad things and state whether city life was "more positive or negative," which asks students to take a position and support it with examples. In the textile mill diary and assembly-line reflection, students must decide whether they would strike or evaluate advantages/disadvantages, which requires stating a position and giving reasons.

Students read pro-slavery (James Henry Hammond) and anti-slavery (Frederick Douglass, Elizabeth Cady Stanton) texts and are instructed to brainstorm reasons opposing slavery, number them by strength, and choose evidence from readings. In Activity 5 students must choose two of Hammond's points to refute and prepare a 2–3 minute abolitionist speech that includes at least three reasons, using notecards to organize main points. Earlier activities (slave narratives, statistical graphing, artifact analysis, and cotton-gin research) provide primary and secondary evidence that students can use to support their claims and counterclaims.

Students are asked to complete a two-column activity page titled "Should Slavery Expand?" in which they list the main arguments for allowing slavery in new territories and the main arguments for prohibiting it, and identify who might have held each position. The activity instructs students to summarize the arguments for and against expansion and then create a sign or flyer that uses an eye-catching slogan to express at least one main argument for the position they choose. Reading questions ask students to explain the Republican Party's opposition to expansion and to define popular sovereignty, requiring students to articulate different positions on the issue.

Students plan and organize content using the provided Planning Page table that separates ways of life, economic, political, and cultural differences and spaces for data/images. Students are required to include at least one map, graph, or table to support main points and to create timelines or summaries of events that show cause/effect (tensions by the 1850s). Students must prepare a brief (2–5 minute) spoken summary of the main differences and answer visitors' questions, and the rubric explicitly assesses accuracy, use of evidence, and logical presentation.

Students are explicitly asked to write a Claim, collect Evidence, and produce a Justification in the "Osmosis in Action" activity, including an example (freezing point) that models this structure. Students fill in Claim rows before performing the celery/osmosis experiments and later fill in Evidence and Justification rows based on their observations. Several student pages require completing tables with predictions and observations, which asks students to state expectations (claims) and support them with experimental data.

Students are asked in Activity 3 to make a diagnosis for each case file and to narrow suspect agents based on symptoms, which requires them to state a claim (the diagnosis) and use supporting details. In Activity 2 students research types of agents, doses for toxicity, and sources and record these findings in a table, which requires them to gather and organize evidence relevant to later decisions. The 'Questions to Consider' prompt students to compare dosages and reason about which agent requires the smallest dose to cause death, asking them to use evidence from their investigations.

Students analyze the "Mystery Ailment" interviews and mark yes/no activity data to determine the likely source of the illness, then answer report questions asking them to state the cause and describe methods for identifying patterns. In Option 2 of Activity 1 students summarize the immune response using a numbered list or flow chart, which requires organizing steps and evidence about how cells interact. The Parent Plan skill also asks students to identify evidence that some substances may contribute to health conditions, prompting evidence-based reasoning.

Students collect and categorize their food journal into biomolecule charts, compute calories per biomolecule, and create multiple bar graphs (e.g., "Calories per Biomolecule" and "Biomolecule Servings") to display evidence. Students research dietary information (Mayo Clinic guide, other links) and complete worksheets on the biochemical significance, acceptable consumption rates, and impacts of overconsumption of fats. A rubric and the presentation task require students to compare their diet to a healthy diet and produce recommendations supported by data and research.

Students are prompted to record journal responses that analyze Twain's use of dialect, including questions that ask whether Twain is promoting stereotypes and whether he should have avoided dialect. The lesson instructs students to collect information and quotes in a journal and to cite textual evidence that supports analyses. Students are asked to summarize historical evidence (e.g., slave codes, free vs. slave states) from linked sources, which they can use as supporting evidence for claims about the novel's social context.

Students are asked to write an expository compare-and-contrast paragraph that begins with a hook and an introduction that reveals the main idea, which functions as an introduced claim about Huck and Jim. Students complete a Venn diagram to record similarities and differences and are directed to include two differences, one similarity, and evidence from the novel to support their points. The assignment explicitly requires students to support ideas with textual evidence and to organize information into the Venn diagram before writing.

Students are instructed to create a thesis statement (claim) and to decide a position on a topic (e.g., "Middle-school students should be required to take foreign language courses"). Students are directed to choose three reasons and to make each body paragraph cover one reason, and to support those reasons with explanations, facts, statistics, examples, anecdotes, or quotations. In the essay-analysis activity students identify the essay's thesis, whether the writer includes reasons with the thesis, the three supporting reasons, and the types of evidence used for each reason.

Students are asked to write a persuasive paragraph that includes a thesis statement stating their position and two reasons ("Write a thesis statement that states your position on the topic and also includes 2 reasons"). Students are directed to use a combination of types of evidence to support each reason and to plan their thesis and evidence using the online Persuasion Map. The lesson presents both sides of the debate in the reading prompt, so students read alternate claims before choosing and supporting their own position.

Students are asked to explain in 3–4 sentences what Hemingway meant by his quote, which requires them to state a claim about Twain's influence. Students take notes comparing and contrasting slave narratives with Jim (life, dialect, figurative language), which asks them to draw conclusions and consider alternative perspectives. Students also write a one-page narrative using Twain-like techniques, practicing use of evidence (details, dialect, figurative language) to support a chosen interpretation or portrayal.

Students are asked to compare and contrast the novel and the film and to decide whether the directors and actors made good choices, which requires forming a claim about the adaptation. Students take notes while watching the film, observing changes in character, plot, language, setting, or dialect, and are asked to explain why they think those changes were made, which prompts using reasons and evidence. Discussion prompts ask students which version they enjoyed more and why, and to evaluate whether changes impacted the movie positively or negatively, encouraging students to support their position with examples from both texts.

Students are asked to copy a sentence or two from a persuasive paragraph they developed about whether the word "slave" should be substituted in the book, and Block 4 of the story blocks requires reflecting the three types of writing (narrative, persuasive, and expository). The unit test and study instructions direct students to review a PowerPoint on types of writing and to identify passages as narrative, expository, or persuasive. The rubric and project tasks require inclusion of a persuasive paragraph as part of the poster or blocks.

Students are asked in Option 1 to research one historical figure, summarize that figure's position on slavery, state whether they agree or disagree, and write a short, organized letter with an introduction, 2–3 sentences summarizing the figure's position, 2–3 sentences explaining and justifying their own position, and a concluding sentence. In Activity 4 students read excerpts from Lincoln and Douglas and complete a chart that requires them to state and contrast each man's answers to prompted questions, explicitly distinguishing competing claims. In Option 2 students match stakeholders to each politician, which requires identifying whose interests would support or oppose each claim.

In Activity 4 (Secession) students fold a paper into two columns labeled "Slavery" and "States' Rights," list reasons for each side, and evaluate which cause of the Civil War seems more convincing. In the "Webster vs. Calhoun" activity students summarize each statesman's claim about federal versus state authority and answer questions comparing and critiquing those opposing views. The parent notes instruct students to defend whichever side they choose using facts and reasonable assertions, and the wrap-up asks students to state what they think was the main cause of the Civil War.

Students are asked in the "Comparing Two Presidents" activity to read Davis's and Lincoln's inaugural addresses and "write a brief explanation for why each person in a scenario might support the man you choose," which requires choosing a claim (which president) and giving supporting reasons. Discussion prompts such as "Which president's speech was more interesting or compelling to you? Why?" ask students to state a position and justify it. The parent plan and answer key explicitly encourage students to "justify" their choices with "solid, logical reasons," indicating an expectation that students provide reasons and evidence to support their claims.

Students are asked in Option 1 to deliver a short verbal argument either for or against a young person joining the Union Army, naming at least two positive and two negative aspects, retelling a vivid event, and stating whether they would encourage or discourage enlistment. Students create Civil War battle cards in which they assign a -2 to +2 rating for how each battle affected the Union and Confederacy and are asked to explain and justify those numerical answers. The parent plan and activity instructions invite students to jot down note cards for their presentation, which supports organizing points for an argument.

Students are asked in the Reconstruction activity to identify whether each individual would favor a punitive or lenient approach and to write 1–2 sentences explaining how and why (Student Activity Page: RECONSTRUCTION). Students must state outcomes and importance for battles on their Civil War battle cards (prompts ask "What was the outcome of the battle?" and "Why was this battle important?"), requiring them to give reasons and evidence from the readings. Students are also prompted to consider and write from different points of view (a Union soldier, a former Confederate general, a former slave), which requires taking a clear position tied to historical context.

The unit test Question 1 asks students to describe at least three differences between the North and South and to identify the most significant cause of the war, which requires students to state a claim about the cause and provide supporting reasons. The answer key models an expected claim (slavery as the central cause) and lists supporting evidence (economic, demographic, political differences) that students could use. The parent guidance asks caregivers to ask the child why he scored different battles with different numbers, prompting students to explain and justify choices with reasons and evidence.

Students complete the "Cellular vs. Non-cellular" activity by marking each object as cellular (C) or non-cellular (N) and writing supporting evidence in the table, which requires them to state a claim and provide reasons. Students answer a question asking whether a theory is the same as a hypothesis and must explain the difference, which asks them to distinguish between two competing ideas. The provided answer key and prompts ask for supporting evidence and explanations for classifications.

Students read discipline-specific articles and use information from all three sources to answer targeted content questions, such as explaining how protozoa move and how algae differ from plants. Students complete a comparison chart for Amoeba, Euglena, Paramecium, and Volvox, marking presence/absence of organelles and listing other structures. Students answer explanatory prompts (e.g., "Which of the four organisms can make its own food and why?") that require them to cite features (chloroplasts) as evidence.

Students are asked to "Create a Hypothesis" and state in a complete sentence how they think temperature will affect bacterial growth, then collect observations over three days and "Draw Conclusions" comparing results to their hypothesis. Students record location and temperature for control and experimental groups, which requires them to gather and use empirical evidence to support or refute their claim. Students write a paragraph describing similarities and differences between eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells, citing size and presence/absence of structures such as nucleus, mitochondria, flagella, and capsule.

Students are asked to decide whether viruses are "living" or "nonliving," state their conclusion (circle one), and "give their reasoning" using internet research (Activity 2 and the Student Activity Page). The activity prompts students to identify qualities that viruses share with living things and qualities that set them apart, and to use qualified sources to support their position. The parent notes and wrapping-up prompts ask students to form and support a scientific opinion with evidence and logic about the contested debate.

Students are asked to write hypotheses on the "Antimicrobial Properties" page by listing substances under categories (will hinder, will not influence, will increase) and later to evaluate which hypotheses are true or false and cite evidence for conclusions. In Activity 3 (Patient Diagnosis) students state what illness the patient has and are asked to recommend treatment and identify who was the carrier. Students are explicitly prompted to explain which evidence helped them rule out the flu or allergies, requiring them to distinguish their diagnosis from alternate diagnoses and provide supporting reasons.

Students are asked in Activity 1 and Activity 3 to use symptoms, microscope observations, and a causes-of-death table to determine and justify a preliminary diagnosis (e.g., identifying SARS as the likely cause). The Unit Test includes question 29 asking whether a virus is a living organism and the answer key explicitly instructs students to "support his answer with logic" and to consider the alternate view (viruses nonliving outside host vs. living after taking over a host). In Activity 5 students must research how SARS spreads and "explain what you can do to limit its spreading," requiring them to state measures and support them with researched evidence.

Students are asked to write a 6–8 sentence persuasive speech encouraging a newly freed slave to choose to reside in Buxton, which requires them to state a claim (that the person should move to Buxton) and give supporting reasons. The parent guidance and activity prompt list specific persuasive reasons (land to farm/own, houses and gardens, excellent school, stable community), which students can use as evidence in their speech. Several activities also ask students to read historical information and the author's note so they can draw on historical context as support for their reasons.

Students read paired passages by George Fitzhugh and Frederick Douglass and are asked explicitly whether they agree with Fitzhugh and to explain why or why not. Students are prompted to evaluate Douglass's persuasiveness, identify vivid adjectives and repeated verbs in his passage, and decide whose voice seems more authentic, which requires comparing and contrasting opposing views. In Option 2 of the Welcome Basket activity, students prepare a short oral presentation in which they explain why each item was chosen, providing reasons and evidence to support their choices.

Students are asked to form and support an opinion in the discussion question: "Do you believe the conjurer's act was a flimflam? What evidence supports your opinion?", which requires stating a claim and citing textual evidence. In the Option 2 Carnival Advertisement, students must create a persuasive piece that uses figures of speech to attract visitors, which requires making claims about the carnival (reasons to attend) for an audience. The wrapping-up and review prompts ask students to provide reasons (evidence from the text) when discussing MaWee's situation and the conjurer's trick.

Students are prompted to give and justify an opinion in the discussion question asking whether the United States is providing a good education now and to explain why or why not. Students in Option 1 must respond to interview questions imagining they cannot read or write, explaining hardships and what they would sacrifice to learn, which requires stating positions and reasons. Students in Option 2 must write the remainder of a play in which characters explain why they risk so much to receive an education, providing motivations and supporting reasons.

Students are asked to state and justify positions in short-answer questions (e.g., "Do you think Mr. Leroy made a good choice to trust the Preacher…? Why or why not?" and "Do you think Elijah bears any responsibility…? Why or why not?"), requiring them to give reasons for an opinion. Students complete a character comparison graphic organizer (Elijah vs. Huck or Cooter), which has them identify similarities and differences and organize those observations on the page. Students participate in discussion prompts that present multiple perspectives (e.g., possible responses for and against Elijah's responsibility), encouraging consideration of alternate viewpoints.

Activity 1 directs students to research a state leader and complete note pages that collect the leader's background, career path, notable achievements, and impact on the state and beyond, and to list sources. Activity 2 requires students to decide on a public space and write a 6–10 sentence dedication speech that welcomes visitors, gives information about the person, and discusses qualities that make the person appropriate for the space. The student activity pages also ask students to write three questions about the leader and predict how the leader might answer based on research, encouraging use of evidence to support interpretations.

Students gather and organize evidence by locating census and historical population data, plotting points on a multi-decade graph, and recording county populations in tables. They create a choropleth-style map using a key derived from county population data and compare revenues/expenditures from state budget tables. Students are asked to write a paragraph comparing budget information from two other states and to answer reflective questions about causes of population change.

Students are asked to use prior research to create a mural or video that highlights geographic features, ecosystems, history, leaders, industries, arts, and places to go, which requires selecting and presenting supporting facts. The rubrics require that the mural be "organized in a logical and appealing manner" and the video be "thoughtfully produced," indicating students must arrange reasons and evidence coherently. Students must include and cite at least three key historical points and concrete examples for places and activities, which involves assembling evidence to support their presentation.

Students are prompted to make a hypothesis about whether a trait is dominant or recessive and record that hypothesis in the "Dominant or Recessive" column on the Sibling Chart. Students collect and record data from family charts and from a coin-flip simulation (allele expression table) and then compute percentages and create a pie chart to represent the results. Students answer guided questions about Mendel's conclusions (e.g., that offspring receive one gene from each parent and traits can be dominant or recessive) which relate to the content of a claim about inheritance.

Students gather and record data in Activity 1 and Activity 2 (fill in the Investigating Genealogy chart and the Family Survey) and are asked to use that data to trace how traits are passed between generations. Students are prompted to answer explanatory questions such as "How do you know that traits are passed from one generation to the next?" and "Briefly explain why an allele is dominant or recessive," which require stating claims and supporting them with evidence from the charts. The answer key and wrap-up statements model reasoning (e.g., explanation that a person with one dominant allele will express the dominant trait and that two parents showing a dominant trait could each be heterozygous), showing students practice using evidence to support conclusions.

Students are asked to form and discuss their own opinion about cloning ("form your own opinion about the process") and to decide whether animal or human cloning should be allowed, which requires taking a position. Students make a list of pros and cons and discuss them with a parent (Activity 3), and the brochure task (Activity 2) asks students to create persuasive content explaining how the company will benefit customers, which involves stating claims and providing supporting reasons. The reading directs students to investigate ethical questions and logistical issues related to cloning, which can supply evidence for their positions.

Students are instructed to develop a clear, debatable thesis statement (Activity 5; Persuasive Essay Rubric) and to end the introduction with a strong thesis (Activity 6). Students practice identifying, writing, and rebutting counterarguments in multiple activities (Activity 3 Identifying Persuasive Strategies; Activity 4 Applying Persuasive Strategies) and are told to include at least one counterargument and refute it fully (Activity 6). Students organize reasons and evidence using source cards and note cards, a Persuasion Map outline, and an essay structure that requires each body paragraph to develop one argument with supporting details (Activity 1, Activity 5, Persuasive Essay Rubric).

Students are asked to revise and edit a persuasive essay and to "pay special attention to the structure of your argument," including using the correct persuasive essay format and ensuring each paragraph has a topic sentence and clear supporting details. The Parent Plan skills explicitly state that students will "support claim(s) with logical reasoning and relevant evidence," "use words, phrases, and clauses to create cohesion," and "anticipate and address reader/listener concerns and counterarguments." The wrapping up and activity directions require students to consider whether they have explained their ideas thoroughly and clearly and to arrange details, reasons, and examples effectively.

The Skills section explicitly states that students will "Introduce claim(s), acknowledge and distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims, and organize the reasons and evidence logically." Activity 2 directs students to produce a final draft of a persuasive essay, implying practice in developing and presenting an argument. The Skills list also requires students to support claims with evidence, anticipate counterarguments, and use cohesion to clarify relationships among claims and evidence.

Students read two persuasive essays about human cloning and are prompted to record each author's main arguments and any logical or rhetorical fallacies. Students compare how the two authors reached different conclusions by summarizing arguments on the "Arguing the Issue" activity page and answering questions about the most compelling parts and what would have strengthened each argument. The parent plan explicitly directs students to compare and contrast persuasive texts and analyze the evidence each author presents.

Students are asked to write a 5–6 sentence persuasive paragraph to convince parents to get a pet, which requires them to state a claim and provide supporting statements. In the Science Fiction activity students fill a two-column table matching characteristics of science fiction to evidence from The House of the Scorpion, which has them assemble reasons and textual evidence to support a conclusion about the book. Students also read persuasive passages and highlight instances of irrelevant evidence, and they analyze their own paragraph for irrelevant evidence.

Students are asked to review a PowerPoint presentation from an earlier lesson that "covers the structure of a persuasive essay and recommended persuasive techniques." The review activity also directs students to study logical and rhetorical fallacies and vocabulary related to persuasive writing as part of unit test preparation.

Students are asked to describe the structure of a five-paragraph persuasive essay including an introductory paragraph that ends with a clear, arguable thesis and three supporting paragraphs, which teaches how to introduce a claim and organize supporting reasons. Students are asked to explain what a counterargument is and how it can be effectively used, and they complete a fallacy-identification activity that asks them to mark and give examples of specific logical/rhetorical fallacies. The Evaluating My Essay activity asks students to reconsider their position on cloning, reflect on whether their opinion changed, and to evaluate whether they used any fallacies, prompting revision of argumentative thinking.

Students are asked to design an interpretive sign for Wounded Knee that must include words and images and to consider questions such as "What happened there and why did it happen?" which requires selecting and organizing factual information. Students take structured notes while viewing the documentary (Note-Taking Pages) and are asked to pause and summarize the most important or interesting information from each section. Students read primary/secondary texts about boarding schools and complete activity pages that ask them to compare "before" and "after" photographs and to write observations and responses about causes and effects.

Students are asked to write a one-week-only advertisement for Edison motion pictures in which they must pick three films and explain why those films would interest kids of the time, which requires stating a persuasive claim and giving reasons. In the "Changing Technologies" activity students describe how needs were met in 1850 and 1920 and list advantages and disadvantages, which has them gather and organize evidence for comparisons. The Alexander Graham Bell option asks students to prepare a 60–90 second presentation explaining inventions and their impact, which requires stating claims about influence and supporting them with examples.

In Activity 2 students are asked 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 stronger, prompting them to weigh opposing claims. The activity page requires students to consider factors such as products, jobs generated, working conditions, business practices, and strikes as reasons/evidence and to answer explicitly, "Do you think it is fair to call Carnegie a ‘robber baron'? Why or why not?" Activity 3 has students articulate both benefits and drawbacks of sweatshop work and role-play advising a friend, which requires acknowledging and presenting alternate claims.

Students are asked in Activity 2 to write a one- or two-paragraph response in the voice of an immigrant worker, a union organizer, or a business owner, where they explain pros and cons of joining a union or arguments to persuade workers. Activity 3 requires students to create a poster that explains why a social issue is a problem, what a reformer proposes, and what voters should do, which asks students to state reasons and proposed actions. The Parent Plan language for Activity 2 instructs students to show thoughtful analysis and to understand both sides of the issue, prompting consideration of alternate perspectives.

Students are asked to explain why farmers might want government regulation of railroad charges and why railroad owners might oppose such regulations, which requires stating reasons for opposing positions. In the Populism activity, students write a sentence explaining whether and why each listed group might support or oppose the Populist Party, prompting them to adopt and justify a claim for each perspective. The discussion prompt "If you lived at the time...would you be a Populist? Why or why not?" asks students to state a position and give supporting reasons.

Students evaluate and rank reasons for U.S. entry into World War I by arranging listed reasons from most to least convincing and explaining their reasoning (Activity 2). Students create persuasive artifacts—either a propaganda poster or slogans—requiring them to take a position and urge specific actions (Option 1 and Option 2). Students write reactions to a contemporary newspaper article from both an American perspective and a German perspective, practicing articulation of alternate viewpoints (The Lusitania activity).

Students are prompted to explain reasons for migration on the Character Planning page and in presentation index cards (e.g., prompts like "I left my home country/state because..." and review of push/pull factors on the unit test). The Dramatic Presentation and Scrapbook rubrics explicitly evaluate "Reasons for immigration/migration," inclusion of historical facts, and the ability to discuss and answer questions about choices and evidence. Students also must add dated events to a timeline and cite artifacts or documents in the scrapbook, which requires them to gather and reference supporting details.

Students make explicit predictions about how abiotic factors will affect seed germination (Activity 1) and record those predictions in the provided tables. Students collect and record observations across multiple days (Prediction, Day 1–Day 4) and describe how each abiotic and biotic factor influenced plants (Activity 1 and Activity 2). Students identify and rank which abiotic and biotic factors they think will have the most or least impact and write brief explanations on the activity pages.

Students collect experimental data (measure distances worms move, record trials, calculate averages) and create bar graphs to display results, which demonstrates organizing evidence and reasoning from observations. Students answer analysis questions that ask them to compare results (e.g., light vs. gravity), draw conclusions, and explain real-world implications (reaction time questions, geotropism sketch questions). Students research animal perception and prepare a presentation or written responses about how a capability works and its impacts, which requires assembling and presenting supporting information.

Students are asked to answer focused questions that require making claims and explaining them (e.g., QUESTION #1 asks whether bird migration is instinctive or learned and to explain). Part II Q1 on the activity page asks students to decide whether imprinting is instinctive or learned and to explain, and the answer key models acknowledging both aspects. Several scenarios in Part I require students to classify behaviors (e.g., habituation, spatial, conditioning), which has students state a claim about which learning type is shown and provide supporting identification.

Students are instructed to make a list of traits for each animal, start with traits all organisms share, and "keep narrowing it down" to develop categories, which requires organizing reasons and evidence. Students must "explain your reasons for grouping organisms in a particular way" and create cladograms that visually organize shared characteristics (Activity 1 and Activity 2 tables). The Parent Plan repeatedly asks that students use logic to support the choices they make and be able to provide a rationale for their groupings.

Students are asked to analyze leadership in Watership Down (Unit Test Section V) by choosing a rabbit leader, describing his leadership style, and giving two examples of how he exercised leadership and how others responded. The study guide highlights "Leadership Development" and asks students to focus on how the theme of leadership is developed in the book. The rubric and organization criteria require students to set the stage, present a clear conflict, and provide a resolution, which asks students to organize narrative elements and cite events in support of their explanations.

Students are asked to choose which exhibit from the Museum Information section would be most useful to visit and explain why, which requires them to state a claim and give reasons. Students must describe online resources to review before a trip and explain their usefulness, prompting them to support a recommendation with evidence. Students complete guided note-taking about Holocaust events and victims, collecting facts and details they can use as supporting evidence for claims.

Students complete an activity titled "The Atomic Bomb" that directs them to fill a chart with columns for issues to consider, facts/advice/estimates, whether the facts support dropping the bombs, and why or why not. The activity prompt asks students to consider both sides of the question and justify a decision between a prolonged invasion and the use of nuclear weapons, with space for a written response. Discussion questions explicitly ask students to state whether they think it was the right decision and to explain why or why not.

Students are asked to write short (2–4 sentence) summaries and at least one short paragraph explaining a major event or theme in each exhibit section, and to include written content, primary sources, images, and interactive features for each person or topic. Students must organize each exhibit into Before/During/After sections and address guided questions about causes, experiences, and effects, and the rubrics require historical accuracy and the ability to answer questions and respond to comments. The unit test includes open-ended prompts (e.g., list factors that played into the decision to drop the atomic bombs) that require students to state reasons and evidence.

Students read about changes in the fossil record and answered questions that ask them to explain how deeper rock layers contain older, simpler fossils (Reading and Questions Q3 and the 'Layers of Change' text). In Activity 1 students label geologic eras and fossils and answer "How do paleontologists use this progression to support the theory of evolution?," requiring them to link evidence (fossil progression) to the explanatory claim. In Activity 2 students excavate their model geologic column and record which 'fossils' were placed first and last and explain their reasoning using the principle of superposition.

Students are asked to state a religion's viewpoint and its alignment or conflict with evolution (rubric: "The introduction should clearly state the viewpoint of the religion and its alignment or conflict with evolution"). Students research and document religious and scientific evidence side-by-side (steps instruct to document evidence in separate Religious and Scientific columns and to document evidence used by each side). Students interview multiple people representing different viewpoints and are asked to communicate differences in viewpoint and to make a reasoned decision about which side they accept and why (steps 3–4 and rubric items requiring differences to be clearly communicated and conclusions to follow from research).

Students analyze Nazi propaganda posters in Part A by choosing three posters, identifying the target group and the poster's goal, and describing what makes each poster effective, which requires citing visual elements as evidence. In Part B students record examples of propaganda from the reading and note specific instances (e.g., the book burning, speeches, parade) as supporting examples. In the Historical References activity students use provided web sources to answer focused questions about Nazi motives, goals, and actions, requiring them to locate and report factual evidence from texts and images.

Students are asked to take a position and justify it in the discussion question "Do you think Max is being selfish? Why or why not?", which requires them to introduce a claim and provide reasons. Multiple reading-response questions (e.g., why Hans and Rosa let Max come upstairs; similarities between Liesel and Max) ask students to explain causes or make comparisons using text details. Students are also asked to record examples of propaganda from the text, which requires identifying and collecting textual evidence to support responses.

Students identify and label common logical fallacies using the "Understanding Logical Fallacies" activity and apply that knowledge to real ads (Link A and Link B). Students analyze written Nazi propaganda in the "Analyzing Propaganda" activities by identifying persuasive arguments, naming logical fallacies, noting the emotions appealed to, and explaining why the arguments may have been effective. Students also create lines for a political ad using chosen fallacies, which requires them to compose brief argumentative claims.

Students are asked in the "Primary Sources vs. Historical Fiction" activity to brainstorm advantages and disadvantages for each type and to choose three ideas and provide specific examples from the day's primary sources or The Book Thief, which asks them to link claims to textual evidence. Students also record examples of propaganda from the reading (Part Eight) and complete comparison tasks that require citing excerpts as support. The graphic organizer (two columns with advantages/disadvantages) prompts students to articulate positions about each genre.

The bottom-middle mini-project (Censorship in Journalism Debate) asks students to take a side on whether modern-day citizen journalism during wartime should be censored, write down reasons that support their opinion, and provide examples or specifics to back up two reasons. The assignment also requires students to identify a specific argument an opponent might make and to write how they would refute that argument. The Parent Plan and activity descriptions explicitly suggest an informal mock debate to test reasons, reinforcing practice in articulating and responding to opposing claims.

Students read primary-source summaries and the text of the Truman Doctrine and the Marshall Plan and answer questions that require summarizing those claims. Students examine opposing viewpoints by reading Henry Wallace's letter and viewing Cold War political cartoons. Students choose a position on whether the U.S. should aid threatened nations and create a political cartoon or a poster expressing that position.

Students read primary and secondary sources about the Cuban Missile Crisis and are asked in Option 1 to choose between advisor recommendations and complete a "Decision Making in the Cuban Missile Crisis" page that asks them to identify the two key questions, list advantages and disadvantages of each decision, and explain which option they chose and why. In Option 2 students analyze Kennedy's speech by listing facts he used to justify action and explaining which steps seem most effective or controversial. In Activity 2 students write two journal entries imagining both support for and opposition to HUAC investigations, producing claims from both sides.

Students read primary and secondary accounts (Claudette Colvin, Elizabeth Eckford, biographical sketches) and answer comprehension questions that require citing events and rulings (e.g., Brown v. Board). Students complete the "Claudette Colvin and Rosa Parks" graphic organizer, filling in sections for personality traits, actions during arrest, and "possible reasons for this person being forgotten" or "for their impact," using full sentences. Students also must produce organized written products (a memorial poem or a two-paragraph newspaper clipping with a headline) that summarize causes, events, and connections between individuals.

Students read and closely analyze Dr. King's "I Have a Dream" speech, highlighting powerful phrases and listening to the speech, which supports identifying claims and evidence in a text. In Option 2, students complete a graphic organizer that asks them to list similarities and differences between two speeches and to note dates, audiences, key ideas, themes, occasions, or goals, which requires collecting and organizing textual evidence. The Questions to Discuss include an evaluative prompt ("Do you think Dr. King's dream has been realized in America today? Why or why not?") that asks students to state a position and give reasons.

In Activity 2 students are asked to pretend to be a northern college student and to "list 3-4 reasons why you might want to participate in the movement," which requires them to introduce a claim (to join). They complete a two-column chart that lists "Objections" and corresponding "Counter-Arguments," which has students acknowledge and respond to opposing claims. Students then role-play a conversation in which they present main arguments, listen to a parent's concerns, and address those concerns, requiring them to organize and present reasons and responses coherently. The parent notes also expect students to provide "historically accurate and thoughtful responses," connecting reasons to discipline-specific content.

Students are asked to write a 2–3 minute persuasive speech in Option 2 that requires them to state a position (supporting a boycott), include information about worker treatment, cite at least one Cesar Chavez quotation, and give at least two reasons to support the boycott. In Activity 1 students fill a Venn diagram comparing the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and the Black Panthers and answer why young activists might support one group over the other, which prompts them to articulate differing positions and supporting reasons. Reading questions ask students to identify causes of tensions and differing strategies within the Civil Rights Movement, requiring students to explain contrasting viewpoints (e.g., nonviolence vs. militancy).

Students are asked to complete Option 1, "A Proposal to Remember," in which they imagine planning a public commemoration and answer prompts about why the U.S. was involved and what Americans should remember. The Student Activity Page explicitly prompts students to "propose a central message and provide specific details," and to answer questions such as "Why was the U.S. involved in the Korean War? What was the goal?" Students are also directed to take notes from veterans' recollections that can be used to support their ideas.

Students are asked to write a one-page letter to John Tinker in which they "share [their] opinion of his protest" and "discuss whether or not [they] think [they] would have protested the war," which requires them to introduce a claim about the issue and give reasons for their position. The letter prompt explicitly asks students to "share [their] reasons for either supporting or protesting the war," prompting students to provide supporting reasons or evidence. Students also answer directed reading questions about causes and impacts of the Vietnam War, which asks them to use factual evidence (e.g., Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, Tet Offensive) that could support an argument.

Students create fliers that require a catchy slogan or headline and a 3–5 sentence discussion of an issue (Option 2) or add visuals to a provided slogan (Option 1). Students write short reviews of 1960s television episodes that ask for a summary, a review, and what can be learned about the era. In the music option, students identify each song's message, quote powerful lyrics, describe the music, compare two songs, and answer which was most effective and why.

Students are asked to produce written projects (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 them to state positions about historical topics. Students complete artifact description slips that ask, "What is this artifact/document?" and "What will it help future archaeologists understand?", prompting them to support interpretations with evidence. Students prepare brief remarks for a dedication ceremony and must discuss each object and explain why they chose it, which involves giving reasons tied to evidence and historical significance.

The Parent Plan lists the skill "Use argument supported by evidence for how the body is a system of interacting subsystems composed of groups of cells," which indicates students will gather evidence to support a claim about body systems. Activity 2 asks students to brainstorm effects of decisions, research each decision on the KidsHealth site, and describe how decisions affect body systems, which requires locating and citing evidence to support explanations. Activities also require students to write brief descriptions (Option 2) and to discuss answers with a parent, implying students organize reasons when explaining effects.

The lesson's Skills section 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 students to make evidence-based claims about the musculoskeletal system. Several activities ask students to identify and describe which muscles and bones produced particular movements and to explain which muscles pull in opposite directions, prompting students to support explanations with observed evidence. The Parent Plan and final project mention assembling diagrams and explaining system interactions, creating opportunities to present reasoned explanations tied to evidence.

The Parent Plan skills list includes an explicit bullet: "Use argument supported by evidence for how the body is a system of interacting subsystems composed of groups of cells," which asks students to construct an evidence-based argument. In the pump activity students are asked to "show your parent this demonstration and explain what the valve does," and in the clay/model and diagram activities students must "share" and "name the sections" and explain function, providing opportunities to present evidence-based explanations.

The Parent Plan's Skills section explicitly states that students will "Use argument supported by evidence for how the body is a system of interacting subsystems composed of groups of cells," which indicates some focus on constructing evidence-based claims. The Skills section also includes "Develop a model to describe how food is rearranged..." which could involve organizing observations and supporting evidence. The lesson includes reading and comprehension questions and a final project that require students to collect factual evidence about digestive structures and processes.

The Parent Plan Skills list explicitly includes "Use argument supported by evidence for how the body is a system of interacting subsystems composed of groups of cells," which indicates students are expected to construct evidence-based explanations. The lesson's "Ideas to Think About" prompts (e.g., how the urinary system is interdependent with other body systems; what can happen if it malfunctions) provide opportunities for students to consider claims and supporting reasons.

The Parent Plan Skills list explicitly includes "Use argument supported by evidence for how the body is a system of interacting subsystems composed of groups of cells," indicating an expectation that students will construct evidence-based claims. Activity 1 asks students to write a one-paragraph summary or prepare a two-minute presentation in their own words about reproductive organ functions, which requires students to state and support informational claims about organ roles. The optional Activity 3 prompts students to generate questions and discuss decisions around when to have sex, which could involve articulating and defending personal positions.

Students are asked to answer in their journal the question "Would you have wanted to live in Alabama in the 1930s? Why or why not?", which requires stating a position and giving reasons. Students create a mind map while watching a historical-context video, collecting facts and connections (Great Depression, Jim Crow, violence, segregation) that can be used as evidence. The Wrapping Up and discussion prompts ask students to identify historical evidence from the first two chapters, encouraging use of textual and contextual details to support ideas.

Students are asked to write a 6–8 sentence literature response that must refer to specific examples from the book, prompting them to use textual support for their ideas. The Parent Plan skills include "Cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis," which requires students to identify and use evidence when explaining their thoughts. Students complete a journal task describing three personal events and explaining how those events could impact a reader, which asks them to offer reasons and explanations for their choices.

Students are asked to list five things the children believe about Boo Radley based on hearsay and five things based on personal experience, and to record a hypothesis in the "The Real Boo Radley..." box, which prompts them to introduce a claim about Boo. Students compare and contrast the two columns and examine overlap, which requires them to organize and evaluate reasons and evidence from chapters 1 and 5. Question prompts (e.g., Q4) ask students to explain occurrences and who might be responsible, encouraging students to use textual details to support their ideas.

The moral dilemmas activity asks students to choose a scenario, come up with two possible solutions, role-play both solutions, and decide which solution was better, which requires considering and comparing alternative courses of action. Discussion prompts (e.g., "How else might the scene at the jail have ended?" and "Do you think Scout's actions saved her father?") ask students to consider alternative outcomes and justify which is more plausible. The activities require students to weigh options and make a decision based on those comparisons.

Students are asked to "express your thoughts about the communication of this theme throughout the book" and to fill a web-style graphic organizer identifying examples of innocence being threatened or destroyed, which requires stating ideas and supporting examples. Discussion questions ask students to explain a quote and to evaluate Scout's comparison of Hitler's treatment of Jews to African-American experience, prompting students to give reasons for their position. The activities prompt students to collect textual examples (e.g., Tom Robinson's false accusation and shooting, Boo Radley being misunderstood) to support their responses.

Students are asked to keep a running list of similarities and differences between the novel and the film, which requires gathering evidence from both sources. The student activity questions ask students to state preferences and reasons (e.g., "Which did you enjoy more, the book or the movie? Why?") and to evaluate director decisions ("What do you think were the biggest changes... Why do you think those changes were made? Do you agree with the director's decisions?"). The poster option and the discussion prompts ask students to explain themes and justify choices, prompting students to provide reasons and supporting details.

Students are asked to present claims and findings and to support judgments through references to the text, other works, or personal knowledge (Skills and rubric). Students plan and organize content for slides and a graphic organizer, record key points, and are instructed to use quotations and book examples to explain themes and support points. The unit test and rubric require students to name themes and provide three examples from the book showing how a theme is developed, demonstrating organization of reasons and evidence.

Students are asked to produce a 3–5 page illustrated essay with an introduction and three body paragraphs, each paragraph required to include an overview, how the technology improved on earlier options, and how it changed America. Students must conduct research, use primary and secondary sources, and cite sources; a brainstorming page and project rubrics guide organization and content of the essay. The National History Day option also asks students to create a research plan and process paper and the rubrics evaluate identification of sources and inclusion of primary/secondary evidence.

Students read a Center for Foreign Relations backgrounder and are instructed to take notes on differing viewpoints, dividing a page into arguments for making immigration easier and arguments for more restrictive policy. After that, students are asked to choose a side and write a short (3–5 sentence) letter to the editor supporting or opposing a particular immigration policy and to express reasons for their point of view. Activity 3 asks students to reflect in a sentence or two on how three stakeholders might react to the 1965 law, which has them consider multiple perspectives.

Students are asked to write the first paragraph of an illustrated essay that includes an overview, how the technology improved on earlier options, and how it changed America, which requires stating a claim about the topic and supporting it with reasons and cited sources. Students complete an "American Presidents and Foreign Policy" activity page, summarizing each president's policies, challenges, and successes, which has them organize reasons and evidence into logical categories. Students planning a National History Day project must connect their topic to an annual theme and consult sources/rules, which requires aligning evidence and claims to a historical question.

Students are asked in Activity 4 (Environmental Activism) to choose an issue, "pick a side," research reliable sources, and familiarize themselves with different positions before creating a persuasive button/bumper/t-shirt with a slogan. In the Presidential Speeches activity students compare two speeches, note what they agree or disagree with, and "Explain your answer," prompting them to state a position and give reasons. The Landmark Court Cases page asks students to state who might benefit from or oppose a ruling and explain why, which requires students to identify alternative viewpoints and give supporting reasons.

Students are asked to state and support a position in Activity 1 by ranking seven technologies from 1 to 7 and writing a paragraph explaining why their top-rated technology is most critical, including real-life examples. In the final project (Illustrated Essay) students draft a paragraph that explains how a technology changed America and why it was important, requiring them to present reasons and cite sources. The Annotated Bibliography activity requires students to identify three primary and five secondary sources and describe how each source will help their research, which engages students in gathering and organizing evidence to support a claim or explanation.

Students are asked to research and complete a rough draft of Paragraph 3 of an illustrated essay that must include an overview of a technology, how it was an improvement over earlier options, and how it changed America and why it was important. Students may use readings, videos, encyclopedias, Internet research, and library books as sources for that paragraph. The instructions require students to cite their sources properly, which asks them to use evidence from research to support their explanations.

Students are asked to write an introductory paragraph that explains which three technologies they will discuss and why they are important, which requires them to introduce a clear claim about their topic. Students must write a conclusion that sums up the changes and helps the reader understand significance, and they are required to include appropriate citations for each paragraph. Students are guided to organize text and images on a poster or timeline and to edit the draft into a finished, well-written product, practicing arranging evidence and supporting material.

Students are instructed to find five health/beauty products, write down the claims on packaging or in commercials, and mark claims that seem legitimate versus outlandish by underlining or highlighting. Students compare each product with other similar, lower-cost options and record the product name, claims, and cheaper alternatives on the Student Activity Page. In the fads activity, students list three fads and evaluate money, positives, and negatives, which requires collecting reasons and evidence about the impacts of each fad.

Students are asked to produce persuasive products: they make a one-minute PSA (Activity 2 Option 2), write an imaginary email to convince a cousin not to smoke (Activity 3 Option 1), and make a list of five convincing reasons teens should avoid alcohol (Activity 4). Students gather factual information and effects of drugs on the Student Activity Page and in linked readings/video resources to support their claims. These tasks require students to state a clear position (e.g., do not try drugs/alcohol/tobacco) and to collect reasons and evidence about harms.

Students are prompted to "express your own views on poetry (in a poem, of course)" and to "write your poem" about the nature or reading/writing of poetry, which asks them to state a position. The student activity asks "Which poem did you like better and why?", requiring students to choose between two poems and give reasons for their preference. The activity directions ask students to "analyze and interpret" poems and "reflect on specific lines" which asks them to support interpretations with references to the texts.