Write essays that:

• have a central foci and strong messages
• structure material in appropriate styles for different audiences
• define the main idea by selecting relevant, logical details to achieve the purpose and to meet the reader's perceived needs
• organize ideas in a logical and appropriate sequence
• include smooth transitions
• provide logical and convincing conclusions.

Select, use, and evaluate purposefully a variety of before (page 28), during (page 29), and after (page 30) strategies to construct and communicate meaning when writing.

Understand and apply the language cues and conventions to construct and communicate meaning when writing including:

• Pragmatic cues and conventions: selecting and using language register appropriate for the subject, context, audience, and purpose; using conventional "standard" English when required.
• Textual cues and conventions: selecting and using mode of discourse (e.g., descriptive, narrative, expository, or persuasive) and text form appropriate for subject, purpose, and audience.
• Syntactic cues and conventions: selecting and using formal written sentences that are meaningful, clear, correctly punctuated, and devoid of ambiguous expressions; demonstrating control over such elements as subject-verb agreement, pronoun-antecedent agreement, verb forms, and parallelism (average written sentence length – 11.7 words).
• Semantic/Lexical/Morphological cues and conventions: using words precisely, accurately, and for effect (e.g., to create imagery, to communicate figuratively, to communicate symbolically, as an allusion).
• Graphophonic cues and conventions: using the sounds of letters and syllables and the placement of accents to determine the pronunciation and spelling of words.
• Other cues and conventions: using communication elements such as handwriting, consistent font, neatness, underlining, indentations, spacing, and margins to enhance the clarity and the legibility of communication; writing legibly with appropriate speed and control; choosing appropriate font size and style when word processing.

Retell a narrative or recount an experience or event (e.g., a memory, an essay of experience) that:

• introduces the action and draws in the reader
• identifies the story's main character and establishes the setting
• uses dialogue to establish characters and create the drama
• provides an effective ending that logically "winds up" the events.

Write an observation report/eyewitness account (e.g., an incident report, an event report) that:

• tells when and where the event happened
• accounts the details of an event in a logical order
• uses descriptive details (including sights, sounds, tastes, textures, and smells) that show the reader what happened, as if he or she were seeing it firsthand
• uses order of location (top to bottom, front to back, left to right, head to toe) or time order (first, next, then, and so on) to organize details
• uses specific verbs
• establishes the time and the place
• answers 5W and H (who, what, when, where, why, and how) questions for facts about what happened
• includes thoughts and comments that bring experience to life
• uses an engaging voice that sounds interested and knowledgeable.

Write an inquiry report (e.g., research report, an I-Search, a technical report) that:

• addresses what makes the subject worth investigating
• puts central ideas into a focus or thesis statement
• includes information related to focus or thesis, is current, and drawn from reliable, relevant sources that are cited
• presents an introduction (revealing story or quotation; important background information; interesting or surprise facts; reason for choosing subject)
• includes a body that develops logically the details of the subject
• provides a conclusion that leaves reader with a clear understanding of the importance of research and draws a conclusion with a final statement.

Write a historical persona essay (e.g., biographical narrative, response to a historical photo) that:

• includes a historic person
• defines important moments in the historic person's life so essay is well-focused and organized
• shows understanding of the person, the events, and gathered details about the place and time
• includes reflections and observations about person's life and experiences
• includes the people the person might have met and creates accurate depictions of those individuals
• uses the "I" voice (imagined self to be the person and to be part of these events) in order to get a feel for the experience.
• includes thoughts and feelings
• uses dialogue to bring characters to life
• employs an easy-to-follow organization.

Write a review (e.g., evaluating a literary work) that:

• includes thoughtful explanations and specific references to the text itself
• expresses opinion about the value or worth of the subject in order to help audience decide
• explores strengths and weaknesses of work and includes passages from text as examples
• justifies opinion
• addresses what makes the text interesting, exciting, engaging, believable, unforgettable, and significant
• does not retell plot but recognizes theme (general observation about life or human nature) of the text and the relevance of literary techniques (e.g., setting, characters, point of view, basic conflicts, plot development, and use of literary elements such as figurative language and sound).

Experiment with and explore a variety of written text forms (such as poems, memorandums, legends) and techniques (such as foreshadowing, flashback, imagery, allegory, figurative language, symbolism, point of view, parallelism, hyperbole) and explain their appeal.