In this assignment, students read the article "It's Way Too Hard to Find Statues of Notable Women in the U.S." Then they research one woman they think should be honored with a statue and write an Op-Ed making an argument for the creation of this new statue. Students practice key skills in the Argument genre such as introducing a precise, knowledgeable claim; developing the claim with logical reasons and convincing evidence from the text and their own research; and addressing opposing claims fairly and thoroughly.

In this assignment, students read the article "Why Aren't There More Female Engineers?" Then they write a Persuasive Letter to the CEOs or Boards of the top engineering firms asking them for changes to policies that are unfair to women. Students practice key skills in the Argument genre such as introducing a precise, knowledgeable claim; developing the claim with logical reasons and convincing evidence from the text; and addressing opposing claims fairly and thoroughly.

In this assignment, students read the article "Feeling Small, in Awe of Nature, Makes People More Generous." Then they write an Argument in which they support the idea that nature can affect people's emotions. Students practice key skills in the Argument genre such as supporting a claim with reasons and evidence from the text and their own experience, addressing opposing claims, and using persuasive language.

In this assignment, students read the article "App Recommends Opportunities Based on News You Read." Then they write an Op-Ed for their local newspaper encouraging readers to use the app. Students practice key skills in the Argument genre such as introducing a precise, knowledgeable claim; developing the claim with logical reasons and convincing evidence from the text; and addressing opposing claims fairly and thoroughly.

In this assignment, students read the article "Coming Soon: Helmets Made from Carrots," which tells about an invention that reuses food waste, specifically carrot fibers, to make things like motorcycle helmets. Then they write a Persuasive Letter to the NFL (National Football League) arguing why the league should replace all of their helmets with this new material. Students practice key skills in the Argument genre, such as selecting relevant details from the article to support their claim, explaining topic-specific vocabulary that might be unfamiliar to their audience, and addressing opposing claims fairly and thoroughly.

In this assignment, students read the article "Denali, Ongtupqa, and Other Native American Names for Landmarks." Then they write an Argument about why it's important to honor Indigenous names. Students practice key skills in the Argument genre, such as selecting relevant details from the article to support their claim, using persuasive language, and addressing opposing claims fairly and thoroughly.

In this assignment, students read the article "Why Aren't There More Female Engineers?" Then they write a How-To Article giving advice to leaders in the engineering field about how to attract more women to enter the profession and encourage women to stay in the profession. Students practice key skills in the Information genre such as developing main ideas with significant concrete details and relevant examples from the text, organizing ideas logically, and using headings to clarify ideas for readers. They also practice demonstrating their comprehension of informational text by making inferences and citing relevant evidence to support their ideas.

In this assignment, students read the article "Who Has the Best Facial Hair in Baseball History?" Then they research interesting hairstyles or facial hair in another sport or another field of their choosing (e.g., artists, musicians, etc.) and write an Informational Article based on their research. Students practice key skills in the Information genre such as hooking the reader and introducing a topic, selecting relevant details from multiple reliable sources, and using headings to organize subtopics.

In this assignment, students read the article "What Gives Bugs Bunny His Lasting Power?" Then they research a different animated character of their choosing and write a Compare-and-Contrast Report comparing their chosen character with Bugs Bunny. Students practice key skills in the Information genre such as developing main ideas with significant concrete details and relevant examples from the text, organizing ideas using a clear compare-and-contrast structure, and ending with a clear summary of their main points.

In this assignment, students read the article "Inventing the Perfect Umbrella." Then they write a Problem-Solution Essay describing a problem with another everyday object and a new design idea that solves the problem. Students practice key skills in the Information genre such as developing main ideas with significant concrete details and relevant examples, organizing ideas using a clear structure, and using topic-specific vocabulary.

In this assignment, students read the article "We Thought We'd Be Living in Space (or Under Giant Domes) by Now." Then they write an Informational Summary focusing on the sequence of events described in the article. Students practice key skills in the Information genre such as introducing a topic, clearly stating main ideas, selecting relevant details and examples from the text, and using transitions to convey sequence.

In this assignment, students read the article "Coming Soon: Helmets Made from Carrots." Then they write a Design Proposal for their own invention idea that would use sustainable resources for something useful. Students practice key skills in the Information genre such as developing main ideas with significant concrete details and relevant examples, organizing ideas using a clear structure, and using topic-specific vocabulary.