English Language Arts · 10th Grade

Active learning ideas

Academic Writing Conventions

Active learning helps students grasp the shift from casual to academic writing because it requires them to analyze, transform, and apply conventions in real time. When students compare informal and formal texts or revise sentences themselves, they see how register affects credibility and audience perception.

• Common Core State Standards
• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.9-10.1.d
• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.9-10.3.a

• 15–25 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 4 activities

Activity 01

• Think-Pair-Share
• 15 min · Pairs

Think-Pair-Share: Register Detective

Students receive pairs of sentences -- one formal, one informal -- expressing the same idea. Individually, they identify what makes each version different. Pairs then discuss whether the formal version is clearer or just different, and share the most interesting examples with the class.

Differentiate between formal and informal writing styles in academic contexts.

Facilitation Tip

During Register Detective, circulate and listen for students’ initial reactions to informal language to plan targeted mini-lessons on tone.

What to look for

Provide students with a short paragraph written in an informal style. Ask them to identify at least three instances of informal language (e.g., slang, contractions, personal opinions) and rewrite the paragraph to adopt a formal, objective tone.

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Awareness
• Relationship Skills

Activity 02

• Flipped Classroom
• 25 min · Small Groups

Small Group: Academic Translation Workshop

Groups receive a paragraph written in casual, first-person, colloquial style. Each group rewrites it to meet academic writing standards, then groups compare their versions and discuss the different choices they made -- particularly around word selection and sentence structure.

Analyze how word choice impacts the tone and credibility of an academic argument.

Facilitation Tip

In the Academic Translation Workshop, assign groups to different levels of formality so they notice how conventions vary by context.

What to look for

Students exchange drafts of a paragraph for their research papers. Instruct them to use a checklist to identify: 1) Any colloquialisms or slang, 2) Any first-person pronouns (unless the assignment allows), and 3) Sentences that could be more precise. Partners provide one specific suggestion for revision.

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Management
• Self-Awareness

Activity 03

• Gallery Walk
• 20 min · Whole Class

Gallery Walk: Sentence Precision Stations

Post sentences with vague language ('The author kind of implies...'), contractions, or first-person hedging on chart paper around the room. Students circulate and rewrite each sentence, then the class votes on the strongest revision and explains what made it most effective.

Construct sentences that avoid colloquialisms and maintain an objective stance.

Facilitation Tip

At Sentence Precision Stations, post a sentence from a student’s draft on each station to show how small changes improve clarity.

What to look for

Ask students to write two sentences on an index card: 1) Define 'objective tone' in their own words as it applies to academic writing. 2) Provide one example of a colloquial phrase and its formal equivalent.

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Create
• Relationship Skills
• Social Awareness

Activity 04

• Flipped Classroom
• 20 min · Individual

Individual: Style Annotation

Students annotate a passage from a published academic or professional text, highlighting word choices that signal formality, objectivity, or precision. For each highlighted choice, they write one sentence explaining how it affects the reader's perception of the argument's credibility.

Differentiate between formal and informal writing styles in academic contexts.

What to look for

Provide students with a short paragraph written in an informal style. Ask them to identify at least three instances of informal language (e.g., slang, contractions, personal opinions) and rewrite the paragraph to adopt a formal, objective tone.

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Management
• Self-Awareness

A few notes on teaching this unit

Teach academic writing as a tool for persuasion rather than a set of arbitrary rules. Use mentor texts from disciplines students study to demonstrate how formality serves the argument, not the other way around. Avoid overwhelming students with long lists of dos and don’ts; instead, focus on one principle at a time, like removing contractions or replacing vague words with precise terms.

By the end of these activities, students will identify informal language in texts, revise sentences to adopt an academic tone, and explain why specific word choices strengthen or weaken an argument. Success looks like students confidently transforming phrases and justifying their revisions with clear reasoning.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During Think-Pair-Share: Register Detective, watch for students who assume academic writing requires long sentences and obscure words.

  Direct students to compare informal and formal versions of the same sentence. Ask them to circle the words or phrases that sound more credible, then discuss which revision is clearer and more precise.

• During Academic Translation Workshop, watch for students who avoid first-person pronouns entirely, even when the assignment allows them.

  Provide a short excerpt from a research paper that includes first-person language in a contextually appropriate way. Ask students to identify why the author used it and how it supports the argument without sounding informal.

• During Gallery Walk: Sentence Precision Stations, watch for students who believe formal writing must be neutral and avoid strong positions.

  At each station, post a sentence that takes a clear stance in a formal tone. Ask students to underline the words that convey conviction and discuss how the author maintains objectivity while making a claim.

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Methods used in this brief

• Think-Pair-Share
• Flipped Classroom
• Gallery Walk