Day 6: Thesis Statements

Lesson Objectives:

• understand the role of thesis statement and how it relates to the essay structure
• recognize and practice create strong thesis statements

Part I: Warm-Up (10 min) 9:00-9:10

I will begin today's class by asking you to discuss the following three questions is small groups.

Then I will have you justify your answer to the class.

Small group discussion questions:

1.     What types of papers have a thesis statement?

2.     Does the thesis statement always have to go on the end of the first paragraph?

3.     Why is a thesis important? What is its role?

Part II: Thesis Statements Lecture (25 min) 9:10-9:35

Now, we will discuss the key components and common forms of thesis statements. Please click on the THESIS STATEMENT PPT or follow along on the big screen.

Practice: THESIS STATEMENT WRKSHT 

Part III: Thesis Workshop (15 min) 9:35-9:50
We will take this last part of class to open our own essay drafts and consider/start revisions to our thesis.  

Homework: Check Syllabus or Compass!

Lesson Materials:

THESIS STATEMENT PPT

THESIS STATEMENT WRKSHT  [Key]

BASIC EXAMPLE OUTLINE

***BACKUP ACCESS TO LECTURE MATERIALS 

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Supplemental Materials:
THESIS TO OUTLINE WORKSHEET (for monday)

Constructing an Argument Essay PowerPoint

Basic Argument Essay Outline

Outlining a Standard Essay

Sample of  Standard Essay

EXAMPLE OUTLINE

[10-15 minutes] Supplemental Activity
As a class, the teacher presents five weak samples of thesis statements in the THESIS STATEMENTS II HANDOUT. Students are asked to identify the problem of each thesis statement. Each group is assigned to re-write one of the weak samples to make it stronger and post it onto moodle. Then, each person should comment on at least two posts of the revised thesis statement. The teacher's version of this activity has ANSWERS.