2. What is thesis? A thesis statement is like the controller for Xbox 360 or Playstation 3. When you are playing a video game…what would happen if your controller was disconnected from the games console?

3. What would happen? Your character would probably die and you would lose the game! It is the same thing with an essay! If you don’t put a thesis in your essay, then your essay doesn’t have a good chance of surviving! You will lose your audience.

4. How do you write a thesis? Lets say that this was your essay prompt… “What is your favorite TV show? Describe your reasons in an essay.” Okay, my favorite TV show is SpongeBob SquarePants. Now what?

5. Why SpongeBob? Why is Spongebob Squarepants my favorite show? Try to think of three reasons why. 1. Spongebob always gets into trouble 2. Squidward hates everybody 3. Bikini Bottom is an exciting place to live. That was easy, right? Now where is the thesis…??

6. Putting it together SpongeBob Squarepants is my favorite show because Spongebob always gets into trouble, Squidward hates everybody and Bikini Bottom is a fun place to live. ----------------- THIS IS YOUR THESIS!! Thesis goes in the introduction paragraph (first paragraph) of your essay. The thesis tells the reader the main idea of the entire essay. The thesis is the main topic of the essay and the author’s opinion or position on that topic! Subject + Opinion = Thesis

7. Once you have your thesis… Once you have your thesis, your essay will basically write itself. Go back to the SpongeBob SquarePants thesis….you would then create three topic sentences based on the three reasons he gave in his thesis statement. Thesis: SpongeBob Squarepants is my favorite show because Spongebob always gets into trouble, Squidward hates everybody and Bikini Bottom is a fun place to live. (remember: this sentence is in the introduction!) 1. Topic Sentence #1 goes in Body Paragraph One. Everything written in Body Paragraph One has to be about “Spongebob is always getting into trouble.” 2. Topic Sentence #2 goes in Body Paragraph Two. Everything written in Body Paragraph Two has to be about “Squidward hates everybody.” 3. Topic Sentence #3 goes in Body paragraph Three. Everything written in Body Paragraph Three has to be about “Bikini Bottom is an exciting place to live.”