1. What is a thesis statement?
Thesis Statements
What is a thesis statement?

2. It is a statement that answers a question/writing prompt and is the basis of the essay.

3. Now create or fill in a web map to help you relate your value to real life. Try to recall at least one experience that illustrates this value.
(You may also just free write and list whatever comes to your mind.)
WEB
Create

4. Create a thesis statement by answering the following question:

5. What do you value or believe?
Remember the essays we have read. Choose one value and make a statement that reflects dramatically what you believe.
Write your “I believe that” statement on your 3X5 index card.
Make sure your thesis is a thoughtful statement, not a thoughtless statement!!!

6. (Notice the thoughtful thesis statements)
I believe that integrity is a value that people are losing.
I believe that patience should be a required value to help people navigate through life successfully.
In all my experience, I believe that knowledge is a value that will take you far in life.
Examples
(Notice the thoughtful thesis statements)

7. Time to Organize!!
Look over what you have written down. Try to rearrange what you have written according to timeline or topics.

8. Discuss them and let’s list them again.
Think of the essays we have read. What were some characteristics we decided were needed for an essay to be qualified as a “This I Believe” essay?
Discuss them and let’s list them again.

9. Characteristics of “This I Believe” essays:

10. Time to Create a Rubric!

11. Using the essay characteristics, create a rubric of how your essays should be graded.

12. Here is a site to create our rubric: