Presentation is loading. Please wait.

Presentation is loading. Please wait.

Writing a Thesis Statement

Similar presentations


Presentation on theme: "Writing a Thesis Statement"— Presentation transcript:

1 Writing a Thesis Statement
Spinning from a Prompt

2 The Challenge for Writing
In Writing, students struggle with the following: Synthesizing information from multiple texts Extrapolating a theme and putting it in writing Creating a thesis that reflects the common theme of presented texts Citing text evidence to support a student’s and/or the author’s argument or explanation Understanding the structure of literary/ informational texts and being able to analyze it (RL4,5,6/RI4,5,6) 1/22/2015

3 The Map A thesis statement (TS) is a guide map to your entire paper.
It provides a mini-summary of the paper’s content. It allows the reader to know in advance how the paper is organized. It lets the reader know why he/she should care. (The “So What?”)

4 Express Yourself The thesis statement expresses the main ideas of your paper and previews the answer to the question or questions posed by your paper.

5 Two Main Points Topic 2. Assertion, analysis, or explanation you are making about the topic. Topic Assertion

6 Two Main Parts Topic Part Part 2 Analysis Explanation Assertion

7 What to do.. Make a clear assertion about the topic.
2. Limit the statement to the idea that can be supported. 3. The statement has to be specific and significant.

8 What to do... 4. At least imply your purpose.
5. Make sure the parts relate to each other and to the prompt.

9 New York Grade 3 “Sea Turtles”
What is the subtitle? “Sea Turtles” What 2 details can I use? Why does the information in paragraph 5 belong under the heading “Suited for the Sea”? Use two details from the passage to support your response. Why are they suited for the sea? How do I respond? 1/22/2015

10 How to Read the Prompt? Make a “To Do List” 1/22/2015

11 Close Read Para. 5 But sea turtles are more than just great swimmers. Some of them are great divers. The leatherback can dive more than a thousand feet deep, looking for food. That’s the length of three football fields. And its deepest dives can be three times deeper than that! To Do Read para close read Determine why “Suited for the Sea” Use two details Support my response 1/22/2015

12 New York Grade 6 How does the information in lines 1 through 6 relate to the information in lines 7 through 15? Use two details from the article to support your response. In lines 38 and 39, the author states, “Anna Green Winslow got an education, all right – just not the one her father intended.” Explain what the author means by this statement. Use two details from the article to support your response. Excerpt from We Were There, Too! 1/22/2015

13 New York Grade 8 “The Inheritance of Tools” by Scott Russell Sanders
What character traits of the grandfather are revealed through his use of the hammer? Use two details from the passage to support your response. 1/22/2015

14 What do you think about the thesis?
6th Grade Prompt: How does the last paragraph of the passage affect the passage as a whole? Use details from the passage to support your answer. Response 1: The last paragraph talks about the same things as what the first paragraph talks about. Response 2: The last paragraph supports the information in the first paragraph by explaining how hermit crabs would rather "socialize and live in packs" than be alone. Response 3: The last paragraph brings the passage full circle by supporting the information in the first paragraph. It explains how hermit crab colonies have 100 crabs, and if you keep them as pets, "you should have more than one." This supports the claim in the first paragraph that hermit crabs "like to socialize and live in packs."

15 Do you see Two Main Parts?
Prompt: Write an argumentative essay supporting either side of the debate in which you argue that television and movies reflect society or that they influence it. Thesis: . However, the feelings and reactions described reflect feelings we all have as human beings. We may be influenced by a dramatic plot, but that will not change who we are and how we live our lives. Topic: Television and movies reflect society or influence society Assertion: Television and movies may influence us but will not change who we are and how we live.

16 Try one. READ the Passages
Look at the prompt: Write an informational essay detailing the ways in which a dog that just had puppies might foster a litter of new kittens. Thesis (Regrouping the prompt to include an assertion, explanation, or analysis) Write a thesis. (Passages on handout.)

17 Student Thesis However, unusual situations allow animals to change that dynamic. One of those unusual situations could be a litter of kittens bonding with a dog that just had puppies.

18 What do you think about the thesis?
7th grade prompt: What is the author's purpose in writing the passage? Use details from the passage to support your answer. Response 1: The author's purpose is to explain the history of basketball. Response 2: : The author's purpose is to explain the history of basketball. The passage starts with how it was invented and ends with how popular it is now. Response 3: The author's purpose is to explain the history of basketball. The passage starts out by telling who invented basketball and why he did it. Then it talks about how the game changed and developed over the years. Finally, it describes how it became a sport played all over the world.

19 Do you see Two Main Points?
Prompt: After reading two articles, Write an informational essay detailing the ways in which a dog that just had puppies might foster a litter of new kittens. Thesis: However, unusual situations allow animals to change that dynamic. One of those unusual situations could be a litter of kittens bonding with a dog that just had puppies Topic: Dog bonding with litter of kittens Analysis: Unusual situations allow animals to change that dynamic.

20 Try one. READ the Passages.
Look at the prompt. Write an argumentative essay in your own words supporting either side of the debate in which you argue for or against the use of GM food. Be sure to use information from both texts. Thesis (Regrouping the prompt to include an assertion, explanation, or analysis) Write a thesis. (Passages on handout.)

21 Student Sample: Genetically modified food is a necessary and important step in our efforts to feed the people of the world and keep them healthy. Since it has been introduced, farmers have been able to grow more food that uses fewer resources.

22 What do you think about the thesis?
8th grade: What are the advantages of including the two images in the passage? Use details from the passage to support your answer. Response 1: Both advantages aid the reader in understanding vision differences through the use of images as a real-world example. Response 2: The images help the reader understand what it must look like having night vision capabilities when compared to our standard vision at night. Response 3: The images help the reader understand night vision.

23 Do you see Two Main Points?
Prompt: Write an argumentative essay in your own words supporting either side of the debate in which you argue for or against the use of GM food. Be sure to use information from both texts. Thesis: Genetically modified food is a necessary and important step in our efforts to feed the people of the world and keep them healthy. Topic: Debate about genetically modified foods Assertion: Necessary and important step to feed people and keep healthy.

24 Try one. READ the Passages.
Look at the Prompt: Write an informational essay in your own words explaining the ways in which libraries are adapting and changing in the 21st century. Thesis (Regrouping the prompt to include an assertion, explanation, or analysis) Write a thesis. (Passages on handout.)

25 Student Sample A person only has to sit in a mall, a coffee shop, or a bus terminal for a few minutes to realize that the way people read has changed in the last several decades. It is more likely that people are reading the daily news on their smartphones or tablets now than reading an actual newspaper. The same is true for books. As reading has changed, so have libraries, in a number of surprising ways.

26 Checklist Questions

27 Checklist Questions Does the statement make a concise assertion about your topic? Is the assertion limited to only one idea? Is the assertion specific and significant?

28 Checklist Questions Does the statement at least imply your purpose?
Is the statement unified so that the parts relate to each other?

29 Works Cited Georgia Department of Education, ELA Department
Purdue University Writing Lab (Almost Word for Word) The Little Brown Handbook, 8th ed. Instructor’s Annotated Edition. Georgia Milestones Teacher Guide


Download ppt "Writing a Thesis Statement"

Similar presentations


Ads by Google