Post on 22-Dec-2014
description
How to Writea Real-World
Thesis Statement
Also known as: How to plan your 2Fer paper at SLA
At SLA, students in the 11th grade write a two-page paper every two weeks… on any topic they want.
In order to help them develop quality thesis statements, I produced a series of activities.
It begins with one basic question:
Why is the world the way that it is?
Why is the world the way that it is?
Ok, that’s the vaguest
question ever. You could
answer this for the rest of
your life and barely scratch the surface. So it’s
time to zoom in…
Why is ________ the way that it is?
Why is ________ the way that it is?
Why is ________ the way that it is?
Why is ________ the way that it is?
Why are high schools the way that they are?
Narrow it down!
Narrow it down!Patterns and Themes
Narrow it down!Patterns and Themes
Past, Present, and Future
Narrow it down!Patterns and Themes
Past, Present, and FutureCause and Effect
Narrow it down!Patterns and Themes
Past, Present, and FutureCause and Effect
Unusual Connections
Narrow it down!Patterns and Themes
Past, Present, and FutureCause and Effect
Unusual ConnectionsExpectations vs. Reality
Why are high schools _______?
Why are high schools _______?
Why are they so similar across the country?
Why are high schools _______?
Why are they so similar across the country?
Why are they divided intoCore subjects?
Why are high schools _______?
Why are they so similar across the country?
Why are they divided intoCore subjects?
Why are they so focusedon grades and rankings?
Why are high schools _______?
Why are they so similar across the country?
Why are they divided intoCore subjects?
Why are they so focusedon grades and rankings?
Why do so many students drop out, when most people agree that high school ed. Is essential?
A question is NOT a thesis statement.
You must ANSWER the question!
Why are they so similar across the country?
Why are they divided intoCore subjects?
Why are they so focusedon grades and rankings?
Why do so many students drop out, when most people agree that high school ed. Is essential?
Unique, Insightful, and Debatable
And remember, your final thesis statement should set out to be
Try making your own thesis statement by answering one
of these Q’s now.
Why are they so similar across the country?
Why are they divided intoCore subjects?
Why are they so focusedon grades and rankings?
Why do so many students drop out, when most people agree that high school ed. Is essential?
High schools are all so similar because…
High schools are so focused on grades and rankings
because…
Remember, it all comes down to…
Why is ________ the way that it is?
Photo credits:
Slide 6: http://www.flickr.com/photos/kathycsus/408020988/sizes/l/in/photostream/
Slide 7: http://www.flickr.com/photos/whitehouse/5391637466/in/set-72157625788363887/
Slide 8, 9, 25: http://www.flickr.com/photos/dystopos/195707530/sizes/l/in/photostream/
Slide 26: http://www.flickr.com/photos/pjern/2150874047/in/photostream/ Slide 27:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/fsse-info/2792355658/sizes/l/in/photostream/
E-mail me at: Lpahomov at scienceleadership dot org