{"id":4644,"date":"2023-10-29T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-10-29T14:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/itslitteaching.com\/?p=4644"},"modified":"2023-10-20T10:31:41","modified_gmt":"2023-10-20T14:31:41","slug":"teaching-how-to-write-a-thesis-statement","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/itslitteaching.com\/teaching-how-to-write-a-thesis-statement\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Tips for Teaching How to Write A Thesis Statement"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The first time I had students write a thesis, I assumed they knew how to do it. After all, I<\/em> learned all about the five-paragraph essay myself in middle school in the same school district. To my disappointment, not a single student knew how to write an adequate thesis statement.<\/strong> I realized it was a skill I was going to have to teach myself. After several papers and many years, here are my tips for teaching how to write a thesis statement. <\/p>\n\n\n

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Image of students in a classroom writing with text overlay that says, \"5 Tips for Teaching How to Write a Thesis Statement\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Tips for Teaching How to Write a Thesis Statement #1: Teach Directly<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

You need a whole lesson around the thesis statement. <\/p>\n\n\n

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Need lessons for teaching each part of the 5-paragraph essay? I have you covered with these 5-Paragraph Essay Lessons, Guided Notes, and Exit Tickets!<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

It can be ten minutes or a whole class period with note-taking and an activity. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But you have to spend some time directly teaching the thesis statement.<\/strong> You can’t expect students–even seniors in high school–to know what a thesis statement is, its purpose, or where it’s supposed to go. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you’re teaching an essay writing unit, go ahead and explain the whole essay structure. But make sure you plan some time to specifically touch on the thesis statement and its role. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Don’t have a thesis-specific lesson?<\/strong> Check out my five-paragraph essay mini-lessons here<\/a>, which include some thesis-specific slides. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tips for Teaching How to Write a Thesis Statement #2: Explain The Role of a Thesis<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

I think it’s easy for students to grasp the concept of a thesis. It states what the essay is going to be about. They can get that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But I think it’s much harder for students to understand how the thesis also guides and outlines the rest of the essay.<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n

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This Unscramble the 5-Paragraph Essay Activity<\/a> is a hands-on way for students to see how important a thesis statement is to the overall structure of an essay.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

By the time they’re writing the conclusion statements for their body paragraphs, they’ve forgotten their own thesis and rarely reference it. Instead of letting their thesis dictate the topic of their body paragraphs, they get stuck trying to come up with something new.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Don’t just tell students what a thesis is. Spend some time showing them how the thesis continues to be referenced in every following paragraph.<\/strong> Show them how the ideas presented in their thesis statement will guide the following paragraphs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not sure how? This Unscramble the 5-Paragraph Essay Activity is a great start<\/a>.<\/strong> Students will have to put the sentences in an essay in order, which can lead to some great discussions about how a strong thesis statement adds clarity to the rest of the essay’s structure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tips for Teaching How to Write a Thesis Statement #3: Give Students A Framework <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If your students are struggling with writing strong thesis statements, give them a framework. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I know as teachers, it can get really boring to read “W is true because X, Y, Z.” But the structure does work, and it’s a great place for struggling writers to start. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you’ve used other writing frameworks in class (such as claim, evidence, and reasoning or C-E-R<\/a>), your students will be familiar with having a structure for their writing.<\/strong> They’ll be familiar with the concept already and a lot more confident producing their own thesis statements. <\/p>\n\n\n\n