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How to Write a Real-World Thesis Statement
The document outlines strategies for 11th-grade students at SLA to write effective thesis statements for their two-page papers. It emphasizes the importance of developing clear, focused questions that can lead to unique and debatable thesis statements about high schools. Various prompts and methods are provided to help students narrow down their topics and formulate their theses.
How to Write a Real-World Thesis Statement
- 1. How to WriteaReal-World Thesis StatementAlso known as: How to plan your 2Fer paper at SLA
- 2. At SLA, studentsin 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:
- 3. Why is theworld the way that it is?
- 4. Why is theworld 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…
- 5. Why is ________the way that it is?
- 6. Why is ________the way that it is?
- 7. Why is ________the way that it is?
- 8. Why is ________the way that it is?
- 9. Why are highschools the way that they are?
- 10.
- 11. Narrow it down!Patternsand Themes
- 12. Narrow it down!Patternsand ThemesPast, Present, and Future
- 13. Narrow it down!Patternsand ThemesPast, Present, and FutureCause and Effect
- 14. Narrow it down!Patternsand ThemesPast, Present, and FutureCause and EffectUnusual Connections
- 15. Narrow it down!Patternsand ThemesPast, Present, and FutureCause and EffectUnusual ConnectionsExpectations vs. Reality
- 16. Why are highschools _______?
- 17. Why are theyso similar across the country?Why are high schools _______?
- 18. Why are theyso similar across the country?Why are they divided intoCore subjects?Why are high schools _______?
- 19. Why are theyso similar across the country?Why are they divided intoCore subjects?Why are high schools _______?Why are they so focusedon grades and rankings?
- 20. Why are theyso similar across the country?Why are they divided intoCore subjects?Why are high schools _______?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?
- 21. A question isNOT a thesis statement.
- 22. Why are theyso similar across the country?Why are they divided intoCore subjects?You must ANSWER the question!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?
- 23. And remember, yourfinal thesis statement should set out to beUnique, Insightful, and Debatable
- 24. Why are theyso similar across the country?Why are they divided intoCore subjects?Try making your own thesis statement by answering one of these Q’s now.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?
- 25. High schools areallso similar because…
- 26. High schools aresofocusedon grades and rankings because…
- 27. Remember, it allcomes down to…Why is ________ the way that it is?
- 28. 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