Lesson Plan: How to Write a Thesis Statement

Name: Angela Withee

Date: 6/22/16
Instructor: Rybakova
Demographic: You have a classroom of 19 9th grade students. 5 are on reduced-lunch (low SES
families). You have 2 ELL students, both who have been in the country for several years and
have had intensive ELL instruction in elementary school.

Your IEPs: (M denotes male, F denotes female)

Herbert Millner (M)- ADHD
Paten Vander (F)- Speech impairment
Lya Gross (F)- Mild dyslexia
Oliver Fore (M)- Mild autism
Title of Lesson
*Lesson plan based on a 50 minute lesson plan
Purpose/rationale:
This 9th grade class has just begun a unit on how to write an argumentative essay. Prior to this
class students were given a video a video to watch instructing how to write a thesis statement
as homework. Today students will practice writing thesis statements which will further help
support their upcoming argumentative essays in this unit. Thesis statements are an important step
in showing the direction of ones writing and a good thesis statement enables the reader to further
comprehend what the paper they are reading is going to cover. This lesson will enable students to
write essays that show clear direction by highlighting the main idea and the ideas that will be
used to support it.
Florida Standards:
LAFS. 9.10. WHST. 4.10 Write routinely over extended time frames (time for reflection and
revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of disciplinespecific tasks, purposes audiences.
LAFS. 910.W.2.4 Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization,
and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
LAFS.910.SL.1.1
Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups,
and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grades 910 topics, texts, and issues, building on
others ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.

Objectives:
SWBAT construct and compose a thesis statement
SWBAT outline the components of a thesis statement
SWBAT discuss their thesis statement to the class
Materials:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8wxE8R_x5I0 (appendices a)
Prompt questions (appendices b)
Internet streaming device (at home)
Poster board
Markers
White board
Tape
Scissors (for the teacher to cut out prompt slips)
Anticipatory set: Teacher will review the thesis video students watched for homework the night
before and will go over the key factors it covered.
Teaching Strategy/Procedure/Activity:
Time
10 minutes

Student is doing
Listening to the teacher review
how to write a thesis, asking
any questions they may have
in regards to the video they
watched for homework
breaking up into assigned
groups.

Teacher is doing
Cutting out prompt slips
(appendices b)
Teacher is reviewing the four
basic steps covered in the
homework video on how to
write a thesis. Factors 3
(Introduce supporting topics)
and 4 (have at least 3
supporting points) will be
combined for this activity.
Writing these key factors on
the board;
1. Establish an issue or
problem
2. Express your opinion
on the issue
3. Introduce supporting

topics (have at least 3

supporting points)
4.
The teacher is leaving four
blank and telling students that
this is where their finalized
thesis statement should go.
The teacher is then writing
down this example prompt
question on the board
Should the people in our
country consume fast food on
a regular basis?
And going through these steps
with the class by answering
the question.
1. Should the people in
our country consume
fast food on a regular
basis?
2. No.
3. Regular fast food
consumption can lead
to heart disease,
obesity and diabetes.
4. Americans should not
eat consume fast food
regularly because
eating too much of it
can lead to heart
disease, obesity, and
diabetes.
Teacher is telling students that
today they will practice
writing their own thesis
statements in groups and will
do an activity where they
write statements and then
judge the quality of their
statements.
Students are getting into
groups (teacher is calling off
students in rows into 4 groups
of 4 and the last group of 3)
and the teacher is handing out
a white poster board, markers,
and a prompt slip containing a

25 minutes

Students are collaborating in

their groups to answer their
question and create their own
thesis on the subject.

15 minutes

Students are getting up in

groups and sharing their poster
boards with the class

question the students are to

write their thesis statement on.
Teacher is instructing students
to number their poster board
from 1-4. They will use 1-3 to
answer the key factors listed
above, and 4 to write their
original thesis statement.
Teacher is telling students that
if they finish early they can
decorate their poster board to
describe their thesis.
Monitoring students to make
sure they are staying on task,
walking around the classroom
and answering any questions
students may have on the
assignment.
Calling on groups to share
their poster boards, and
facilitating discussion,
providing students with tape
and telling students to hang
up their poster boards

Summary/Closure:
Students will hang up their posters boards and turn in their markers
Assessment:

Formal assessment: Poster boards will be graded for completion

Informal assessment: Teacher will monitor understanding by walking around the
classroom and answering any questions the students may have

Homework/follow-up assignment:
None
Accommodations/adaptations:
Herbert Millner (M)- ADHD
will be allowed to walk quietly in the back of the room if he needs to let off energy, he will be
told that he does not have to go up and share with his group if he does not feel comfortable,
teacher will monitor him to make sure he is staying on task
Paten Vander (F)- Speech impairment

Will be told that he does not have to go up and share with his group if he does not feel
comfortable
Lya Gross (F)- Mild dyslexia
The teacher will give assignment instructions orally to Lya and will monitor student to make sure
she is staying on task and understands the assignment.
Oliver Fore (M)- Mild autism
The teacher will monitor student to make sure he is staying on task and understands directions

Attachments/Appendices: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8wxE8R_x5I0
(Appendices a)

Prompt Questions slips: (appendices b)

Is homework harmful or helpful to students?

Should students be allowed to use their cellphones in

school? Why/Why not?

Should students have to wear uniforms in school?

Why/Why not?

Should students be required to take an online class to

graduate? Why/Why not?

Should P.E. be mandatory for students to take? Why/Why

not?

Plan B:
If students finish too early then the teacher will go over other example prompt questions on the
projector with the students
If the assignment is too hard, the teacher will stop the activity and will go over a few more
example prompt questions with the students
If students are not collaborating with one another, the teacher will write down the five questions
on the board, call of the students 1-5, and will make the students individually write down a thesis
on a regular sheet of paper without group help

Works Cited
Home | CPALMS.org. (n.d.). Retrieved June 24, 2016, from http://www.cpalms.org/Public/
S. (2013). How To Write A Killer Thesis Statement by Shmoop. Retrieved June 23, 2016, from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8wxE8R_x5I0