Sample Lesson Plan

Lesson Plan for a Thesis Statement and Introduction Paragraph Teacher: Nicoli Domico Class: English

Level: 8th Grade

Date: March 15th, 2019

Goal: Students will review the basic structure of a thesis statement and introduction paragraph, then start writing their argumentative essays. Prompt: Identify and analyze the rhetorical appeals used within Mike Kubic’s “The Elements of Success” and Ralph Waldo Emerson’s “Self Reliance” to craft an argumentative essay on the appeals that are the most effective. Use specific examples from both texts to strengthen your claim. Objectives: 1. Students will review and be able to write a thesis statement. 2. Students will be able to review and identify the key parts of an introduction paragraph. 3. Students will be able to support their thesis with evidence derived from textual sources. 4. Students will be able to start their argumentative essays in class. Activity / Aim / Skill Activity 1: Warm up activity. Give students practice writing a thesis statement.

Transition to #2:Explain importance of the thesis statement, then transition to key components of an introduction paragraph.

Procedure

Interaction

Time

Pre-Stage: Explain how to write a thesis statement to end your introduction paragraph. State a thesis statement on the board for the students. Introduce students to three different examples of a thesis statement.

T-S Interaction

7 min.

Example of introductory thesis:

S-S interaction.

15. min.

Homeless people in Berkeley should be given access to services, such as regular food donations, public restrooms, and camping facilities, because it would improve life for all inhabitants of the city. During Stage: Competition! Have students write three thesis statements properly, first student to complete the task wins a prize: Example one: Secondhand smoke is just as harmful as smoking and leads to a higher prevalence of cancer and heart disease. What’s worse, people who inhale secondhand smoke are doing so without consent. For this reason, smoking in any public place should be banned. Example two: Americans should eliminate the regular consumption of fast food because the fast food diet leads to preventable and expensive health issues,

such as diabetes, obesity, and heart disease. Example three: China’s one child policy was intended to help control population growth. Instead, it has led to unintended consequences, such as a diminishing labor force, an aging population, the neglect of basic human rights, and an unbalanced gender population. To improve China’s situation, the policy should be reversed. Check for understanding! Post-Stage: Depending on time, have students compare their answers. Activity 2: Formal review lesson on how to write an introduction paragraph.

Pre-Stage: Write the various stages required for the structure of an intro paragraph on the board.

T-S interaction.

15 min.

S-S interaction.

20 min.

During Stage: 1. Go over the opening statement to the intro paragraph. 2. Background statements, provide context on main ideas. 3. Main ideas and supporting sentences. 4. Thesis statement, grab your reader’s attention, while establishing an outline for your essay. This is your argument! Check for understanding! Post-Stage: Begin transition to having students write their own introduction paragraph based on an essay outline I will provide for them.

Activity 3: Have students start writing their argumentative essays.

Provide students with an example of an intro paragraph, which will include a strong thesis statement. Check for understanding!

Materials: Worksheet with thesis statements and outline.

Anticipated Problems & Suggested Solutions: Students may need more time to construct their thesis statements. I may have them skip a few of the examples. Contingency Plans: Have students read their intro paragraphs to a partner, and have the partner identify their thesis statement. Review the lesson and ensure they understand the basic format of an introductory paragraph.