Effective Thesis Statements and Textual Analysis LEADERS IN LITERACY CONFERENCE Effective Thesis Statements and Textual Analysis Aiken County Public School District January 13, 2017 Zeke Miller zmiller@acpsd.net (803) 641-2500 You can also send me a message through Schoology; just look for my name Power point template opening slide

Essential Questions 1. How can I help my students create effective thesis statements? 2. How can I help my students learn how to effectively analyze textual evidence to include in their essay? aiken county public school district

Session Outcomes As a result of attending this session, attendees will have Reviewed the power point for how to write effective thesis statements and textual analysis Analyzed example thesis statements together to determine the essential elements within them Written their own thesis statements based on information given to them Analyzed a piece of textual evidence together to develop insightful commentary on issues presented Written their own analysis on a piece of textual evidence to develop insightful commentary on issues presented aiken county public school district

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDMDOZW6rPs aiken county public school district

Information Provided Step by step Detailed explanations given for each step Multiple examples given of model technique Follow the formula aiken county public school district

Effective Thesis Statements Essential Questions What criteria does a high quality thesis statement have to follow? How can I assess my thesis statement to determine if it is high quality or not? aiken county public school district

The Most Important Criteria for a Thesis Statement Advances a Claim, not merely an Observation Boo saves Jem and Scout. Boo saves Jem and Scout because he cares about them. Need to clarify how the claim matters to our understanding of the broader meaning of the text: By saving Jem’s and Scout’s lives, Boo demonstrates his need to protect the aspects of innocence and hope within his world. aiken county public school district

Thesis Statement Breakdown Key (Con) Contrast/Counter: (C) Character or Characters: (What) What does the character do?: (Meaning) Why?/Meaning: (I) Issue/Focus: aiken county public school district

Thesis Statement Breakdown using Key (Visual Practice) (Con) Contrast/Counter: (C) Character or Characters: (What) What does the character do?: (Meaning) Why?/Meaning: (I) Issue/Focus: aiken county public school district

Thesis Statement Breakdown using Key (Visual Practice) Model Thesis Statement: Although the town of Maycomb views Boo Radley as an inhumane monster in To Kill A Mockingbird, his desire to form a friendship with Jem and Scout reveals his true humanity. aiken county public school district

Thesis Statement Breakdown using Key (Written Practice) On the thesis statements handout, analyze each thesis statement, and determine the elements that reside within by labeling them with the appropriate symbol from the Thesis Statement Breakdown Key. aiken county public school district

Review Thesis Statement Breakdown Written Practice (Using Key) Analyze each thesis statement, and determine the elements that reside within by labeling them with the appropriate symbol from the Thesis Statement Breakdown Key. Visualize and write down the formula at the end aiken county public school district

Practice Writing Your Own Thesis Statement using Key (Visual Practice) (Con) Contrast/Counter: Jem seems to be an innocent Southern boy (C) Character or Characters: Jem (What) What does the character do?: begins to understand Boo Radley’s perspective and reacts to Tom Robinson’s conviction (Meaning) Why?/Meaning: loses his innocence (I) Issue/Focus: innocence aiken county public school district

Our Thesis Statement on Jem Placeholder aiken county public school district

Practice Writing Your Own Thesis Statement using Formula (Written Practice on Handout) (Con) Contrast/Counter: Beowulf has heroic strength (C) Character or Characters: Beowulf (What) What does the character do?: has selfish motivations behind his actions (Meaning) Why?/Meaning: reveals he is not a true hero (I) Issue/Focus: hero aiken county public school district

Insightful Analysis Essential Questions What is the point of analyzing a piece of textual evidence? How can I develop insightful ideas that go beneath the surface level of the text? aiken county public school district

The Most Important Criteria for Insightful Analysis ANSWER WHY aiken county public school district

3 Types of Why Questions to Develop Why question developed from a piece of your quote (the piece that strikes you, the reader, the most) Why question developed to connect quote to topic sentence Why question developed to connect to thesis statement aiken county public school district

Important Elements of Essay so Far Topic Sentence: Throughout the epic poem, Beowulf shows heroic strength. Thesis Statement: Although Beowulf has heroic strength, the selfish motivations behind his actions reveal he is not a true hero. aiken county public school district

Quote to Analyze (Visual Practice) The speaker says, “The monster’s hatred rose higher, / But his power had gone. He twisted in pain, / And the bleeding sinews deep in his shoulder / Snapped, muscle and bone split / And broke” (337-341). aiken county public school district

Possible Questions to Analyze Quote (Visual Practice) Why does Grendel’s bone split? Why does ripping Grendel’s claw off show great strength? Why does this moment make Beowulf look like a hero? aiken county public school district

Answers (in Note Form) to Possible Questions to Analyze Quote (Visual Practice) Why does Grendel’s bone split? Tries to get away Pressure from Beowulf’s force Why does ripping Grendel’s claw off show great strength? Grendel’s a monster Supernatural strength Uses bare hands Why does this moment make Beowulf look like a hero? - Defeats the evil force - Saves the people with his strength aiken county public school district

Answers (in Sentence Form) to Possible Questions to Analyze Quote (Visual Practice) On Handout aiken county public school district

Important Elements of Essay so Far (Written Practice) ; Refer to Handout Topic Sentence: Although Beowulf has heroic strength, he constantly brags about his accomplishments to feed his ego. Thesis Statement: Although Beowulf has heroic strength, the selfish motivations behind his actions reveal he is not a true hero. aiken county public school district

Quote to Analyze (Written Practice) When Beowulf arrives to Hrothgar’s kingdom, he stands in front of the Danish king and says, “They have seen my strength for themselves, / Have watched me rise from the darkness of war, / Dripping with my enemies’ blood. I drove / Five great giants into chains, chased / All of that race from the earth” (151-155). aiken county public school district

Possible Questions to Analyze Quote (Written Practice) Why ? aiken county public school district

Answers (in Note Form) to Possible Questions to Analyze Quote (Written Practice) Why ? aiken county public school district

Revisiting the Presenters Meeting Outcomes As a result of attending this meeting, presenters will have Reviewed the power point template for how to write effective thesis statements and textual analysis Analyzed example thesis statements together to determine the essential elements within them Written their own thesis statements based on information given to them Analyzed a piece of textual evidence together to develop insightful commentary on issues presented Written their own analysis on a piece of textual evidence to develop insightful commentary on issues presented aiken county public school district

Essential Questions 1. How can I help my students create effective thesis statements? 2. How can I help my students learn how to effectively analyze textual evidence to include in their essay? aiken county public school district

Questions? Email questions to zmiller@acpsd.net OR Send a message through Schoology aiken county public school district