Thesis Statement

What is a thesis? It is a claim It introduces the argument you are about to make Argument? This means you are stating your opinion- and you want others to agree Your statement that tells the reader what you interpreted from a text is an argument You want your reader to agree with you by the end

BIG ISSUE: Jealousy Theme: Jealousy causes people to do bad things they will regret. Turn it into a thesis:

Turn to your partner or table mates: Identify the issue in your story “Thank You, Ma’am” “The Veldt”

What was the theme- the message the author was sending about the issue? “Thank You, Ma’am” “The Veldt”

Now, work with your partner to write a thesis that will fit with your paper. Possible starters: In (title), the author develops the idea __________________. (Author’s name) teaches the reader that ____________________.

Introduction

The hook You need to get their attention Author’s name and title of work They need to know what you’re writing about Background information Necessary information they will need to understand your paper The thesis Your argument

A startling bit of information There was a lot of rain; in fact, on Venus, it had rained for seven years straight. A bit of dialogue “It’s like a fire,” (Margot) said, “in the stove.” “You’re lying, you don’t remember!” cried the children. A meaningful quote “They unlocked the door, even more slowly, and let Margot out.” A universal idea Everyone falls prey to jealousy at some point; whether it is as a victim or an aggressor. A rich description of the setting It was a place like no other, filled with plants and trees, but washed out and pale from lack of sun.

There was a lot of rain; in fact, on Venus, it had been raining for seven years straight. In Ray Bradbury’s “All Summer in a Day,” the constant rain is what causes issues between the school children and their classmate, Margot. The school children, who had no recollection of ever having seen the sun, see the character of Margot as different because of her clear memory of the sun. This memory causes resentment within the children, which they later act upon. It is this resentment that lies at the heart of the story. Bradbury’s message is that jealousy causes people to make bad choices they later regret.

Write your hook using one of the suggestions. When finished, write it on the whiteboard and hold it up.

What is your story about? Who are your characters? Write 3-4 sentences giving the reader the information he/she needs to understand your paper….

Put together your hook, your background and your thesis to form your introduction. TURN IT IN!!!

The Conclusion

A restatement of your thesis DO NOT REWRITE YOUR THESIS WORD FOR WORD A reminder of your points What were the main ideas you touched upon? A “so what?” moment Why should we care???

Write your thesis on a piece of paper… Now, restate it using different words.

Why do we care about the lesson the author is teaching us?? Write a few sentences about why the lesson in the story is important. Share it with your neighbor.

Write it including: Restatement of thesis Brief summary of main points The SO WHAT?