1. Have you ever been left wondering, How do I write a thesis statement for an argumentative essay?

3. Let’s review the steps for writing an essay
Let’s review the steps for writing an essay. Now that we’ve chosen a topic, it’s important that we start finding evidence that will support a strong argument. We have to have that evidence before planning to write, drafting, and then finally editing.

4. ✓ ✓ ✗ School Lunches #1 Not enough food #2 Doesn’t taste good
#3 Too much homework ✓ ✓ ✗
A common mistake that writers make is that they do not remain focused on the main topic of the essay. For example, if I have three supporting reasons for why school lunches need to be improved, I should look at them to see if they each fit. The first reason, “Not Enough Food” Hmmmm, that fits. The second supporting reason, “Doesn’t taste good”, also fits. The third reason, “Too Much Homework”, hmmmm If that is included, the essay will not remain focused, since homework does not have much to do with lunch.

5. ✓
In the first step of the writing process, I did a free write about the topic of school lunches. Now, I want to look at that free write to help me determine the major claim of my essay. Let’s look at this free write.
(Read) I worry about school lunches because the food does not taste good. When I go to lunch, there are not many options and we tend to get the same thing every day. The food doesn’t seem very healthy, since they serve us pizza and hot dogs most days. I wonder if they even consider health when planning the menu? Because I don’t like the lunches most days, I don’t eat very much and it is harder to concentrate in my afternoon classes with a growling stomach.
Now, let’s break it down. First, the major topic of this free write is school lunches (CUE). I want to see what major points I made. (CUE) Oh, I see that I said that the food “does not taste good”. (CUE) I also see that I wrote that there are “not many options”. (CUE) And I went on to say that the “food doesn’t seem very healthy”. I then added several other things after each point in order to help my argument.
(CUE) By reading it again, let’s see if I can determine my major claim by thinking about the points I was making. CUE THOUGHT BUBBLE: WHAT IS MY OVERALL? I think that my major claim is that (CUE and READ) “School lunches need to be improved.” TO BE A GOOD CLAIM FOR AN ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY, IT MUST BE TRUE FOR MANY PEOPLE, NOT JUST ME. (CUE THOUGHT BUBBLE) DO OTHERS FEEL THIS WAY TOO? YES-EVERYBODY I KNOW IN SCHOOL THINKS THE FOOD IS TERRIBLE! CUE CHECK NEXT TO CLAIM

6. HERE ARE THE STEPS FOR WRITING A STRONG THESIS STATEMENT
HERE ARE THE STEPS FOR WRITING A STRONG THESIS STATEMENT.CUE #1 (Read) CUE #2 (Read)
It is very important to have a strong thesis statement that will set up and then guide the argument being made in the essay.

7. and the food is not very healthy.

8. I have a thesis statement, but now I need to figure out if my thesis statement will be effectIVE, but (CUE) “How do I determine if my thesis statement will be effective?”
I am going to ask myself three questions. First, (CUE) “Did I state what I will be arguing?” In reading my thesis statement, I see that “School lunches need to be improved”, is what I’ll be arguing. (CUE) Secondly, I need to ask “Did I state the reasons for my argument?” Let’s see, (Cue) “the food does not taste very good”, (Cue) “not given many choices”, and (Cue) “not very healthy” serve as my major reasons.
Alright, now I want to go back and ask myself, (Cue) “Does it clearly tell the reader what my essay will be about?” Since this is an argumentative essay, I WANT MY THESIS STATEMENT AS STRONG AS POSSIBLE, SO THE WORDING MUST BE AS TIGHT AS POSSIBLE. ONE TRICK WIRTERS KNOW IS IF YOU CAN SAY THE SAME THING IN LESS WORDS IT IS A STRONGER STATEMENT. can I use LESS language to MAKE a strong argument?
Hmmmm Will it be a stronger thesis statement if I drop the words “very” and “many”? (Cue and Read) “School lunches need to be improved, because the food does not taste good, students are not given choices, and the food is not healthy.” This thesis statement clearly and effectively states what my essay will be arguing.

9. HERE ARE THE STEPS FOR WRITING A STRONG THESIS STATEMENT
HERE ARE THE STEPS FOR WRITING A STRONG THESIS STATEMENT.CUE #1 (Read) CUE #2 (Read)
It is very important to have a strong thesis statement that will set up and then guide the argument being made in the essay.

11. Major Claim: School lunches need to be improved. LearnZillion Notes:
--The “Guided Practice” should include 1 practice problem that targets the skill that was used in the Core Lesson. Use the same vocabulary and process you used in the original lesson to solve this problem. You’ll be making a video in which you solve this question using your tablet and pen, so all you need to do is write the question on this slide.

12. LearnZillion Notes:
--The “Guided Practice” should include 1 practice problem that targets the skill that was used in the Core Lesson. Use the same vocabulary and process you used in the original lesson to solve this problem. You’ll be making a video in which you solve this question using your tablet and pen, so all you need to do is write the question on this slide.