1. Warm up: A thesis statement is like a baseball bat because ________.

2. TRANSITION WORDS What do we already know about transition words?

3. TRANSITION WORDS: Add coherence to your writing Organize your supporting details Combine sentences Connect paragraphs

4. As a result, a challenge that came to me fairly easy was getting a better score of eight minutes and eleven seconds on the mile. In conclusion, that score may not have been great, but compared to my scores of past years it is ok. Similarly, the problems were that I have asthma, so I get out of breath quickly, and that my shins hurt when I finish running. I really wanted a better score, so I trained at home a week or two before the mile run. I ran one mile everyday on my treadmill at home each time trying to get a better time and work on my breathing. Luckily, my training did pay off, and I was happy.

5. Sports tone up students’ bodies and minds. Sports are a fun way to stay healthy and physically fit. Growing kids need physical activity to build strong bones. Physical activity improves hand-eye coordination. Sports improve muscle strength, flexibility and the cardiovascular system. Sports teach students to work well with others and have a good attitude. Students who play sports often do better in school.

7. Grab a colored pencil and examine your draft. Find three places where you can insert a transition word to help organize your thoughts.