Organizing an Organizing an EssayEssayBuilding a thesis statement and Building a thesis statement and topic sentencestopic sentences

Create Thesis StatementCreate Thesis Statement

Thesis=subject + Thesis=subject + opinion (stance, opinion (stance, belief, point of view, belief, point of view, argument)argument)

Can someone Can someone disagree?disagree?

Have you written a Have you written a fact?fact?

Thesis or Fact?Thesis or Fact?

Teenagers should be allowed to vote at Teenagers should be allowed to vote at age 16.age 16.

Sonora’s mascot is the Zapata Raider.Sonora’s mascot is the Zapata Raider. Students must complete four years of Students must complete four years of

English in order to graduate.English in order to graduate. The U.S. government should give more The U.S. government should give more

money to schools.money to schools. Public transportation should be free.Public transportation should be free.

SubjectsSubjects

Public parksPublic parks Candidate for Candidate for

presidentpresident School suppliesSchool supplies Movie pricesMovie prices Teenage curfewTeenage curfew School day lengthSchool day length Length of lunchLength of lunch

Topic SentencesTopic Sentences

These are the first sentences of each These are the first sentences of each body paragraphbody paragraph

Like a thesis (subject + opinion) only Like a thesis (subject + opinion) only more specificmore specific

ExamplesExamples

Thesis: Lunch period should be longerThesis: Lunch period should be longer TS#1: Students would have more time to TS#1: Students would have more time to

re-energize for later classesre-energize for later classes TS#2: Students would have more time for TS#2: Students would have more time for

clubs and extra-curricular activitiesclubs and extra-curricular activities TS#3: Students would have more time for TS#3: Students would have more time for

tutoring or other academic help.tutoring or other academic help.

Create a thesis and three Create a thesis and three TS for each subjectTS for each subject

Fast foodFast food School lockersSchool lockers Police officer on campusPolice officer on campus Rated R moviesRated R movies Presidential candidatePresidential candidate Using iPods during testsUsing iPods during tests