Mr. Trumble’s Blog: Day 83: 1/22/24 - Writing a Thesis & Outlining Day #1

Homeroom:

Good Morning. Please use this time to get ready for your day.

Do Now:

Check that your homework is done
Make sure you have all your materials
Sharpen pencils

ELA:

Good Day 6th Graders,

Today we will write a thesis sentence and start outlining our persuasive essay.
Thank you
Mr. Trumble
Do Now:

Write down your independent work
Take out your Gathering Info Graphic Organizers
Pick up a copy of the persuasive essay outline

Independent work:

Goal #4 = Persuasive Essay Outline
Goal Date = Thursday 1/25

Activity #1

Writing a Persuasive Essay

Goal #2

6. Research

You will need to find at least 2 - 3 resources that you can use to support your thinking. This is where you will use the library databases to find articles to support your opinion.

Follow these steps to find articles:

Step 1: Use the databases provided through the school library

Step 2: Use your keywords and search for articles that will help you support your opinion.

Step 3: Once you begin researching select an article based on the title, and on the name of the resource.

Step 4: Preview the information by scanning through the information, looking at the text features, and getting the gist of the article.

Step 5: If you like the article send the article to your google drive. And Print.

Goal #3

Reading Articles & Gathering Information:

Read the article closely and begin by annotating
Use an Orange highlighter to highlight important details.
Use the pink highlighter to highlight the topic sentence
Then, complete your "Gathering information" graphic organizer. One Graphic Organizer per article
Gather up as much information/evidence as you can.
Include: Names of people, experts, & sources

You should be thinking about these two questions:

What is your opinion about your topic?
What are your reasons?

Goal #4

7. Write a thesis Statement

Now that we have gathered information for our topic we can write a thesis statement.

Thesis statement = Your Opinion. This is your "I think, I believe, I feel," statement.

***Be sure to include a brief explanation of 'why'. This is where you will input your 3 reasons you will expand on in your essay.

Ex:
I believe that all elementary students should receive at least 30 minutes of recess every day, because they will be able to be more attentive, more productive & perform better, and be more well-behaved in class.

8. Outlining

Use the Writing a Persuasive Essay Checklist along with the Outline to begin planning your essay. REMEMBER, THE OUTLINE IS JUST THAT, AN OUTLINE. IT IS NOT THE PAPER ITSELF. YOU WILL BE USING YOR OUTLINE TO THEN WRITE WELL STRUCTURED PARAGRAPHS.

To Complete the Outline:

Start with the Thesis
Then put in your 3 reasons (From your thesis)
Go from beginning to end
You may skip parts and come back to them later
Be sure to include your sources & names
Use your Checklist if you are unsure about what to do
You do not need to write in complete sentences

Goal #5

9. Drafting

USE YOR OUTLINE TO WRITE WELL STRUCTURED PARAGRAPHS. LET THE CHECKLIST BE YOUR GUIDE. YOU CAN SEE THAT YOU WILL NEED 6 PARAGRAPHS!
I WILL MODEL HOW TO GET STARTED!
You May Write on line paper, but I would highly encourage you to complete your draft in a Google Document. That way we can save it along the way, so then editing & revising will be easier.
Drafting should take us about 3 days

Drafting Day 1 - Paragraphs 1 & 2

Drafting Day 2 - Paragraphs 3 & 4

Drafting Day 3 - Paragraphs 5 & 6

10. Editing & Revising

Editing & Revising - Phase 1

Independent - Use the checklist in your notebook

Make sure that you have all required parts
Make sure you have enough sentences in each part
Make sure you have included your sources

Partner - Use the checklist in your notebook & repeat the process with a writing partner
Repeat the process again with another writing partner
Partners job is to help make the paper better

9. Editing & Revising - Phase 2

Independent - Repeat phase 1 with the next checklist
Partner - Remember your job is to help make the writing better

10. Editing & Revising - Phase 3

Your Task: Edit and Revise:
1. the Introduction & the Conclusion
2. Body Paragraphs that support your thinking
3. Body paragraph that addresses the people who think differently

Use the checklist to evaluate your own writing.

Part 1 - Edit & Revise your essay by yourself.
Part 2 - Edit & Revise your essay with a writing partner
Part 3 - Edit & Revise your essay with a 2nd writing partner

General areas to Edit & Revise:

Check spelling
Check Grammar
Did you vary your sentence structure? (Short, medium, long)
Did you use conjunctions to make compound sentences? (And, but, or)
Elaboration - Have you elaborated on all your ideas to be specific about your ideas?

Intro:

Does your introduction have a hook, background info, and a strong specific thesis statement with 2 parts?
What transition words did you use?
Where can you add transition words?
Did you clarify vocabulary words?

Body Paragraph 1 - 3:

Do your body paragraphs clearly state your reasons?
Do they have Evidence?
Have you elaborated and explained your evidence in detail?
Have you included your sources?
Is there a link connecting your evidence to your reason?
What transition words did you use?
Where can you add transition words?
Did you clarify vocabulary words?

Body Paragraph 4:

Did you present the opposing side of the issue?
Did you use language like: I know, I understand, I am aware...
Have you elaborated and explained the opposing side of the issue in detail?
Did you refute or Rebut?
Did you explain in detail why the opposing side of the issue should think like you?
What transition words did you use?
Where can you add transition words?
Did you clarify vocabulary words?