Literary Reflection Intro - Developing a Thesis

Teacher: Ian Mustard

Grade: 10-2
Subject: ELA
Class Duration: 80 mins

GLOs/SLOs:
2.2 - Understand and appreciate textual forms, elements and techniques
● 2.2.1 Relate form, structure and medium to purpose, audience and content
○ c. identify and describe organizational patterns and structural features that
contribute to purpose and content [such as the use of chronology to structure a
narrative and the use of categories and headings to structure a report]
4.1 - Develop and present a variety of print and nonprint texts
● 4.1.3 Develop content
○ c. establish a focus for text creation, and communicate scope by framing an
effective controlling idea or describing a strong unifying effect.
4.2 - Improve thoughtfulness, effectiveness and correctness of communication
● 4.2.1 Enhance thought and understanding and support and detail
○ a. identify the controlling idea or desired unifying effect of a text in progress [for
example, in a rehearsal, mock-up or draft]

Key Question: How can I most effectively express my opinion on a given topic?

Materials:
Literary Exploration Slides
Literary Exploration Intro - Developing a Thesis
Literary Exploration Prompt
Literary Exploration Prompts for Carousel

Procedure

Hook/Recap: 12:00-12:10
- Discuss student Exit Slip responses from last class, point to really interesting ideas and
responses from students:
- “It is human nature to care about others that are close to you. For example a gang
member might get involved in dangerous activities will always care for the people
that are close to them.”
- “Some people may be good at heart despite their actions… [like] Mr. Van Daan.”
(literary connection) “People can be influenced to make mistakes that they
 wouldn’t normally make.”
- Paying special att’n to: “I do not believe people are good at heart. I believe people
are born with a need to survive and serve themselves but I believe people are
taught to be good, which I’d argue is better than just being ‘born good.’”

Mini-lesson 12:10-12:30
- Literary exploration as a form of writing where one’s opinion about a “Big Idea” is
evidenced through analysis of literary texts as well as one’s own personal experiences.
- Instructing how to break apart a “big idea.”
- Defining and interpreting key terms (or keywords)
- How to develop a thesis statement
- Agreeing or disagreeing (Restating with keywords from prompt)
- Clarifying and/or quantifying your opinion (addressing the WHY or WHEN of a
prompt, making it specific)
- Vocab:
- Thesis
- Keyword
- Clarify and/or Quantify (the Why or When of a thesis statement)
- Circular Reasoning

12:30-12:40
- Have students write a thesis statement for “what is your opinion on the idea that humans
are good at heart?”
- These should be based on their responses from the exit slip from last class—now
they are clarifying and formalizing their ideas into one coherent statement.

12:40-1:15
- Carousel - have students write thesis statements for seven different prompts (five-ish
minutes per prompt) that are set up around the room on their sheets. I will observe
throughout the room and help students who require assistance, and let other students who
are more comfortable participate in the time trial.

1:15-1:20
- Closure - have students come together and answer the following prompt at their table
groups:
- What is a thesis statement? How do you create one?

Reflection:
- Hook took longer than expected, students seemed really engaged in what each other’s
ideas were and continued the discussion from last class. We had a fun impromptu debate
 about human nature.
- There is a large variety in students’ understanding of how to construct a “thesis
statement.” Some students seem relatively comfortable, and others freeze up; how can we
further scaffold for students who have a hard time articulating their ideas?
- Carousel activity worked well! Students seemed really engaged. The timer was largely
unnecessary and served to be more of a distraction than a motivator. For this class,
students naturally moved between the different stations once they felt comfortable with
the thesis statement they came up with for a given prompt. In the future, I would allow
students to explore the various stations of the carousel on their own time, which is what
the activity pivoted towards after the first two rounds (asked students and they seemed to
prefer it that way).
- Closure seemed rushed, potentially allot more time to summarize the ideas of the lesson
at the end.