Teaching Students to Develop a Theme or Thesis
Developing writers need to see how their own life experiences have themes or messages that can be used as a catalyst for the message in their writing essays. This simple graphic organizer helps students collect their experiences into theme categories. Have students keep the charts in their writing notebook. Each week, students visit the chart and identify experiences and examples that can be added to theme categories. In addition to personal experiences, students can also include events and information from readings, movies, and other media sources.
After students have personal and literary examples, students should be able to construct a personal definition for theme, central or controlling idea, thesis, or position statement. They should also be guided to see that the experiences and examples listed are ways to develop or support the message. Quality writing contains techniques such as stories, anecdotes, metaphors, facts, details, examples, and reasons to convey this message throughout the paper.
When it time comes to write an essay, students return to the graphic organizer to harvest a theme or idea to develop. With on-going practice, students can become proficient at developing and organizing a cohesive message from the first to the last line of a composition.
To download this graphic organizer, click here.