Thematic Essay Essentials

Critical Aspects of

the Thematic Essay

Decoding the Question:

Theme/Task/”Triggers”

Graphic Organizer

Construction: “I” Chart

“I” Chart = Three Step

Intro Elements of the Body

Paragraph: “CIA”

The Conclusion

Thematic Essay Essentials

• Goals:• Each facet/”step” of the “Thematic Essentials”

will contain:– A PowerPoint guiding students through an actual

question.– Exemplars provided to give students a model from

which to work.– Sample Questions where they can try out the various

aspects of the “essentials” – Reminders about Regents Rubrics and Scoring

Thematic Essay Essentials

• Sample Question:• If we can think through one question, that will

give us all of our goals, and we can work backwards in order to get there.

Thematic Essay Essentials

Thematic Essay Essentials

Critical Aspects of

the Thematic Essay

Decoding the

Question:

Theme/Task/

Triggers

Thematic Essay Essentials

• Theme/Task:• Provides the major idea for the essay• Task will be a clear reminder of the specific

steps needed.• Choices that exist below the task provide

“avenues of entrance.”

Thematic Essay Essentials

• Decoding:• We need to be able to have our students

target key word (trigger words) and “decode” the question.

• Trigger words can be “function words” like “describe”, “discuss” “explain” “show”

• Or, they can be direction words like “one” “each” “and/or”

Thematic Essay Essentials

• For the PowerPoint on decoding, there should be:• A sample question• Instructions on how to decode Theme/Task• Specific direction for students to highlight,

underline trigger words”• Examples of what words like “discuss” and

“describe” are really asking• Real questions examples where students can

“decode”

Theme/Task/Triggers

• Human Rights• Select Two Individuals...Each• Triggers:• Describe• Describe• Discuss

Thematic Essay Essentials

Critical Aspects of

the Thematic Essay

Graphic Organizer

Construction

Thematic Essay Essentials

• The Graphic Organizer can vary depending on the type of question that is given.

• Normally, Regents Thematics have a “two step” quality to them.

• In other words, there will be two people/events/asked for...

• Or, it might be one topic, with two/three bullets in the task giving us “steps”

• In almost all cases, The “I” Chart can be used

Thematic Essay Essentials

• Our Question: Essentials• Two individuals...Three Steps for each– Describe– Describe– Discuss

• Perfect for a “I” Chart...

“I” Chart

“I” Chart EssentialsIntroduction Elements:

Choice #1 (¶) Choice #2 (¶)

“Trigger” Trigger

“Trigger” Trigger”

“Trigger” Trigger Conclusion

“I” Chart “Tailored”Justice/Human Rights

Gandhi (¶) Mandela (¶)Describe

Describe

DescribeDescribe

DiscussDiscuss

Thematic Essay Essentials

• For the PowerPoint on graphic organizers, there should be:

• A sample question• Different examples of graphic organizers,

depending on the question• Specific direction for students to “translate the

task” into a graphic organizer• Real questions examples where students can fill

in graphic organizers.

Thematic Essay Essentials

Critical Aspects of

the Thematic Essay

The “Three Step”

Introduction

The Introduction

• Once you construct the “I” Chart...• You can work backwards, and construct your

introduction• All the elements are already there...• You have your theme...• You have made your selections...• You have condensed the task to its

essentials!!!

Thematic Essay Essentials

Three Step Intro

“Big Picture”

“Narrow Focus”

“Direction”

Thematic Essay Essentials

• Big Picture = Provide Context for the Theme• Narrow Focus = Introduce the selections that

you have made from the question• Direction = Translating your Task into a

statement of purpose.• Reminder: Working backward from your

graphic organizer will give you your intro!!!

Thematic Essay Essentials

• Our graphic organizer gave us

• Overall Theme: = Big Picture

• Two Individuals = Narrow Focus

• Key Trigger Words = Direction Statement

How to Construct Your “Three Step” Intro:

Big Picture = “Theme”

Narrow Focus = Global “Example”

Direction = Task Statement

“Mind Map”

Thematic Essay Essentials

• For the PowerPoint on introductions, there should be:

• A sample question• Entry points for students to work, using

previous graphic organizers, to construct an introduction.

• Real questions examples where students can construct other introductions.

Thematic Essay Essentials

Critical Aspects of

the Thematic Essay

Elements of the Body Paragraph

Thematic Essay Essentials

• If we have already formatted a graphic organizer...

• And thought our way through our introduction...

• The Body Paragraphs are already organized, and simply need to be written

• Our task will be to re-enforce the critical elements of the Body Paragraph

Thematic Essay Essentials: The Body Paragraph

• Each paragraph has to have a central focus• That comes from tour task/steps• Topic Sentence = Central Focus• Facts/Details/Examples = hitting your trigger

words like Identify, Describe and Show• Your Commentary = Discuss/Analyze/Assess