PowerPoint Presentation

Smartboard Lesson Plan AdaptionThesis Statement Writing for Ninth Graders

Smartboard Lesson PlanTopic: Thesis StatementsThesis statement definitionPractice identifying thesis statements in exemplar texts How to write a thesis statementSMART Exchange Lesson: Thesis StatementsLink to lesson: Click here

Target LearnersGrade: Ninth

Subject: English

How I will use this SMART Exchange Lesson with my target students (while contributing to universal design): To provide students with a comprehensive definition of thesis statements Serving as an introduction or review To provide students with examples of thesis statements in model texts Opportunity to identify thesis statements in contextTo provide students with ample thesis statement writing practice and resourcesAllow students to identify mistakes and questions; give them further examples to reference123

Using this slide, I could introduce/review for my students the four major roles of a thesis statement. Considering ninth graders are often freshman coming from many different middle school curriculums, establishing these four roles at the beginning of this lesson would contribute to universal design, accounting for students of both high and low knowledge levels regarding thesis statements, hence using this slide to introduce or review. Using this slide, I could further contribute to universal design, by introducing/reviewing the role or definition of a thesis statement in a more visual manner. More specifically, while the previous slide used simply words to achieve this goal, this slide uses colors and elements of diagramming to emphasize the fact that thesis statements serve to clarify the authors topic and position on an issue.

Using this slide, I could provide students with several isolated examples of thesis statements (i.e. thesis statements NOT in context). By first presenting students with this method, I will contribute to universal design in that scaffolding serves as a major part of this concept. More specifically, because identifying isolated thesis statements is easier than identifying them in context, I will be ensuring students of all levels understand the basics are prepared for the next level. Using this slide, I could further contribute to universal design by means of scaffolding as I mention for the previous slide. In this slide, students click on provided student writing samples that contain thesis statements and identify the statements in these contexts. Considering the thesis statements are not isolated, this slide is the next level. Likewise, universal design is supported in that this slide offers another means of engagement, giving kinesthetic learners the opportunity to approach the board and physically select an example with which to practice.

With this slide, I could provide students with a handy resource (a word list) they could refer back to when writing thesis statements for later assignments. Using this list, I could contribute to universal design by allowing students to come up to the board and add more words/phrases to this list another means of engagement. Similarly, I could also print this list and provide it students in the form of a handout another means of representation. Using this slide, I could give students the opportunity to practice writing their own thesis statements, using one of the following prompts. Considering this slide asks students to submit their practice statements in the form of an exit slip, I could collect these responses and use them as a type of formative assessment. Assessment is also a factor in universal design for learning, therefore, using these slips as a means of informing future lessons and instruction would only further support this matter.

How I will use this additional online resource with my target students (while contributing to universal design):

I will use video with my target students to supplement this SMART Exchange lesson on thesis statements with my target students because it contributes to universal design in multiple ways. First, it provides another means of representation in that it explains the material in a cartoon format with audio and sound effects, catering to many different types of learners. Likewise, it serves as another means of engagement, one likely to resonate with ninth graders, technology savvy and cartoon, loving young adults. More specifically, it offers another way for kids to access the material in addition to my instruction and use of the SMART Exchange lesson.

VIDEO Video Link