Statement of Purpose & Thesis Statement

Lesson Summary

Before a student begins researching any topic, he/she should have a focus for their research.  This focus is established by first creating a Statement of Purpose.  The Statement of Purpose guides the student's note taking and results in an informed opinion, or point of view, which becomes the Thesis Statement.  The Thesis Statement is the main point of the student's entire report.  This lesson is meant to serve as an introduction to this important stage of the writing process.

Standards Addressed

Ohio Academic Content Standards
Language Arts:  Grade Three:  Writing Process

2.  Develop a clear main idea for writing.
3.  Develop a purpose and audience for writing.

General Goals

• Provide instruction on the purpose and importance of a Statement of Purpose
• Provide instruction on the purpose and importance of a Thesis Statement

Specific Objectives

• Given Instruction, the learner will be able to develop a specific Statement of Purpose.
• Given Instruction, the learner will understand the purpose and development of a Thesis Statement.

Required Materials & Equipment

• Handout for each student "Statement of Purpose and Thesis Statement"
  

Handout

Instructional Procedure

1. Teacher provides each student with a copy of the "Statement of Purpose & Thesis Statement" handout.
2. Teacher reads aloud the information in the handout as the students follow along.

Assessment

• Teacher asks students to form groups of three or four students
• Teacher writes two general statements on the chalkboard and asks the groups to choose one statement and write a more specific Statement of Purpose
• After ten minutes of group collaboration, one member from each group reads their statements aloud to the class.
• The class, as a whole, verbally grades each Statement of Purpose for specificity.