A strong thesis statement not only identifies the subject of an essay but also presents a claim that must be supported with evidence. After researching how nursing has evolved in the United States since the Colonial era, young writers craft a thesis statement and select the evidence they would use to support their claim.

Concepts

nursing, women's history, women's history month, women's rights, thesis statements, expository essays, primary source analysis, primary sources, evaluating claims, supporting evidence

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Additional Tags

social studies

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Instructional Ideas

• If any class members volunteer in a local hospital or clinic, have them share their experiences with the class
• Begin the lesson with a review of the characteristics of a strong thesis statement
• As part of the review, project the included model thesis and have pupils identify the opinion words or claim that requires evidence to support
• Stress that all the foundation words are opinion words or claims and require evidence to support

Classroom Considerations

• Presumes researchers have previous experience crafting a thesis statement or thesis paragraph
• Requires extra prep time to copy and collate required materials

Pros

• Clearly identifies the supporting evidence required for the assignment

Cons

• None

Common Core

W.7.1.a W.7.2.a W.9-10.7 W.9-10.9.a