Thesis, Topic Sentences and Transitions

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Thesis, Topic Sentences and Transitions

• A lesson on the elements of a formal essay and
  how and when to use them.

Mrs. Wright 9th grade Language Arts
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THESIS
Topic Sentences
Transitions
Click on the topic that you wish to learn about.
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Example of a THESIS
Read the following example and then move on to
the next slide.

I love the look on a students face when the
light bulb goes off and he or she understands the
concept that I am trying to teach. I also enjoy
the relationships that I develop with my students
throughout the school year. These are some of
the main reasons that I became a teacher.
However, being a teacher is also hard work. I
spend many hours after the school day creating
lessons, grading, and planning. There are many
aspects of teaching that many people dont see.
In the following paragraphs, I will share some of
the hidden triumphs and challenges of my job.
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One More Example

• One way to think about a thesis is as a question
  that needs to be answered. For example, lets
  pretend your essay topic is discuss the benefits
  of all 9th grade students having laptop
  computers.
• First of all what are the benefits of 9th grade
  students having laptop computers?
• Your answers will be the paragraphs of your essay.

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Your Turn

• Based on your knowledge and the previous
  examples, answer the following question.
• What is the definition of a THESIS?
• a. The first sentence of your essay
• b. A sentence that says what youre going to
  talk about in your paper
• c. A sentence that sums up what you said in
  your essay
• d. The last sentence of your essay
• Click on the correct answer to move on to the
  next slide.

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Congratulations!!

• A thesis states what you are going to talk about
  throughout the rest of your paper or essay.

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Your Turn (II)

• Based on your knowledge and the previous example,
  answer the following question.
• Where is a Thesis located in an essay?
• a. The first sentence of your essay
• b. The last sentence of your essay
• c. The last sentence of your introductory
  paragraph
• d. The first sentence of your conclusion
  paragraph
• Click on the correct answer to move on to the
  next slide.

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Congratulations!!

• A thesis is the last sentence of the introductory
  paragraph. Again, it states what you are going to
  talk about throughout the rest of your paper or
  essay.

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Your Turn (III)

• Think about what a thesis could be compared to
  and answer the following question
• What is a synonym for a Thesis?
• a. A simile
• b. An attention getter
• c. A clincher
• d. A main idea
• Click on the correct answer to move on to the
  next slide.

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Synonym Definition

• A synonym is a pair of two different words that
  have the same meaning.
• Examples
• sofa and couch pop and soda

Back
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Fantastic!!

• A thesis can be compared to a main idea, because
  it states the main points of the essay.
  Congratulations!

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Putting Your Knowledge to the Test

• Now, please go to the attached Word document
  (click on the paper below) and write an
  introductory paragraph with a thesis.
• Your subject may be about anything you wish.
• Remember to include your name in your document.
  Then print it out and give it to Mrs. Wright.

Click on the above picture for more information
on theses.
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Close, but not quite. . .

• Go back and look at the example again, and then
  try the question one more time. Make sure to
  look at the underlined sentence in the example.

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Example of a THESIS
Read the following example and then move on to
the next slide.

I love the look on a students face when the
light bulb goes off and he or she understands the
concept that I am trying to teach. I also enjoy
the relationships that I develop with my students
throughout the school year. These are some of
the main reasons that I became a teacher.
However, being a teacher is also hard work. I
spend many hours after the school day creating
lessons, grading, and planning. There are many
aspects of teaching that many people dont see.
In the following paragraphs, I will share some of
the hidden triumphs and challenges of my job.
15
Your TurnChance Two

• Based on your knowledge and the previous example,
  answer the following question.
• What is the definition of a THESIS?
• a. The first sentence of your essay
• b. A sentence that says what youre going to
  talk about in your paper
• c. A sentence that sums up what you said in
  your essay
• d. The last sentence of your essay
• Click on the correct answer to move on to the
  next slide.

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Nice Try!!

• (b) - A thesis is a sentence that summarizes
  what it is that you are going to talk about in
  the rest of your essay. In the example, it is
  underlined and says that in the rest of my essay,
  I am going to talk about the challenges and
  triumphs of my job.
• Try this one. . .

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Sorry,

• Remember that the first sentence of an essay is
  called an attention getter and that the last
  sentence of the essay is the clincher.
• Try again. . .

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Your Turn (II)(Chance 2)

• Based on your knowledge and the previous example,
  answer the following question.
• Where is a Thesis located in an essay?
• a. The first sentence of your essay
• b. The last sentence of your essay
• c. The last sentence of your introductory
  paragraph
• d. The first sentence of your conclusion
  paragraph
• Click on the correct answer to move on to the
  next slide.

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Nice Try

• The thesis is the last sentence in the
  introductory paragraph. It is like a transition,
  or bridge into the rest of the essay. In the
  example, with the thesis placed where it is, that
  paragraph would be the introduction.
• Try the final question. . .

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Oops. . .

• Go back and look at the answers again. Eliminate
  the figurative language term and the terms for
  the first and last sentence of an essay.
• One more time . . .

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Your Turn (III)(Chance 2)

• Based on your knowledge and the previous example,
  answer the following question.
• What can a Thesis be compared to?
• a. A simile
• b. An attention getter
• c. A clincher
• d. A main idea
• Click on the correct answer to move on to the
  next slide.

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Nice Try

• Because a thesis states what you are going to
  talk about in the rest of the essay, it can be
  compared to the main idea. It is the main idea
  of the entire essay. Just as a topic sentence is
  the main idea of each body paragraph.

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TOPIC SENTENCE - definition

• A TOPIC SENTENCE is the first sentence of each of
  the body paragraphs in an essay. It states the
  main idea and tells what is going to be talked
  about in that paragraph. All information in that
  paragraph must fit in with the main idea or topic
  sentence.

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TOPIC SENTENCE definition, cont.

• A TOPIC SENTENCE can be compared to a thesis.
  Where a thesis is a sentence describing what the
  writer is going to talk about in the entire
  essay, a TOPIC SENTENCE is a sentence describing
  what the writer is going to talk about in each of
  the body paragraphs.

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Question 1

• Which of the following could be a TOPIC
  SENTENCE? a. A dog has four legs. b. I
  have a chocolate lab. c. In this paragraph, I
  will talk about my dogs behavior. d. In this
  essay, I will talk about my chocolate lab.
• (Click on the correct answer to move onto the
  next slide.)

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Great Job!!

• A great example of a TOPIC SENTENCE would be
  choice c. Remember that it is not d because that
  tells the reader what will be talked about in the
  entire essay, not just in one paragraph.

Keep up the great work!
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Oops. . .

• A TOPIC SENTENCE is like the frame of a house.
  Everything inside the house falls within the
  frame. Everything inside a paragraph falls
  within the TOPIC SENTENCE.
• A TOPIC SENTENCE tells everything that will be in
  that paragraph.
• Try one more time. . .

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Question 1(chance 2)

• Which of the following could be a TOPIC
  SENTENCE? a. A dog has four legs. b. I
  have a chocolate lab. c. In this paragraph, I
  will talk about my dogs behavior. d. In this
  essay, I will talk about my chocolate lab.
• (Click on the correct answer to move onto the
  next slide.)

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Sorry!

• The correct answer is c, because it tells what is
  going to be discussed in that paragraph. Thats
  the main thing to remember about a TOPIC SENTENCE
  it tells what is going to be discussed in that
  paragraph.

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Question 2

• Why is a topic sentence important?
• a. It keeps the reader and writer
  focused. b. It matches the thesis, and keeps
  uniformity throughout the essay. c. It
  makes the reader think the writer knows what
  theyre doing.
• d. None of the above.
• (Click on the correct answer to move onto the
  next slide.)

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Fabulous!

• A TOPIC SENTENCE keeps the reader and the writer
  focused throughout the essay. Often, a writer
  can get so caught up in what theyre writing,
  that they ramble throughout the essay, without a
  lot of focus. A TOPIC SENTENCE acts as a
  checklist, to keep everyone on the right track.

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Not Quite.

• Its important for an essay to hold the same
  style throughout, just as this power point is the
  same style throughout the whole thing. That
  keeps the reader from getting confused. However,
  that is not the most important reason for a TOPIC
  SENTENCE.
• Try Again. . .

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Question 2(Chance 2)

• Why is a topic sentence important?
• a. It keeps the reader and writer
  focused. b. It matches the thesis, and keeps
  uniformity throughout the essay. c. It
  makes the reader think the writer knows what
  theyre doing.
• d. None of the above.
• (Click on the correct answer to move onto the
  next slide.)

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Great Try!!(but not quite)

• A TOPIC SENTENCE is important because it keeps
  the reader and the writer on task and focused.
  That way, the essay wont be any longer than it
  needs to be.
• Try the final question.

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3rd and Final Question

• True or False
• A writer can put information into a paragraph,
  even if it doesnt fit the TOPIC SENTENCE for
  that paragraph?
• True False

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Wonderful!

• A writer should only put information into a
  paragraph that fits with that topic sentence.
  Otherwise, the reader may get confused.

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Nope,

• Can you guess the right answer?

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Putting Your Knowledge to the Test

• Now, please go to the attached Word document
  (click on the paper below) and write a body
  paragraph with a TOPIC SENTENCE.
• Your subject may be about anything you wish.
• Remember to include your name in your document.
  Then print it out and give it to Mrs. Wright.

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Transitions

• A TRANSITION can be compared to a turning signal
  on a car.
• It tells those behind the car, what the driver is
  doing and what he or she plans to do next.

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Transitions

• A TRANSITION can also be compared to a telephone
  call, in which the caller says
• Im home now, Ive got to run to the store
  and then Ill be over.
• Again, this tells the other person what the
  caller is doing now and what he or she plans to
  do in the near future.

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One more Comparison . . .

• What else could a TRANSITION be compared to?
• a. A television commercial b. A
  resignation letter c. A video game d. A
  football game
• Click on the correct answer to move on to the
  next slide.

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Great Job!

• A TRANSITION can be compared to a resignation
  letter because the letter lets a persons boss
  know that they are working now, but plan on
  changing that in a couple of weeks.
• So, whats the rule of a TRANSITION?

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Oops,

• Not all four of the examples (a t.v. commercial,
  a resignation letter, a video game and a football
  game) follow the same pattern as the other two
  examples (the turning signal and the phone call).
• Guess which one does have the same pattern as the
  other two, and youll have the answer.
• Try Again. . .

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One more Comparison . . .(Take Two)

• What else could a TRANSITION be compared to?
• a. A television commercial b. A
  resignation letter c. A video game d. A
  football game
• Click on the correct answer to move on to the
  next slide.

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The Correct Answer -

• The correct answer is b (resignation letter). It
  tells a persons employer that he or she is
  working now, but plans on quitting in a couple of
  weeks.
• Based on this, whats the rule of a TRANSITION?

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You tell Me!

• Based on the three comparisons discussed
• A turning signal
• A phone call
• A resignation letter
• What is the rule of a TRANSITION? Is it
• a. The first sentence in the conclusion of an
  essay.
• b. A sentence that tells the reader what the
  writers next essay will be about.
• c. The small title after the main title of an
  essay.
• d. A sentence that tells the reader what was
  talked about in one paragraph and what will be
  talked about in the next paragraph.

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Yes!!

• A transition is a word or phrase that connects
  one paragraph to another. An example would be
  in this paragraph I discussed the wages of a
  teacher and in the next paragraph, Ill discuss
  the hours a teacher puts in.
• It keeps the essay flowing, so that it doesnt
  seem choppy.

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Not Quite . . .

• Heres a hint
• A TRANSITION comes between two body
  paragraphs in an essay.
• Now go back and try again!

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You tell Me!(Take Two)

• Based on the three comparisons discussed
• A turning signal
• A phone call
• A resignation letter
• What is the rule of a TRANSITION? Is it
• a. The first sentence in the conclusion of an
  essay.
• b. A sentence that tells the reader what the
  writers next essay will be about.
• c. The small title after the main title of an
  essay.
• d. A sentence that tells the reader what was
  talked about in one paragraph and what will be
  talked about in the next paragraph.

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The Correct Answer

• The correct answer is d. A transition comes
  between two body paragraphs in an essay. It sums
  up what the previous paragraph was about, and
  where the next paragraph is going.

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Transitions

• Transitions connect two paragraphs. They
  summarize what one paragraph is about and tell
  what the next paragraph is going to be about.
  Hence, the comparisons to the situations where
  people were summarizing what they were doing now
  and then telling what they were going to do.
• However, since a transition connects, it could
  also be compared to a bridge.

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Word or Phrase

• A TRANSITION doesnt have to be an entire
  sentence. It could be one simple word as well.
  Can you pick out the word that is not a
  transition?

Therefore
Hence
However
Furthermore
Until
Then
Consequently
Next
Whatever
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Right!!

• The word whatever doesnt lead the reader to the
  next point in an essay.

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Thats Not the Right One . . .

• Remember that youre looking for a word that
  could connect two points, arguments, ideas, etc.
• Go back and give it another try.

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Word or Phrase(Take Two)

• A TRANSITION doesnt have to be an entire
  sentence. It could be one simple word as well.
  Can you pick out the word that is not a
  transition?

Therefore
Hence
However
Furthermore
Until
Then
Consequently
Next
Whatever
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Not the Right One Yet. . .

• Give it one more shot, some help has been added
  so that you can conquer this question!

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Word or Phrase(Take Two)

• A TRANSITION doesnt have to be an entire
  sentence. It could be one simple word as well.
  Can you pick out the word that is not a
  transition?

Therefore
Hence
However
Furthermore
Until
Then
Consequently
Next
Whatever
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The Correct Answer . . .

• The correct answer is Whatever. It is not a word
  that would lead readers to the next point,
  argument or idea in an essay.
• Great shot though!!

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Putting Your Knowledge to the Test

• Now, please go to the attached Word document
  (click on the paper below) and write two
  sentences, then a TRANSITION, then two more
  sentences.
• Your subject may be about anything you wish.
• Remember to include your name in your document.
  Then print it out and give it to Mrs. Wright.