Summer School 2012 - Day 3

Aim: To write a thematic essay in one (1) hour.

Lesson Overview:

Item	Approx Time
Do Now	10 Min
Mini Lesson	28 Min
Activity	60 Min

Belief Systems - Thematic Essay Writing Workshop

To successfully write a thematic essay response, one must focus on the task. Each of the task items must be addressed in the written essay response in order to receive full credit. This essay is completely from your memory of the topic chosen for the essay by New York State Board of Regents. There are no documents to assist you in writing this essay unlike a DBQ essay.

You may also use the Essay Writing Guide for reference.

A generic scoring rubric is provided which explains how the thematic essay response will be graded. The maximum possible score is a five; the lowest possible score is a zero.

To earn the maximum score possible, consider the following steps for writing a thematic essay response:

Pre-Writing

Before actually writing the thematic essay response, one should analyze the task and organize the information that they wish to include in the essay response. It is also important to read the scoring rubric to ensure that the essay response meets all of the requirements necessary to earn the maximum score of five. Use the link below to download and print the generic scoring rubric.

Thematic Essay Generic Scoring Rubric

Carefully read the theme and the task. Look for clues that will help identify the information required to thoroughly address both the theme and the task. Underline those sections of the theme and task that you consider most important.
Draw a table or box that can be used to organize information and help in writing the essay response. Clearly label the one column heading “Tasks” and the following column heading(s) with the example(s) you wish to discuss. Suggestions topics for these examples can be found in the text after the task. Lastly, reserve the row headings for the individual task items. You may also use a Web Map Chart to organize your thoughts.

Introduction

The introduction to the essay response should communicate what it is that the essay will show or prove. The thematic essay generic scoring rubric states that to earn a five, the essay, “Introduces the theme or problem by establishing a framework that is beyond a simple restatement of the Task and concludes with a summation of the theme or problem.”

Most points are lost on the introduction. For this reason, we have developed a formula for completing an introduction that would give you the highest amount of points.

DRL Formula

Define, ReWrite, List

Define

Define the main idea or topic.

Example:

Theme: Culture and Intellectual Life

Culture is the traditions and practices of a society or civilization, and within that culture, intellectuals often have made a lasting change either for the positive or negative.

ReWrite

ReWrite the historical context or theme given in your own words. You may use the WRS (Word Replacement Strategy)below to ReWrite your theme.

WRS (Word Replacement Strategy}

How to re-write an introduction from the theme or historical context

Read the theme or historical context
Circle the important words.
Think of replacements for the most of the important words and phrases. (Multiple replacements may be necessary)
Paraphrase (put into your own words) the theme or historical context using the replacement words.

List

List the topics and/or items you will discuss in your body paragraphs.

Example:

Two of the most important intellectuals that have affected society have been Michiavelli and Marx. Both have negatively and positively changed society.

Introduction Example

All over the world, thinkers, dreamers, and the people in power use words such as books to move and shape their culture within their state in order to affect the advancement of their society. Two of the most important intellectuals that have affected society have been Machiavelli and Hitler. Both have negatively and positively changed society, and have lasting impact today.

Body Paragraphs

The body paragraphs need to thoroughly address all elements of the task by: demonstrating an understanding of the theme; incorporating relevant facts, examples, and details; and presenting everything in an organized manner.

This is where the completion of a pre-writing table really pays off! If constructed and filled in properly, this table will form the basis of organizing the body paragraphs of the thematic essay response.

Task:

Choose two (2) philosophers or leaders and for each;
Describe the society or culture that was affected and;
Explain the change that occurred either positively or negatively

The table above formed the basis for the content included in these body paragraphs. It has allowed the writer to visualize the flow of the essay before committing to a single paragraph to paper. The facts in the table should be expanded with details designed to thoroughly address all aspects of the task.

Conclusion

How to Write an Effective Conclusion

Step #1 Restate your theme changing the wording slightly with some greater emphasis than in your introduction. TIP: You may be able to reverse the order of the wording)

Step #2 Restate the subject(s)/topic(s) you have discussed in your body paragraph(s).

Step #3 Give the reader one example from each of the tasks you completed in your body paragraph(s).

Step #4 Write a closing sentence that relates the importance to world history and/or people as it relates to the theme. TIP: The conclusion should start narrow and end broad (relate to world today, or people, or civilization as a whole)

Classwork & Homework

Lesson Activity: