UNDERLINE THESIS STATEMENT AND TOPIC SENTENCES

Level: Secondary-school students between the ages of 14-16 years old. 

Time: From 30 to 40 minutes. 

Skill: Reading 

Objective: To teach students to identify Thesis statement and Topic Sentences in a text by means of reading paragraphs. 

Description: 

•First, the teacher begins the class introducing the topic about Thesis statement and Topic Sentences by showing a format letter. 

•Then, main characteristics of Thesis statement and Topic Sentences are explained to students by showing two images which contain examples about the topic. 

•Following, a short text about Global warming is given to students in order that they underline the Thesis statement and Topic Sentences on it. The activity is carried out during 15 minutes. 

•To finish the class, the teacher asks students to hand in their texts to be reviewed in group for the following class. 

Taken from: http://www.uq.edu.au/student-services/Structuring+your+assignment.html

Exercise: Underline the Thesis Statement and the Topic Sentences in text below. 

Taken from: http://www.naturalnews.com/022013_species_extinction_global_warming.html

Answers 

Thesis statement: By the year 2100, global warming likely will cause the extinction of numerous species by eliminating the climate zones in which they are able to live. 

Topic sentence: Researchers predicted that global warming will cause currently existing climate zones to move further toward the poles. 

Topic sentence: Species diversity in Amazon and Indonesian rainforests is likely to plummet.

Topic sentence: More attention has focused on global warming's impacts on the Arctic. 

Topic sentence: By 2100, climate zones will have changed over 12 to 39 percent of the Earth's land surface.