Virginia SOL 12.W.2.A.i
The Standard
Composing a thesis statement that clearly communicates the writer’s position or assertion.
Virginia Standards of Learning for English
Teacher's field guide
What This Standard Means
What Students Need to Do
- Students identify who will read the piece and what the writing should accomplish. They create a focused, arguable thesis that guides the draft, then revise it as their ideas develop.
What Mastery Looks Like
- A student writes a focused thesis that takes a clear, supportable position. The wording fits the audience and purpose, and the planned body claims clearly connect to it.
Common Misconceptions
- Students may write a topic, question, or fact instead of an arguable claim. They may make the thesis too broad, ignore the audience, or refuse to revise it after drafting.
How to Assess It
- Give students a prompt, purpose, and audience. In five minutes, have them write a thesis and two supporting claims, then underline the position.
Lesson moves
Ways to Teach It
Give pairs four thesis strips and four audience cards, then have them match, revise, and justify each pairing.
Ask students to compare two thesis statements for the same prompt and explain which better fits a skeptical audience.
Run a thesis repair relay where teams revise vague, factual, or overly broad claims on chart paper.
Have students draft a thesis for a school board comment about a proposed change to graduation requirements.
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