Virginia SOL 7.W.2.A.ii
The Standard
Establishing a central idea that aligns with the thesis and maintains an organized structure to fit form and topic.
Virginia Standards of Learning for English
Teacher's field guide
What This Standard Means
What Students Need to Do
- Students decide what the whole piece will say, express that focus in a thesis, and arrange supporting ideas into purposeful paragraphs. They plan, draft, revise, and edit so the structure suits the topic and type of writing.
What Mastery Looks Like
- A student can create an outline and draft in which every paragraph has a clear purpose tied to the thesis. The student can revise misplaced or unrelated ideas and explain why the chosen order fits the writing task.
Common Misconceptions
- Students may treat a broad topic as a thesis, then include any detail related to that topic. They may also organize every piece by time order or edit sentences before fixing weak paragraph organization.
How to Assess It
- Exit ticket: Provide a thesis and ask students to create a four-paragraph outline, naming each paragraph’s main point and how it supports the thesis.
Lesson moves
Ways to Teach It
Give pairs a thesis and six paragraph cards; students remove off-topic cards, sequence the rest, and label each paragraph’s job.
Ask students to explain in three sentences how changing a report into an argument would change its paragraph order.
Play Thesis Match: teams pair thesis cards with supporting paragraph plans and earn a point for explaining each match.
Have students outline an email to the principal requesting a school change, with a position, reasons, evidence, and closing request.
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Related Standards
- 10.W.2.A.ii
Introducing and developing central idea(s), and organizing ideas in a logical sequence to exhibit unity.
- 9.W.2.A.ii
Establishing, supporting, and maintaining a central idea with evidence throughout a piece of writing, organizing ideas in a logical sequence to exhibit unity.
- 6.W.2.A.ii
Establishing a central idea incorporating evidence and maintaining an organized structure to fit the form and topic.
- 8.W.2.A.ii
Establishing a central idea that aligns with the thesis and maintaining an organized structure and formal style to fit form and topic, providing elaboration and...
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