In this blog entry, I’m excited to share a lesson plan that could be implemented with a group of high school students, focusing specifically on thewriting introductions for formal essays. Harnessing the power of technology, to build a fun and interactive learning environment, I combined Quillbot with a original H5P course presentation. The goal of this lesson is for students to not only understand the components of a solid introduction, but also to improve their skills in clear communication and formal language use.
Mastering the Art of Formal Essay: Introductions
This is the projected student group that was taken into consideration when creating this plan:
Age Group: Secondary school students (16 to 18 years old)
Location: Argentina
Language Level: Intermediate to upper-intermediate ESL students
Number of Students: 20
Duration: 80-minute lesson.
Physical Location: School classroom with a projector or screen.
Objectives:
Understand the essential components of a formal essay introduction.
Learn techniques for crafting clear and concise thesis statements.
Develop skills in using Quillbot for paraphrasing and summarizing.
Engage with interactive content created using H5P to reinforce learning.
Activity:
Introduction to project and today's focus: Essay Introductions.
The teacher will...
Begin the lesson by explaining to students that they will be embarking on a year-long project focused on enhancing their writing skills, particularly in crafting formal essays. Emphasize the importance of this project in preparing them for academic and professional success.
Highlight the overarching goal of the project: to equip students with the necessary tools and techniques to express their ideas effectively in written form.
Reveal the day's main focus: Essay Introductions
Activity:
Explanation of the Three Main Parts of an Introduction
Activity of Drag and Drop Checklist for Creating Good Thesis Statements
The teacher will...
Use an H5P course presentation to visually engage students and introduce the topic of the day.
Within the H5P course presentation, provide a clear explanation of the three main parts of an introduction: the hook, background information, and thesis statement.
Define each component and illustrate its purpose in setting the stage for the rest of the essay.
Utilize an interactive drag-and-drop activity within the H5P course presentation to reinforce the concept of crafting strong thesis statements.
Provide guidance and support as needed through the three-step process outlined in the presentation to create an introduction as a whole class activity (instructions arespecified on the presentation).
Activity:
Three-Step Group Activity to Create an Introduction Together
The teacher will...
Provide the topic for the introduction: "How has technology changed the way students learn in the classroom?"
Offer guidance and support as needed through the three-step process outlined in the presentation to create an introduction as a whole class activity.
Hook Your Reader: Group debate to choose a suitable hook.
Provide Context: Group debate to agree upon providing context or not.
State Your Thesis: Think, Pair, Share activity to write some possible Thesis Statements. (max. 15 min)
Contrast them against the checklist for Thesis Statements from before and choose 2 o 3 that fit the description better.
Activity:
Paraphrasing Students' Thesis Statements with Quillbot
The teacher will...
Using Quillbot, paraphrase the remaining thesis statements in real-time, displaying the original and the paraphrased versions side by side.
Prompt students to observe and comment on the changes made by Quillbot and discuss how they contribute to making the thesis statement more formal. Highlight changes such as vocabulary choice, sentence structure, and clarity. (Write useful suggestions on the board for students to take note)
As a final step, have the class collectively choose a final version of the thesis statement. Encourage students to suggest any additional changes they think would improve the statement's clarity, formality, or alignment with the essay's style and purpose.
Review the chosen final version of the thesis statement and ensure that it meets the criteria discussed in class.
Display the final version of the collaborative introduction on the screen/projector.
Discuss any remaining questions or concerns students may have about thesis statement construction.
Homework/Refection:
Students will answer a short Google Forms questionnaire to encourage reflection and metacognition.
Resources for this lesson plan:
H5P Course Presentation (original content)
Refection Google Form