Help with third grader's thesis statement

by Cheryl
(Tallahassee, Fl)

My third grader has to write a thesis statement and she needs to come up with a topic, three reasons or arguments, and two details for each. Once she gets this information she is to use two of the reasons or arguments to form a complete sentence (thesis statement). The sentence should be the last sentence in the first paragraph of the essay. She is to make sure she uses verbs.

Will this be the same as expository writing? I am confused.

Linda replies

Yes, Cheryl, what your daughter is to do is a bit of expository writing. If you are confused, think how your daughter is going to feel!

Maybe you could have your daughter think of reasons why she should be allowed to have something she wants, like why she should be allowed to have six friends sleepover for her birthday.

Try to keep your focus on having her write complete sentences, which will satisfy the requirement to use verbs. Then she might have something that could pass as a thesis and reasons with the teacher.

This assignment is far beyond the reasoning ability of a third grader. Get something on paper that looks like an opinion and some reasons, correct the spelling, and let it go. This is an assignment that's not worth fighting over with a child — or the teacher.