Controlling Idea or Thesis

Controlling Idea or Thesis

When the Waters Rise

8.1(A)

8.1(D)

8.5(F)

8.6(A)

LessonStandards

8.6(E)

8.6(G)

8.8(D)(i)

Today, we will explore how a well-crafted controlling idea or thesis enhances the overall effectiveness of a piece of writing.

I will be able to express my understanding of controlling ideas or theses using proper academic vocabulary and language structures.

• Identify the purpose and importance of a controlling idea or thesis.
• Construct an effective controlling idea or thesis for your own writing.
• Evaluate the quality of a controlling idea or thesis based on genre-specific characteristics.

Do Now:

• Read the paragraph to the right and tell me what the main point or message might be.
• Hint, there is intentionally no thesis in this paragraph!

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Define

The controlling idea is the most important idea expressed in an informational text. It is also called the thesis. Sometimes an author will directly state the controlling idea. Other times, you will need to infer the controlling idea using details from the text. Writers of informational texts further explain their controlling idea by using supporting evidence. Supporting evidence are descriptions, examples, reasons, expert opinions, facts, and statistics that further explain key ideas. Authors use different types of supporting evidence to achieve their specific purpose. For example, if an author is writing to share information about different methods of exercise, she may use statistics and expert opinions to support her controlling idea. *Watch StudySync Video

controlling idea noun the most important idea in an informational text

Vocabulary

supporting evidence noun text evidence, descriptions, examples, reasons, expert opinions, facts, and statistics that further explain key aspects of the controlling idea

Model

Identification and Application:

In order to identify the controlling idea and supporting evidence, do the following:

• Read both the introduction and the conclusion carefully. Does the writer directly state the controlling idea in these sections?
• If the controlling idea is not directly stated in the introduction or conclusion, review the evidence located throughout the entire text.
• Note all types of evidence, including:
• descriptions
• examples
• reasons
• expert opinions
• facts
• statistics
• Determine the most important idea supported by the evidence.

Model

Analyze the controlling idea or thesis in an informational text, using the following questions as a guide:

• What evidence does the writer provide?
• Does the most significant evidence connect to and support the controlling idea?
• How does the supporting evidence help to further explain the controlling idea?
• How does the supporting evidence help me to better understand the topic?

In “When the Waters Rise,” author Alex Shultz tells about a group of teenage boys who worked together to save dozens of people after Hurricane Harvey struck Houston, Texas. Noticing the important evidence in the text can help you identify the controlling idea or thesis of the text. Let’s look at how one reader identifies clues about the controlling idea or thesis in the first paragraph:

Model

The first sentence answers the questions who, what, where, and when. The controlling idea can be stated in the first paragraph. I don’t think the thesis relates to the boxing match, but I think the other details are a good start.

The reader pays close attention to the details the author gives about the Conner brothers—who they are and what they are doing. He also notes that the author includes a date and location. The reader highlights these details in the paragraph. Using this evidence and background knowledge about the usual placement of controlling ideas, the reader recognizes that these are key facts. He also realizes that the detail about the boxing match does not relate to the hurricane, so he determines it is less important than the other evidence. The reader infers that the author gives clues to the controlling idea or thesis by presenting facts in this way. As he continues reading, he will look for more text evidence that reveals the controlling idea or thesis.

Model

He continues reading “When the Water Rises” and looks for more supporting evidence to help him determine the author’s controlling idea or thesis:

The author explains that Liam, Declan, and their friends saved a lot of people. This supporting evidence tells me that the author’s controlling idea relates to the teens’ actions.

Here, the reader highlights key details about the teens’ actions. These details confirm his earlier impression that the author’s controlling idea or thesis relates to the Conner brothers and Hurricane Harvey. Paying attention to how the descriptions and facts build on each other helps the reader take steps toward identifying the author’s controlling idea or thesis. As he continues reading, he will continue to evaluate details to determine the author’s exact controlling idea or thesis.

Thank You!