English
Synthesizing Multiple Genres, Part 3
Writing the Essay
About this Lesson
This is Part 3 of a three-part lesson. Teachers must complete Part 1 (“Reading Sources”)
and should consider using Part 2 (“Using Foldable Notes”) before completing this lesson.
In Part 1 of this synthesis lesson, students read a poem, a short story, a magazine article, and an
excerpt from a nonfiction text to find support for their position on the following prompt:
History and literature include many stories of people who accomplished remarkable goals when
it seemed that the odds were against them. Read carefully the following four sources—a short
story, a poem, a magazine article, and an excerpt from a nonfiction text. As you read each text,
consider this question: What motivates a person to attempt a task that others consider
dangerous or impossible? Then write a well-developed essay that answers the question and
synthesizes information from at least three of the sources to support your position.
T E A C H E R
In this lesson, students will use the evidence they identified in Part 1 to write an introductory
paragraph and one or more body paragraphs in response to the question of this prompt. If
students have completed the lesson on “Using Foldable Notes,” they will have all of their
evidence in one place, making it easier for them to write the required paragraphs.
Passages for LTF® lessons are selected to challenge students while lessons and activities make
texts accessible. Guided practice with challenging texts allows students to gain the proficiency
necessary to read independently at or above grade level.
This lesson is included in Module 14: Multiple Genres.
Objectives
Students will
 follow a model to write an introductory paragraph for a synthesis essay.
 follow a model to write one or more body paragraphs for a synthesis essay.
Level
Grades Six through Ten
Connection to Common Core Standards for English Language Arts
LTF Foundation Lessons are designed to be used across grade levels and therefore are aligned to
the CCSS Anchor Standards. Teachers should consult their own grade-level-specific Standards.
The activities in this lesson allow teachers to address the following Common Core Standards:
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Teacher Overview—Synthesizing Multiple Genres, Part 3
Writing the Essay
Explicitly addressed in this lesson
Code
Standard
R.9
L.3
W.4
W.8
Analyze how two or more texts address similar
themes or topics in order to build knowledge or to
compare the approaches the authors take.
Apply knowledge of language to understand how
language functions in different contexts, to make
effective choices for meaning or style, and to
comprehend more fully when reading or listening.
Produce clear and coherent writing in which the
development, organization, and style are appropriate
to task, purpose, and audience.
Gather relevant information from multiple print and
digital sources, assess the credibility and accuracy
of each source, and integrate the information while
avoiding plagiarism.
Implicitly addressed in this lesson
Code
Standard
L.1
L.2
L.5
W.5
W.10
Read and comprehend complex literary and
informational texts independently and proficiently.
Demonstrate command of the conventions of
standard English grammar and usage when writing
or speaking.
Demonstrate command of the conventions of
standard English capitalization, punctuation, and
spelling when writing.
Demonstrate understanding of word relationships
and nuances in word meanings.
Develop and strengthen writing as needed by
planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a
new approach
Write routinely over extended time frames (time for
research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time
frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range
of tasks, purposes, and audiences.
Depth of
Knowledge
III
Understand
II
Create
III
Evaluate
III
Level of
Thinking
Understand
Depth of
Knowledge
II
Understand
I
Understand
I
Understand
II
Evaluate
III
Apply
III
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T E A C H E R
R.10
Level of
Thinking
Analyze
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Teacher Overview—Synthesizing Multiple Genres, Part 3
Writing the Essay
LTF Skill Focus
The foundation for LTF English lessons is the Skill Progression Chart that identifies key skills
for each domain, beginning with grade 6 and adding more complex skills at each subsequent
grade level while reinforcing skills introduced at previous grade levels. The Skill Focus for each
individual lesson identifies the skills actually addressed in that lesson.
Remember
Understand
Close Reading
Levels of Thinking
Apply
Analyze
Grammar
written, spoken, and visual texts
purposeful use of language for effect
Reading Strategies
Determining Author’s
Purpose
Determining Main Idea
Generalization
Inference
Paraphrase
Summary
Evaluate
Create
Composition
written, spoken, and visual products
Connections to AP*
Students who sit for the AP English Language Exam must synthesize ideas from multiple texts to
create a persuasive essay. This lesson serves as an introduction to this process.
*Advanced Placement and AP are registered trademarks of the College Entrance Examination Board. The College
Board was not involved in the production of this material.
Materials and Resources
 copies of Student Activity
 texts with notes from “Synthesizing Multiple Genres: Reading Sources”)
 foldable notes from “Synthesizing Multiple Genres: Using Foldable Notes” (if students
have completed this lesson)
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T E A C H E R
Types (modes)
Persuasive
claim
defend
qualify
The Process of Composition
Prewriting
consideration of audience
determination of purpose
generation of ideas
organization of ideas
selection of topic
Drafting
extended time
Structural Elements
Introduction
thesis
Body
incorporation of quotes
topic sentence
use of commentary
use of evidence
Organization
Patterns (spatial, order of
importance,
chronological, etc.)
Teacher Overview—Synthesizing Multiple Genres, Part 3
Writing the Essay
Assessments
The following kinds of formative assessments are embedded in this lesson:
 writing assignments
Teaching Suggestions
In this lesson students review the prompt from Part One of the lesson on Synthesizing Multiple
Genres and follow models that guide them through creation of an introductory paragraph and one
or more body paragraphs. Teachers should work through this lesson with the entire class,
modeling the correct way to embed quotes and to provide documentation. This lesson can be
extended by having students write additional body paragraphs, using the format in the lesson,
and older or more advanced students could write the entire essay.
Answers
Answers for this lesson are subjective and will vary. To obtain the maximum benefit of the
lesson, ask students to go beyond the expected responses.
T E A C H E R
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English
Synthesizing Multiple Genres, Part 3
Writing the Essay
Read again the synthesis prompt you were given in a previous lesson:
History and literature include many stories of people who accomplished remarkable goals when
it seemed that the odds were against them. Read carefully the following four sources—a short
story, a poem, a magazine article, and an excerpt from a nonfiction text. As you read each text,
consider this question: What motivates a person to attempt a task that others consider
dangerous or impossible? Then write a well-developed essay that answers the question and
synthesizes information from at least three of the sources to support your position.
Activity One: Writing the thesis statement
The first step in writing the synthesis essay is constructing a thesis statement that answers the
question of the prompt. Read the following example.
1
Seeking praise and respect and 2overcoming personal fears can 3motivate a
person to attempt a feat that others consider impossible or dangerous.
Parts 1 and 2 are taken from the ―key points‖ of the foldable notes, and are the assertions
that will be proven in the essay. Part 3 is a restatement of the question of the prompt that
must be answered.
Construct a thesis statement based on the preceding model, using the key points from your
foldable notes.
and
can motivate a person
(Key point)
(Key point)
to attempt a feat that others consider impossible or dangerous.
Activity Two: Using the thesis to write an introduction
An introduction should do exactly what it says: Introduce the topic to be discussed. It is not a
detailed summary of either the text or the essay but rather a taste of what is to come. The
introduction should touch on the big idea of the essay while the thesis statement should present
the major points to be covered in the essay.
1. Begin with your thesis statement (from above):
Seeking praise and respect and overcoming personal fears can motivate a person to
attempt a feat that others consider impossible or dangerous.
2. Now, underline what you consider to be the most important idea in the thesis statement.
Seeking praise and respect and overcoming personal fears can motivate a person to
attempt a feat that others consider impossible or dangerous.
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Student Activity—Synthesizing Multiple Genres, Part 3
Writing the Essay
3. Next, highlight a word in the thesis that is another important idea, one that complements the
first word.
Seeking praise and respect and overcoming personal fears can motivate a person to
attempt a feat that others consider impossible or dangerous.
4. Write two sentences that make generalizations about those words. Make sure the two
sentences are connected in some way.
Example: Motivation is the source of action, what provokes people to try—even the
impossible. To some adventurous souls, the idea of impossibility seems to be more of a
challenge than a reality.
Note: The repeated words (shaded or underlined) connect the sentences.
5. Now write one or two more sentences relating the ideas to the question of the prompt.
Example: Many examples exist, both in the real world and in fiction, of men and women
who have attempted the dangerous or the impossible.
To write your introductory paragraph, begin with the generalizations about key words. Then add
the thesis statement, making sure there is a smooth transition from the previous sentence to the
thesis. Your thesis sentence might have to be revised.
This is what the introduction looks like:
Motivation is the source of action, what provokes people to try—even the impossible.
To some adventurous souls, the idea of impossibility seems to be more of a challenge than a
reality. Many examples exist, both in the real world and in fiction, of men and women who have
attempted the dangerous or the impossible. Seeking praise and respect, as well as overcoming
personal fears, can motivate a person to attempt a feat that others consider impossible or
dangerous.
Activity Three: Forming the Topic Sentences
Now construct a topic sentence (which is the assertion) based on each of the “Key Point”
components of your thesis statement.
Example:
Topic sentence for 1st body paragraph—The desire to gain respect and be praised can
prompt someone to undertake seemingly impossible tasks.
Topic sentence for 2nd body paragraph—Overcoming personal fears can be a driving
force that causes a person to attempt difficult physical feats.
Your topic sentences:
Topic sentence for 1st body paragraph—
Topic sentence for 2nd body paragraph—
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Student Activity—Synthesizing Multiple Genres, Part 3
Writing the Essay
Activity Four: Using Quotations in a Synthesis Paragraph
For a quotation to be as effective as possible, it must be placed in context, introducing the
situation or the speaker. In a synthesis essay, information taken from one of the texts provided—
whether quoted or paraphrased—must be cited in parentheses. Citations may refer either to the
author of the text or the identifying letter provided with the text.
Example:
Men and women who risk their lives attempting the dangerous or the impossible see this
behavior not as a risk but as a challenge. Jon Krakauer, a writer and seasoned mountaineer,
writes about his experience climbing Mt. Everest on an expedition in which eight people lost
their lives. He “thrilled in the fresh perspective” that climbing Everest gave him (Source D).
For someone like Krakauer, the sense of danger makes the challenge even more satisfying.
The “thrill” and the danger allowed him to see the world in a different way from the majority
of others, and he felt as if he were no longer ordinary. The completion of such a perilous
journey allowed him to feel extraordinary.
This example paragraph contains five parts—an assertion, an introduction to the quotation, a
quotation that proves or supports the assertion, documentation of the source, and commentary
on the quotation. Read carefully the following examples.
Assertion: Men and women who participate in extreme sports see this behavior not as a risk
but as a challenge.
Introduction to the quotation (speaker or situation): Jon Krakauer, a writer and seasoned
mountaineer, writes about his experience climbing Mt. Everest on an expedition in which
eight people lost their lives.
Quotation that proves or supports the assertion: “I thrilled in the fresh perspective that came
from tipping the ordinary plane of existence on end.”
Note: In the paragraph, only part of the quote is used, “embedded” into an original
sentence.
Documentation of the quotation: (Source D).
Commentary on the quotation: For someone like Krakauer, the sense of danger makes the
challenge even more satisfying. The excitement and the danger allowed him to see the world
in a different way from the majority of others, and he felt as if he were no longer ordinary.
The completion of such a perilous journey allowed him to feel extraordinary.
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Student Activity—Synthesizing Multiple Genres, Part 3
Writing the Essay
Activity Five: Writing a synthesis paragraph
The next step is to construct a paragraph for each topic sentence written in Activity Three above.
Follow the example on the previous page. Each paragraph should contain six parts:
A. Topic Sentence (Assertion)
B. Introduce the quotation(s) (speaker or situation): Select textual support that pertains to
the key point you included in the topic sentence and introduce (give context to) the quote.
C. Add a quotation that backs up the assertion (topic sentence): Try to embed the most
significant parts of the quote into an original sentence.
D. Document quote: For example: (Source D) or (Krakauer)
E. Comment on the quotation: Explain how the quotation supports the assertion from your
topic sentence. How does it prove the point you are trying to make?
F. Conclude the paragraph by referring to the topic from the topic sentence (assertion).
Example paragraph:
A. The desire to gain respect and be praised can prompt someone to undertake seemingly
impossible tasks. B. Rosemary and Stephen Vincent Benét paint a poetic portrait of two devoted
brothers, “Orville Wright and Wilbur Wright,” who dared to tackle the task of enabling man to
fly. C. They are described as having “praised each other’s daring” D. (Source A). E. Not only
did they praise one other, but they also achieved the ultimate praise and respect of “Man.” The
speaker of the poem indicates the power of praise in motivating their undertaking. F. The poem
underscores the desire to attempt difficult tasks, in part for the respect and praise that follows the
accomplishment.
Note: You probably should use more than one piece of evidence per paragraph. If you do, you
should repeat steps B – E for each quotation.
This is a second piece of evidence that might be used in the example paragraph and the
sentences that go with it.
B. Doris Lessing also creates a character who strives for respect and recognition in “Through the
Tunnel.” Jerry wants desperately to be respected and accepted by the older boys. C. “To be with
them, of them, was a craving that filled his whole body” D. (Source B). E. He is willing to risk
drowning to achieve what the older boys can do, swim through a deep, underwater tunnel. His
mission from then on is to train himself to accomplish this task. Desiring the boys’ acceptance
and praise drives him to accomplish a daring task; however, in the end, his self-satisfaction
outweighs his need for their reaction.
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Student Activity—Synthesizing Multiple Genres, Part 3
Writing the Essay
Now write a body paragraph of the synthesis essay following this format, using your topic
sentences and foldable notes, as well as the texts themselves.
Synthesis body paragraph:
A.
B.
C.
D. (
).
E.
F.
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