### Title: Enhancing Academic Writing Skills: Paragraphs and Thesis Statements
**Synopsis:**
In this lesson, we focused on developing students’ academic writing skills, particularly in crafting effective paragraphs and thesis statements. The session aimed to build on prior knowledge while introducing new concepts to strengthen students’ ability to construct well-organized and coherent essays.
**Attendance:**
– 1 student absent (Ibrose initially, but later marked present)
– 1 student (Kavhar) no longer part of the group
**Topics Covered:**
1. **Review of Academic Paragraphs**
– Introduction to the four types of academic paragraphs, building on previous discussions.
– Emphasis on the structure and purpose of introduction paragraphs, including the role of the hook.
2. **Thesis Statements**
– Detailed exploration of what constitutes a strong thesis statement and its significance in essay writing.
– Analysis of example thesis statements to identify characteristics of effective thesis articulation.
3. **Expository Essays**
– Reading and analysis of a complete expository essay to understand structure and application of academic writing principles.
4. **Background Paragraphs**
– Introduction to the concept and purpose of background paragraphs in providing historical and contextual information.
5. **Essay Structure and Balance**
– Discussion on the importance of balance in essay structure, likened to a hamburger model for visual representation.
**Actionable Items:**
– **Nursultan** needs to join E-course.
– **Homework Clarifications:** Ensure students understand the requirements and deadlines for upcoming assignments.
– **Group Activities:** Consider organizing a group outing to Tunkurcak for team-building, ensuring safety and relevance to course objectives.
**Homework:**
– Students are to choose one amendment from the US Constitution and create main points for two body paragraphs, including two supporting details for each main point. This assignment is due next Monday.
– Reminder to submit the previous week’s homework by this Wednesday.