In middle school, students should learn the importance of a thesis statement and how to properly craft their own thesis. After explaining to students that a thesis is the main idea of the paper, teachers can have students brainstorm a list of potential thesis statements on a variety of different topics. For example, students can be given a topic like the importance of reading and be asked to formulate possible thesis statements for an essay on that subject. This can be done as a group writing activity for the class. Students can also read existing essays appropriate to their grade level and be asked to determine the thesis of each of the essays. This discussion and emphasis on the thesis statement can help prepare students for longer writing projects and can help them to understand how to clearly define the purpose of any essays they write.
Outlining is an essential part of the writing process and one that middle schoolers should become well versed in. Students can learn the different steps of outlining an essay or paper, such as how to lay out their thesis statements and summaries of paragraph content. The class can be given a writing prompt and asked to outline the topic either individually or working together as a class with the outline drawn on the board for all to see.
Students in middle school should be able to write a basic narrative essay. Giving them a writing prompt and asking them to write their own narrative essay on the subject is a good way to get them to practice and perfect this skill. Students should first be told or reminded that a narrative essay is simply an essay that tells a story. They can then be asked to write a narrative essay on their summer vacation, their favorite subject in school or any other topic. The focus should be on making sure that the story is cohesive, that the student writes in the proper voice (i.e. doesn't switch from first to second person) and that the student uses the method of outlining that he was taught in order to organize the narrative essay. Students can then share their essays with the class or in small groups and peer edit.
Students in middle school should learn to write persuasive essays. Seventh and eighth graders, especially, are of the age where they can begin to do more in-depth writing and research and to use their research and knowledge to create persuasive essay. Students should first learn or be reminded that a persuasive essay is one designed to convince the reader of something. They can then be given a topic or select a topic of interest. They should do research to support their position and outline their essay before writing to make sure that they are including all pertinent points necessary to persuade the reader of their argument. Students can then share with the class or in small groups for peer review.