Planning your Informative Essay

Your Name:

Prompt Title:

Thesis/Controlling idea

Example: “Coal is a highly abundant and cheap http://www.studentenergy.org/topics/energy energy resource ”

Step 1 : In a sentence write your Controlling Idea/Thesis here. (What are you going to explain or tell about?)

Main Ideas (support for your thesis/controlling idea)

Step 2:  Main Ideas – State your main ideas. Example: cost of coal, where it is found, how it affects the environment.

1.

2.

3.

Step 3 : List supporting evidence for each one of your main ideas Evidence may include facts, examples, statistics, quotes or stories. Be sure to cite your sources.

#1 Main Idea

___________________________________________________

Supporting evidence and source(s)

1.

2.

3.

4.

#2 Main Idea

___________________________________________________

Supporting evidence and source (s)

1.

2.

3.

4.

#3 Main Idea

___________________________________________________

Supporting evidence and source (s)

1.

2.

3.

4.

Conclusion

Restate your thesis/controlling idea. Be sure to explain why it is so important. Suggest ways your reader can learn more.