Students will produce a persuasive analysis essay as a top psychiatrist assessing the mental health of a defendent accused of murder in order to see if he can avoid the death penalty by pleading insanity.  ** This performance assessment was developed by a collaborative team of teachers and division staff from Middlesex, Poquoson, and West Point school divisions.

Creating a strong thesis statement is a critical skill in writing, but it can sometimes be difficult.  The good news is that it doesn't have to be!  This exercise will help you create the puzzle pieces needed to put together a strong thesis statement.