You are the Investigator

Lizzie Borden Took An Ax

Click on the Play button

Patricia Moedpatriciamoed@gmail.com

You are the Investigator

Find Out the Who, What, When, Where, and Why of the Lizzie Borden case.

State your opinion whether you think Lizzie Borden is guilty or innocent.

Correctly categorize 6 statements into facts and opinions.

Identify an effective thesis statement and write one.

Correctly identify 3 characteristics of the profile essay.

When you are ready, click on the Play button.

To Do List

You are the Investigator

Differentiating Between Fact and Opinion

The Lizzie Borden Case

When you are ready to continue your investigation, click on one of links on the right. Just make sure to do the module on the thesis statement at the end. When your finish each section, you will return to this page and have the option of selecting another module.

Writing a Strong Thesis Statement

The Profile Essay

Main Menu 4

You are the Investigator

It answers the question: What is this reading about?

What Are Three Features of A Topic?

Click Anywhere on the Slide to Find Out.

It is the general subject of a reading. It can usually be described in one or two words.

It is a general idea.

For example:Social NetworkingItalian foodCrimePollution

You are the Investigator

What’s The Topic Sentence?

It’s the main point the writer wants to make in a paragraph.

You are the Investigator

What’s the Difference Between the Topic Sentence and the Thesis Statement?

How many topic sentences are there in an essay? Only one?

Remember—the topic sentence is the main point of the paragraph, so in the typical 5 paragraph essay, there will be 3 topic sentences..

The thesis statement is the main point the writer wants to make for an entire essay, which is at least 5 paragraphs long. The essay will have just 1

thesis statement.

You are the Investigator

The Effective Thesis Statement Has 2 Parts:

Topic + Author’s Opinion = Thesis Statement

Andrew Borden He is cheap. Andrew Borden, like many stereotypical Yankee New Englanders, believed that money should not be wasted.

Lizzie Borden She is guilty. Despite coming from a respectable and affluent Fall River family, Lizzie Borden was still capable of murder.

You are the Investigator

Identify the Thesis Statement

Respectable single women in 19th century America could not earn their own living and were financially dependent on their family. Therefore, Lizzie and Emma, aged 32 and 42 , who were still single in 1982, lived at home with their parents and did not work. Like other women at that time, they had limited opportunities. They could volunteer at church or perform community service, but their principle role was to wait for a man to step forward and propose marriage. Of the two daughters, Lizzie was more involved in the community. She taught Sunday school and was active in the Women’s Christian Temperance Union, the Ladies’ Fruit and Flower Mission, and other organizations. She kept herself busy, but she was not happy.

What’s the topic?

What’s the thesis statement?

You are the Investigator

Identify the Thesis Statement

Respectable single women in 19th century America could not earn their own living and were financially dependent on their family. Therefore, Lizzie and Emma, aged 32 and 42 , who were still single in 1982, lived at home with their parents and did not work. Like other women at that time, they had limited opportunities. They could volunteer at church or perform community service, but their principle role was to wait for a man to step forward and propose marriage. Of the two daughters, Lizzie was more involved in the community. She taught Sunday school and was active in the Women’s Christian Temperance Union, the Ladies’ Fruit and Flower Mission, and other organizations. She kept herself busy, but she was not happy.

What’s the topic?

What’s the thesis statement?

You are the Investigator

Test Your Knowledge. Decide if the thesis statements below are effective or ineffective.

After making your decision, click on the statement to reveal the answer.

Thesis #1: Lizzie Borden was fortunate that in 1892, the judge and jury believed she was innocent because she went to church and came from an affluent and respectable family.

Thesis #2: If Lizzie Borden were on trial today, she would be found guilty of the murders.

Thesis #3: Lizzie Borden’s sister Emma was not home on the day of the murders.

Thesis #4: Abby Borden was trapped in a loveless marriage to Andrew and had a poor relationship with her stepdaughters Lizzie and Emma.

You are the Investigator

Test Your Knowledge. Decide if the thesis statements below are effective or ineffective.

After making your decision, click on the statement to reveal the answer.

Thesis #1: Lizzie Borden was fortunate that in 1892, the judge and jury believed she was innocent because she went to church and came from an affluent and respectable family.

EFFECTIVE

Thesis #2: If Lizzie Borden were on trial today, she would be found guilty of the murders.

EFFECTIVE:

Thesis #3: Lizzie Borden’s sister Emma was not home on the day of the murders.INEFFECTIVE. IT DOES NOT CONTAIN THE WRITER’S OPINION.

Thesis #4: Abby Borden was trapped in a loveless marriage to Andrew and had a poor relationship with her stepdaughters Lizzie and Emma.

EFFECTIVE

You are the Investigator

The Effective Thesis Statement: Apply What

You’ve Learned

Questions to think about: If Lizzie committed the

murders, what was her motive? Greed, jealousy, or dislike of her stepmother Abby? Do you have another theory?

Do you think Lizzie would have been found guilty today of the murders? Why or why not?

When you’re ready, click on the screen to get your final directions, which will complete your investigation.

Now, write your own thesis statement about Lizzie Borden. A strong thesis statement includes the topic and the author’s opinion about the topic.

Post your thesis statement on the Discussion Board.

You are the Investigator

Congratulations! You have successfully finished your investigation of the Lizzie Borden murders.

You are the Investigator

For more information on Lizzie’s Hatchet and the Murder Trial, click on the Resources Links

below.

--History's Lost and Found: Lizzie Borden's Hatchet

--Information about Lizzie Borden’s Trial

Contact: Patricia Moed E: patriciamoed@gmail.comPH: 617-833-1658