Is your student in Challenge IV, preparing and writing for their Senior Thesis? Or, will your child soon enter Challenge IV and already feels intimidated by the prospect of writing such an intensive paper?
Although Senior Thesis can be a difficult task, the rewards of this capstone project that ends students’ high school journey are abundant.
What Is the Challenge IV Senior Thesis?
The Greek word thesis means “something put forth.” The Classical Conversations Senior Thesis is an opportunity for Challenge IV students to “put forth” their ideas.
Students pick any academic topic that interests them and incorporate significant and relevant ideas from across the Challenge programs. They develop a persuasive thesis statement and then prove their claim in a sizable paper.
Later, they present and defend their thesis before a panel in lieu of final exams. The Senior Thesis is the culmination of a student’s entire school experience in which they offer up the fruits of their labors.
Supporting Students Through the Senior Thesis Process
As ominous as a paper of this size may sound, this project doesn’t need to be intimidating. Students work through the process of writing their papers over the course of the second semester. They have rich conversations with their Director each step of the way.
In addition, they are guided by parents and chosen mentors. And, Challenge IV students follow a writing process similar to the one learned in their study of The Lost Tools of Writing in the earlier Challenge levels but adapted for older, more mature students.
Using the Five Canons of Rhetoric
Senior Thesis naturally takes students through the Five Canons of Rhetoric to create a compelling, well-researched paper.
Beginning with Invention, students select a topic and ask questions about it using the Five Common Topics of Dialectic to develop a claim (or thesis) to be proven. At this stage, an ANI (affirmative-negative-interesting) chart is helpful for building arguments and selecting and then sorting supporting evidence.
Next comes Arrangement, in which students solidify the vision and reinforce the direction of their papers, organizing their information and creating outlines.
In the Elocution stage, ideas finally hit the paper as students write and refine their first drafts. Through numerous reviews, students and advisors consider the flow of ideas, the argumentation, the style, and the mechanics of the paper. Students then write an abstract — a short, clear summary of the thesis and main ideas included in the paper.
Finally, students memorize their abstracts and prepare for delivering an oral presentation and defense of their work in front of judges at a Senior Thesis defense held at their local community.
Why Write a Senior Thesis?
The benefits of writing a Senior Thesis are many:
- Students produce a rhetorical artifact that represents the skills and abilities gained throughout their years in the Classical Conversations programs.
- They demonstrate true ownership of their education by coordinating with an advisor, planning and completing a long-term project, and publicly defending their positions.
- Presenting their theses before a panel allows students to incorporate all three modes of persuasion: logos (logic), ethos (character), and pathos (emotion).
- Students can earn college credit through CC Plus for their Senior thesis, which gives them a head start on their next steps toward college.
Throughout the Challenge years, students encounter and discuss big ideas, and the Senior Thesis is a beautiful culmination of their educational experience.
Want to learn more about the capstone events in the Challenge programs? Check out these blogs to give you insight into each level:
- Your Guide to the Challenge Program
- Challenge III: Host a Poetry Café in Your Local Community
- Challenge II: Protocol
- Challenge I: 14 Benefits of a Homeschool Debate Curriculum
- Challenge B: I Survived Mock Trial
- Challenge A: Your Guide to a Successful Homeschool Science Fair
Not yet a Classical Conversations member and interested in our community-based approach to homeschooling? We’d love to hear from you! To learn more about us, click here.
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