Did my DIL's college instructor misspeak when he called this assignment a "thesis"?

She is taking a beginning level comp course at a Community College. Their first day the instructor told them they would be writing three essays describing things using each of the senses in turn, sight, sound and touch.
My DIL says they are “thesis’.” I’m certain that has to be the term her teacher used because she doesn’t have a great vocabulary (yet) and I don’t think she could come up with that term on her own.

Would you call those assignments “thesis’?”