Descriptive Writing

Descriptive Writing

Overview

Lesson Overview
The students will read a description of a visit to the Belmont Mansion and then write their own descriptive writing.

Topic
Descriptive writing

Objectives
The students will write a piece of descriptive writing.

Standards
Writing process, summarizing, drawing conclusions, vocabulary, adjectives, graphic organizers

Time Required
1 class period

Recommended Grade Level
4-8+

Credits
Alison Nicole Rager

Preparation

Materials & Resources
Mother Frances Walsh, O.P., The Annals of St. Cecilia Convent, 1860-1881(8), Nashville, TN 1969 p.31
Writing materials
Graphic organizer

Procedure

Lesson Procedure
1. Ask students to pair up and describe their bedroom to their neighbor for 1 minute. Then have the other partner do the same.

2. Ask the students to list the adjectives they used when they or their partner were describing.

3. Read over the description of the Belmont Mansion from Mother Frances Walsh. Summarize with the students what her impression of Belmont was.

4. Reread the description and circle the adjectives. Talk about how important adjectives are in descriptive writing.

5. Have the students choose a place (any place - beach, amusement park, skating rink, their house, the classroom, a football game, etc.)

6. Have the students use the graphic organizer to organize their thoughts.

7. Then have the students write a descriptive essay about their chosen place.

8. Have the students share their writing with a partner and have them peer edit.

9. Have the students publish a final draft.

Extension
Challenge the students to write a description of a place, but never actually say where they are describing and see if the teacher or another student can guess based on the vivid descriptions.

Evaluation

Lesson Evaluation
Writing evaluation

Graphic Organizer—Descriptive Writing
|What do you see? |My place is: |What do you hear? |
|What do you taste? |What do you feel? |What do you smell? |