[elmosjeep]

Does anyone have any ideas on how to teach a simple descriptive paragraph writing? For example, having them write a desc. paragraph on what they know about tigers? Thanks! Jaime

[mamahawk]

Maybe not quite what you meant but...

I do a writing exercise where I ask the kids to write a description on how to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Then I bring out a jar of jelly, peanut butter, knife, and bread. I make the sandwiches following their directions EXACTLY and then hand it to them to eat. My favorites are when they say things like 'put the jelly on the bread' and then I place the jar on the bread. There's always one that says something like "slap the two pieces together"... Fun way to get across the point that details matter.

I always have to swear the class into secrecy to not tell younger students - spoils the fun for the next class.

[melgirl03]

I have the students make a chart of sensory language that describes their topic. The chart should have five columns: smell, taste, feel, look, sound. Obviously, for tiger you wouldn't use taste A lesson introducing sensory language would be helpful. The students can then use their charts to write their paragraph. You can even set a goal: i.e. use 6 of our sensory language describers in your paragraph.

I'm student teaching and my lesson today was on this topic. This was my best lesson yet and I think your students will love it like mine did.

First I told them to close their eyes. I said "My dog is cute." Then they were told to visualize what my dog looked like. I got answers ranging from chihuahua to lab. Then I posted 6 pictures of dogs and said "Which one is my dog?" They were unable to tell me for sure which one. I said "Why? I described my dog. Why can't you say which one's my dog?" They immediately pointed out that my description wasn't specific enough- all the dogs were cute. I preceeded to add details (general) to my "cute" description, with the same results. Finally I added specific details until the students were able to tell me accurately which dog I was describing. The independent writing assignment following this lesson was amazingly more detailed than yesterday's paragraphs! And the students were begging me to let them write more.

[Missus A]

As guided practice and teaching, I give the students a graphic organizers that relates to all the senses for the students to jot down observations as I make the shake. Then as I make a chocolate banana shake in the blender. I use descriptive words as I make the shake. The kids are observing, using their prior knowledge, and eventually tasting. I give the kids a dixie cup of the shake. Then as class I model how to write a descriptive paragraph of the milkshake with the observations that they have on their observations.

[Lucinda]

Have the students describe: the sunset to a blind person (this is a challenge - they would have to describe the color yellow as being warm, like the sun on your skin, or as a warm hug - red -as a hot stove, blue-as cold ice. Here are some websites for prompts:

http://esl.about.com/library/writing...scriptive1.htm
http://www.nwrel.org/assessment/pdfG...lowingAway.pdf

[Blking]

Thanks for the great websites!

[2bateacher]

Read picture books rich with descriptive words. Ex. Sophia's Masterpiece, Thank you, Mr. Falker (Any books by Patricia Polacco), The Old Lady That Named Things (Cynthis Rylant), etc. Discuss how the author added beautiful figurative words to make you feel it and see it! Hope this helps!