Narrative Writing: A Focus on Description

Objectives

In this lesson, students will:

write descriptive sentences about a given topic.
write a descriptive story.
use information from observation notes to illustrate a story.

Essential Questions

How do grammar and the conventions of language influence spoken and written communication?

What is the purpose?

What makes clear and effective writing?

What will work best for the audience?

Who is the audience?

Why do writers write?

Why do writers write? What is the purpose?
What makes clear and effective writing?
Who is the audience? What will work best for the audience?
How do grammar and the conventions of language influence spoken and written communication?

Vocabulary

Adjective: A word that describes a noun.
Descriptive Words: Words that describe or give details about something, some place, or someone.
Noun: A word that names a person, place, or thing.
Sentence: A group of words that is a complete thought as a statement, question, or exclamation.

Duration

100–120 minutes/2–3 class periods

Prerequisite Skills

Prerequisite Skills haven't been entered into the lesson plan.

Materials

pictures or illustrations of the nouns as described in the class story
Story Paper (LW-1-1-3_Story Paper.doc)
paper and pencils
crayons

Related Unit and Lesson Plans

Related Materials & Resources

The possible inclusion of commercial websites below is not an implied endorsement of their products, which are not free, and are not required for this lesson plan.

A story with transition words: Frog and Toad Together by Arnold Lobel (“The List”). HarperCollins, 1979.
This chapter is also read online at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqbR2FzXJBQ
The chapter “The List” includes then, now, soon, after, just then, and at last.

Formative Assessment

View
- Observe students as they are writing sentences, and provide help and encouragement as needed.
- Collect, evaluate, and provide feedback for the writing assignment in Part 1 of the lesson.
- Conduct individual writing conferences during student writing time.
- When students are done writing, they can use the author’s chair to share their writing with the rest of the class.

Suggested Instructional Supports

View

Scaffolding, Active Engagement, Modeling, Explicit Instruction

W:	Students will receive a checklist that contains the requirements of the assignment. They will write seven-sentence stories with illustrations that demonstrate their understanding of clear, interesting writing that uses adjectives and a variety of sentences.
H:	The teacher acts out the class story from the previous lesson and illustrates it with pictures or drawings that the students hold up at the appropriate times. Students then write the story of their own walk, describing what they experienced personally.
E:	Students make an illustrated story using descriptive sentences, following the example given to them in the previous lesson and revisited in the beginning of this lesson.
R:	Students share opening and closing sentences with partners, and use the feedback to improve their writing. Students also read final drafts aloud and to themselves, give feedback, and revise to create a final draft.
E:	Students create their own story and will conference with partners and you to reflect on whether they need to make changes.
T:	Through guided instruction, students progress from whole-group activities, to partner activities, to individual writing, and cycle back through to make additional revisions as needed.
O:	The activities in this lesson build on those from the previous two lessons on descriptive writing and adjectives to culminate in a demonstration of student learning through a brief descriptive story.

Instructional Procedures

View
Focus Question: Why is using description in your stories important?

Part 1

Read the story that you wrote with students in the previous lesson. If possible, show the pictures that you took (or create simple drawings of the items) as an illustration of your class story. Feel free to stand up and act out the story, having students hold up the appropriate picture as you walk along and read the story. “In the last lesson we wrote our class story, and today I illustrated it for us.”

Use the following writing assignment as the performance assessment for this unit.

“Today, each of you will create a seven-sentence illustrated story about your walk.”

To help students, write the expectations on the board as follows:
- one opening sentence
- five descriptive sentences
- one closing sentence
- sentence variety and logical transition words
Students should use their own observation chart for sentence ideas.

“First, think of your own opening sentence. Remember this sentence can be a statement, a question, or an exclamation. Write down an opening sentence. When you finish, find a partner and share your sentences with each other. Which type of sentence did your partner choose? Is his/her sentence a complete thought? Is there anything you think s/he should change? Tell him/her what and why.” Monitor this process by circulating.

“Now that you have a good opening sentence, use your chart as a guide to help you write five descriptive sentences, one for each of the five nouns on your chart, using the adjectives you wrote down for each noun. These sentences can also be statements, questions, or exclamations.” Monitor student progress. If needed, have students check in with a partner or meet with you.

Once students have finished these sentences, remind them to go back to add transition words. Create a chart of possibilities if students need a refresher.

“Write down a closing sentence. Again, this can be a statement, a question, or an exclamation. When you finish, find a partner and share your closing sentences with each other. Which type of sentence did your partner choose? Is his/her sentence a complete thought? Is there anything you think s/he should change? Tell him/her what and why.” Monitor this process by circulating.

Collect their writing and read through each story to ensure that there are no major issues or misunderstandings. If needed, meet with students to make adjustments before the next lesson.

Part 2

Have students revisit their writing to double check their work for correct capitalization, punctuation, and spelling.

Assign a partner to each student. Have students read their stories out loud to their partner and then switch to read their partner’s story to themselves. “Is there anything that you think your partner should change? Did you notice any mistakes in your partner’s story? Talk with your partner and mark down what changes you will make in your story.”

Once students complete this, have them write a final version on Story Paper (LW-1-1-3_Story Paper.doc). Please note that this resource can be printed double sided. Instruct students to write only one sentence on each page, and draw an illustration to match that sentence. If you were able to take photos, display them to help students create their illustrations.

Provide time for students to illustrate their stories. Illustrating can be done on another day if necessary.

Extension:
- Students can illustrate the classroom-generated writing to create a classroom picture book.
- Students can each copy sentences from the board and underline the noun and circle the adjectives in each sentence.
- Students can play a guessing game where a student starts a description by providing an object (noun), and then another student must describe the object with a sensory word.

Narrative Writing: A Focus on Description

Lesson Plan