Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Activity to develop descriptive writing

Here is a quick and fun activity you can do 2 or 3 times a week in order to enhance your student's ability to write descriptive sentences. It can be done with students of any age, although older students who are more creative and capable of thinking outside the box will obviously come up with more interesting descriptions.

1. Write down the names of various objects on Index cards.
Ex. Apple, Bus, Radio, Cat, Pizza, Telephone, School, Computer etc

2. Give each student one of the Index cards, face down on their desk

3. Pass out a piece of paper, a half or even quarter sheet should be fine

4. Have the students look at their word and write it down at the top of their paper. Then have them come up with a detailed description of the object without using the word itself. Young students (2nd - 4th grade) can just write basic descriptions.

Ex. Apple = A delicious red fruit my mom peels and uses when cooking pies in the Fall.

Bus = A big yellow car with black wheels that brings me to school

Older students (5th graders and older) can be challenged to make descriptions that will be more abstract.

Ex. Apple = Sweet  and delicious crimson orb, often skinned and sliced to be baked within a doughy dessert.

Bus = A large, yellow metal container that rolls along the road and transports students to places of learning.

5. Once the children have finished making their descriptions, collect the index cards and papers. Mix them up and then read the descriptions to the students, who must guess what the object being described is.

The 5th grade students in my ASLA at TCS really enjoyed this activity.

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