Writing Descriptive Sentences

Sentence Writing Expanded


I. Anticipatory Set:
Noun in a bag:
Adjectives are the clues to the object in the bag.
How could you have known the contents of this bag if you didn’t wonder what it might look like, feel like, sound like etc. Adjectives are an important piece of your sentences.

II. Instruction Period:
What if you were trying to tell someone something but they didn’t understand? Just like my noun in the bag.
--Today we are going to paint a picture with words.
The key is to describe it so well they can picture it in their heads.
That is an Expanded Sentence
--- Let’s look at this picture:
1) What do you see?
2) What do you think they are doing?

Let’s first make a basic sentence.
1) On a yellow strip of paper write the main object in the picture…a noun. (with a Document Camera, Visual presenter or overhead Teacher writes dinosaur- demonstrating.)
2) The yellow strip should say …dinosaur. On separate strips of paper write the words…the, fed, her, babies. (with Document Camera, visual presenter, or overhead strips write the same things).
3) Lay the words down in front of you to make a sentence.
It should say: The dinosaur fed her babies.

To begin painting our picture we need to answer a question
1) The WHAT---describe the dinosaur and the babies (put some words on blue strips) place them in the sentence.
2) Have the students write their sentences on lined paper.

3) The HOW---describe the action (write different words on green strips) These are like adjectives but they are called adverbs, they describe the action.

III. Guided Practice:
Show another picture with the Elmo or overhead (crazy cow picture). Instruct the children to make a basic sentence. The cow rode the roller coaster. Let them add adjectives on the strips of paper and move them around.

IV. Closure:
Student share their sentences with others and the class.

Now remember this trick when you are writing your sentences into a larger paragraph. The person you are writing to cannot see what you see.