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Fear Factor Fun
Students develop "Fear Factor" stunts using descriptive language. In this writing lesson, students watch clips from the show "Fear Factor" and develop their own stunts. Students write and explain the stunts in vivid language.
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Using the Senses to Write Descriptively
Students write descriptive paragraphs using adjectives based on the use of their five senses. They use sensory impressions to improve their writing.
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Descriptive Writing-The Hobbit
Young readers write a descriptive paper on the fantasy characters in The Hobbit. They take notes as they read the novel in order to provide descriptions of the character traits of hobbits, dwarfs, trolls, wizards, and goblins. They pay...
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A Creative Presentation
Bring writing to life with this lesson plan in which elementary and middle schoolers create a display of the imagery they identify in a series of Gary Paulsen books. They read the suggested materials, identify imagery and descriptive...
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Concluding Activities for an Author Study of Marc Brown and His Arthur Books
Everyone loves Arthur, the friendly aardvark! Emerging readers explore Arthur books by Marc Brown. They use the Internet to research Marc Brown and share information with their class. They work independently to conduct research and then...
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Car For Sale!
Car For sale! In this GED prep activity, writers develop a classified advertisement to sell a car. After a discussion of precise words and phrases, telling details, and sensory language, sellers draft their ad for review, revision and...
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Descriptive Writing - The Hobbit
Hobbits, dwarfs, wizards, trolls, and goblins. Readers track these fantastic creatures through J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit noting passages of character description and  scenery changes. Using specific passages from the novel, class...
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Story Ideas
Need some story ideas? Young writers are often at a lost when it comes to selecting an idea for story. Jumpstart the discussion by giving them a list of possible topics.
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Descriptive Prompt: Precise Language
Incorporate sensory details into a piece of descriptive writing. First, elementary and middle schoolers improve a piece of writing by using precise, vivid language, as well as appropriate word choice. They then listen to a variety of...
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Improving Your Writing
As a writer, how can you show your audience a certain character is showing a certain emotion? Use this worksheet to practice giving detailed descriptions of your characters and their feelings. Writers complete a chart that lists seven...
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Writing: Narrative, Expository, Persuasive, and Descriptive
If you are interested in having a basic framework for teaching expository, narrative, persuasive, and descriptive writing, this resource may help; however, you will have to find information on the different forms of writing to share with...
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On the Scene: Analyzing Scenes in Film and Literature
Students examine how a scene in a movie or in literature is constructed. In this film and literature lesson plan students answer questions based on film clips then create storyboards depicting a scene from their life.
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Ready, Steady, Cook!
When paired with a trip to Aston Hall's kitchen, this activity is a good way to practice recall and descriptive language. Without literally being in the kitchen, it could actually be an even better activity! Learners could use their...
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Writing Bug - A New Holiday
What we need is another day off! Pupils use a one-page worksheet to present their ideas for a new holiday celebration. After choosing a name and date, they describe how the holiday would be observed and what people would do to celebrate...
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Magical Creatures Land
The opening of J.R.R. Tolkein’s The Hobbit provides a model of how to use rich details to create a setting. After reading the description of Bilbo Baggins’ abode, young writers create their own magical home for a fantasy creature. The...
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An Imaginary Creature And Then Using Describing And Action Words for a Creative Writing Exercise
You have to collect lots of materials (boxes, bags, toilet paper rolls, etc.) for this lesson to work successfully. After modeling how to create an imaginary creature out of the collection of recycled materials, let your class search...
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Haunted House
Read alouds are great ways to build fluency, accuracy, and intonation. Each slide contains part of a story about a haunted house and audio of the story being read aloud by several different children. Whether you use it as a reading...
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Design Life: Exploring Society Through Art
Introduce learners to the design elements and artifacts of interior environments in Victorian Canada (or any people and era you care to explore) based on artwork that represents their world. Your secondary social historians view the art...
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Printable Story Starter: Treasure in the Daisies
Class members can practice using sensory details and imagery with this writing prompt, which provides a vivid introduction about a girl who discovers a treasure box in her mother's garden. The middle, ending, and title of the story are...
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Descriptive Writing: Parrot in the Oven
After reading a selection from Victor Martinez's Parrot in the Oven, pupils use the graphic organizer to decipher the sensory details within the descriptive paragraph. They list various details under the appropriate sense ("see," "hear,"...
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Main Idea
What could you pack for a trip if you don't know the destination? After writing a list of items they would want to bring, fourth graders learn that the "trip" is to the South Pole - revealing the need to understand all available...
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Sense Poetry
Access your young poets' senses and emotions with this activity, which guides them through the process of writing a "sense poem." After working on a sense poem as a class and modeling the procedure, individuals work on their own poems...
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ADd IT-- ADjectives and ADverbs
Descriptive writing is a must for students to understand. Using adverbs and adjectives, they turn simple sentences into works of art. Each simple sentence gets a descriptive make-over. This lesson suggests using Laptops and SMART board...
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Sparkle Words
Students are introduced to "sparkle words," which are really adjectives! They consider ten sentences which have a word missing, and choose the best of the three sparkle words on the slide to complete the sentence. A nice, motivating...