Purpose

� Writers paint word pictures in the mind of the reader, much as an artist paints on canvas.� Artists use color, lines, and shapes while writers use words.� This mini-lesson helps the beginning writer see the importance of using a whole �pallet� of colorful words when they write. The writer should be encouraged to think of a reader�s mind as a blank canvas, just waiting for them to paint upon!

When? / Impact for Young Adolescents

�� This lesson should be taught before students begin writing short stories. The lesson includes visual connections.� Adolescents will� be able to make the connection between art and writing, which may help some students better understand the importance of description in their own personal writing.� The overhead activity is based on student answers and participation.� The teacher is just a guide.� This gives adolescents confidence to successfully write on their own, because they are able to see and participate in the process of constructing descriptive sentences.�� Adolescents will also begin to increase their descriptive vocabulary as they make their own descriptive sentences.

Objectives

NCSCS: 6^th, 7^th, and 8^th grades

Competency Goal 6:� The learner will apply conventions of grammar and language usage.

6.01 Model an understanding of conventional written and spoken expression by:

applying the parts of speech to clarify language usage
extending vocabulary knowledge by learning and using new words

NCTE / IRA: 6^th, 7^th, and 8^th grade

Standard 12: Students use spoken, written, and visual language to accomplish their own purposes (e.g., for learning, enjoyment, persuasion, and the exchange of information.)

Materials

Power point presentation� (You can make your own set of pictures or slides)
Over head projector to write sentences on
A list of non-example sentences for students to fix

Time to Complete

Beginning Activity: 10 minutes

Constructing sentences as a class:� 15 minutes

Follow-up discussion:� 5 minutes

Script

(Start power point or drawing. The first picture should be very simple.� I have chosen a house.)� Good Morning!� I would like each of you to complete this sentence, �I know from this picture��.�� What was the first thing that every one wrote down about the first picture?� (The answers will not be very descriptive because the house itself does not offer many details.)� What can you write to me about this picture now? (Start to click through the more detailed pictures, and the students should write down what they know from the picture.)� Now that we are on the last slide, what do you know about this picture now? (Look for answers such as� The sun is shining and is peeking through the clouds.� A father and his children are playing happily in the yard.� Huge fur trees surround the small red house.� Since the students are jotting down what they know by looking at the pictures, do not expect super descriptive sentences.)� After writing about this picture, what do you think that artists and writers have in common? (Look for answers such as�They need to be creative.� They need to give details so you know what the picture or their writing is about.�� The more details in the picture the more I could write about the picture.)��

�� Good Job!� Writers should consider themselves to be artists.� They should paint a picture in the reader�s mind of what they are trying to describe.� Lets do some examples on the overhead.� (Write down the sentence�We live in a nice house.) Now what I want you to do is to paint me a picture with words about how this house looks.� What exactly is a nice house? Where would this house be located?� What is around the house?� (Students should start giving details about what they consider to be a nice house.� Write these down to the side, and then add some of the descriptions of the house to the sentence.� The finished sentence should look something like�We live in a white frame house with green shutters that sits back from the road on a grassy hill dotted with tall trees.)� What makes this sentence better then the first one? (Students answers should involve the use of details.) Let�s do some more!!� (Look at the non-example and example sheet for ideas of sentences to use.� Remember to have students come up with the finished sentences.� The examples on the �example ideas sheets� are just to show the type of sentences the students should formulate.)�

�� Now that we have constructed these awesome sentences together, do you feel that it is important that people can visualize what you are writing? ( Hopefully everyone will say yes!) Why? ( Students should talk abut how their story will be more interesting and how the reader will better understand what is going on in their story!� )�

�� We are about to start writing, and whether it is fiction or non-fiction your writing should paint a picture for the reader for all of the reasons we have discussed today.� Now lets begin using what you learned today!

Resources

Adams, Jeanie.� Going for Oysters.� Illinois:� Albert Whitman & Company, 1991.

Auch, Mary Jane.� I Was a Third Grade Science Project.� New York:� Holiday House,��

�� 1998.

Schrecengost,� Maity.� Write to be Read, Chapter 12.� Wisconsin:� Alleyside Press,

�� 1972.

Non-Examples and Examples Work sheet

Non-Example:� Alice was reading in her room.

Example:� Sunlight streamed through the bedroom window as Alice curled

�� up on her flowered bedspread with her favorite book.

Non-Example:� We live in a nice house.

Example:� We live in a white frame house with green shutters that sits

�back from the road on a grassy hill dotted with tall trees.

Non-Example:� Our kitchen is a cozy place.

Example:�� Our cheerful yellow kitchen with fluffy curtains and flowers

�� on the table makes me feel warm and cozy.

Non-Example:� The empty house looked scary.

Example:� Cobwebs hanging from the broken windows cast shadows on the

�� rickety old porch.

Non-Example:� He�s a poor old man.

Example:� The old man�s tattered clothes hung on his skeleton-like frame

�� as he tottered down the streets.

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