Delicious, tasty, yummy: Enriching writing with adjectives and synonyms
http://www.readwritethink.org/lessons/lesson_view.asp?id=868
A lesson plan for grades 3–5 English Language Arts
In this lesson, students explore adjectives and expand their vocabulary. This lesson requires that the teacher completes several preliminary steps before beginning the class assignment. While reading Apples by Gail Gibbons aloud, the teacher guides students to focus on the appearance of apples, both inside and out, as the author has done throughout the book. Then students share their words with the class, and the teacher explains the definition of an adjective. During a read-aloud of The Supermarket by Kathleen Krull or The Supermarket by Harlow Rockwell, students focus on all the items found in a supermarket and the adjectives the authors use to describe these items. Using an alphabet organizer, students write down adjectives in each box that describe items they find while at the supermarket. Once the teacher demonstrates how to use a descriptive word web and explains synonyms, students create their own webs by adding adjectives that are synonyms for common words they have used to describe an example subject. Students then share their work with the class and discuss how using alternative descriptors can improve writing. Using the article, ldquo;Form Poems for Tired Words” by Terry Henkelman, the teacher reviews synonyms and guides the class in writing an original poem that uses synonyms. Students share their alphabet organizer from the supermarket assignment in teams of three. When they have merged all of their ideas, choosing the best examples for each letter, students complete an online alphabet organizer. Students then compose form poems describing five of the items from their organizer. Finally, students work in pairs to select picture books and rewrite pages from the book by selecting several adjectives to be changed. Upon completion of this activity, they share their work with the class and participate in a discussion about how they made their choices. Readwritethink suggests several extension activities and provides opportunities for student reflection.
North Carolina Curriculum Alignment
English Language Arts (2004)
Grade 3
- Goal 1: The learner will apply enabling strategies and skills to read and write.
- Objective 1.04: Increase sight vocabulary, reading vocabulary, and writing vocabulary through:
- wide reading.
- word study.
- listening.
- discussion.
- book talks.
- book clubs.
- seminars.
- viewing.
- role play.
- studying author's craft.
- Objective 1.04: Increase sight vocabulary, reading vocabulary, and writing vocabulary through:
Grade 4
- Goal 1: The learner will apply enabling strategies and skills to read and write.
- Objective 1.04: Increase reading and writing vocabulary through:
- wide reading.
- word study.
- knowledge of homophones, synonyms, antonyms, homonyms.
- knowledge of multiple meanings of words.
- writing process elements.
- writing as a tool for learning.
- seminars.
- book clubs.
- discussions.
- examining the author's craft.
- Objective 1.04: Increase reading and writing vocabulary through:
Grade 5
- Goal 1: The learner will apply enabling strategies and skills to read and write.
- Objective 1.03: Increase reading and writing vocabulary through:
- wide reading.
- word study.
- word reference materials.
- content area study.
- writing process elements.
- writing as a tool.
- debate.
- discussions.
- seminars.
- examining the author's craft.
- Objective 1.03: Increase reading and writing vocabulary through:
