Guided Practice for Descriptive Writing

Descriptive writing is an effective way to describe a person, place or thing to form a picture in the reader’s mind.  This is detailed and allows students to “tap” into their senses when writing. Depending on students’ levels, the use of similes, metaphors and personification may be introduced.  Strong adjectives, nouns and verbs are encouraged.  

Descriptive writing is organized by order of importance.  For example, when describing a person, the writer begins with physical characteristics and then progresses to a character’s thoughts, actions and/or feelings.  Students will be encouraged to “show” and not “tell” their work.  Here's a fun way to teach students to "show" how they feel.  

Take a simple expression such as "I am hungry" and change it.  What things can be stated?  Imagine sentences like "My tummy is growling."  Explore senses when writing descriptively. Use some everyday sentences and have students change them.  "I have a headache" can become "My head is pounding."     

Here's a fun way to work on descriptive writing. Students organize an interactive folder that supports ideas for writing:

Descriptive Writing