Topic:

Adding details to a story

Standards:

ELACC2W3: Write narratives in which they recount a well-elaborated event or short sequence of events, include details to describe actions, thoughts, and feelings, use temporal words to signal event order, and provide a sense of closure.

Essential Question:

How do authors add details to stretch out their stories?

Duration:

About 1 hour

Materials:

graphic organizer, marker, chart of 5 senses, computer with brainpop

Overview or notes pertaining to lesson:

Students will learn how to add sensory details to their stories to make them more interesting to read.

Mini Lesson:

Students bring journals and graphic organizer to the floor. Yesterday we got our ideas in order for our stories in our graphic organizers. Today we are going to add details. Details are very important in making your story interesting to read. You want to keep your reader’s attention, and create a “movie” in the reader’s imagination. You do this by using great words. Make a chart of the five senses. You could also use Brainpop Jr to show a short video introduction on senses in writing. Fill in the anchor chart with examples of words you can use in writing for taste, feel, see, hear, smell. Model adding some sensory details in your graphic organizer to add detail to your story.

Guided Practice:

Have students turn and talk about sensory details they could add in their graphic organizers. Allow some to share, then have students add one sensory detail while on the floor.

Independent Practice:

Send students to seats to finish adding sensory details. I usually give them a number I want. I might say you have to add at least 3 sensory details, or 1 detail in each part of the story.

Closing:

Review sensory details.