Amber LaFerriere

CIED 3253

09/15/15

Writing Concept: Expanding Writing

Strategy or Skill: Using Sensory Details
Grade level: 3
Objective: Students will be able to include vivid sensory details in their writing to create more descriptive
writings.
Common Core State Standard/PASS: Writing/Grammar/Mechanics Standard 1; 4 Revise drafts,
changing or adding details and vivid, descriptive words.
Prior knowledge: (What students already know)
Students already know how to compose a coherent story with minimal details and the five senses.

Observations/Rationale: (Before Lesson) What did you notice in your students work that let you
know this lesson was necessary?
Students were not being descriptive enough in their works. The writings were too content-focused and
lacking in detail.

Mentor Text: Owl Moon by Jane Yolen

Lesson from Mentor Text: Teach students to be able to identify sensory details and incorporate them into
their own writings.
Materials: Owl Moon by Jane Yolen, large chart, markers, paper
Student Groups (whole/small group/partners): whole group first, then small groups
Mini Lesson Format:

Connect (Engagement):
Today were going to learn about sensory details in writing. These are details that involve one or
more of our five senses. As you all know, the five senses are touch, smell, sight, sound, and taste.
Ive noticed that many of your writings have great content, but not a lot of details, so were going
to look at this book, Owl Moon by Jane Yolen, to find ways we might be able to use sensory details
in our own writing. *read book*
Teach (Model/Explain)
Here is a chart with each of the five senses. Lets try and find some of the sensory words used in

the story and see which sense they belong to, so we can add them to our chart. Can anyone tell me
a sensory word from the story? *do activity*

Active Engagement (student(s) try it out):

Great job, everyone! We found a bunch of sensory words from the story. Now, were going to
break up into five groups. Each group will be assigned one of the five senses. I want you to work
together to make a list of five additional words that could fit into your category. *do activity*
Okay, now that everyone is finished, lets share some of our ideas with the class. *go through
each sense and add examples to chart*

Link/Closure (Articulating the expectation that students will now use this skill/strategy when
reading or writing)
Look at all of the sensory words you were able to come up with! Next time were writing, make
sure to try to use the five sense sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell to make your writing more
descriptive. You can also go back and look at the stories youve already written and see what you
could revise to make it more descriptive.