Classroom Activities
First Lesson
This lesson is divided into three centers, each containing sensory adjectives from a book, short paragraph, and list of sensory adjectives . Students need to rotate from one center to the next. Each center will be divided into groups of students that can support each other by collaborating about the objectives of each center.
Center 1 Objective
The content objective for Center 1 will be to learn sensory phrases or adjectives. Crazy Like a Fox written by Loreen Leedy will be used in this center to identify the sensory adjectives or phrases.12 Targeted ELL classes need to have content and language objectives for each lesson. Each lesson will have both objectives throughout the unit. The content objective will have students highlight descriptive adjectives by identifying the sensory adjectives or phrases from a text. The language objective will have students orally read descriptive sensory adjectives or phrases.
Center 2 Objective
The objective for Center 2 will be to identify sensory phrases or adjectives in a short paragraph. The content objective will have students highlight descriptive words by identifying sensory phrases from a paragraph. The language objective will have students orally read the sensory phrases they’ve highlighted in the paragraph. Students will be working with their group to identify the sensory adjectives in this center. They can read the paragraph out loud and dialogue about the different sensory adjectives.
Center 3 Objective
The content for Center 3 will be to categorize sensory adjectives into the correct space. Students will have the opportunity to write one sentence for each sense by choosing an adjective they categorized in the last station. The content objective will have students write one sentence by using a sensory adjective to describe an object. The language objective will have students orally read the sensory adjectives that are categorized in the correct space.
Second Lesson
This lesson is divided into five centers. Students will practice writing one sentence using sensory adjectives to describe the objects in each center. Students will need to rotate from one center to the next. Students will be divided into groups and rotate every 10 minutes.
Center 1 Objective
The objective for Center 1 will be to use concrete descriptive sensory adjectives that describe the sense of smell. The students will use hands-on exploration to describe the smell of juniper tree leaves, blue corn mush, orange peel, and cinnamon and sugar mixed together. The content objective will have students write a descriptive sentence by using adjectives that describe the smell of the object. The language objective will have students orally read the descriptive sentence written to describe the object. Students will use a sentence frame to describe the smell of the object.
Center 2 Objective
The objective for Center 2 will be to use concrete descriptive sensory adjectives for the sense of taste. Students will also use tactile learning to describe the taste of blue corn mush, orange, and cinnamon and sugar. The content objective will have students write a descriptive sentence by using adjectives that describe the taste of the object. The language objective will have students orally read the descriptive sentence to describe the object. Students will use a sentence frame to describe the taste of the object.
Center 3 Objective
The objective for Center 3 will be to use concrete descriptive sensory adjectives that describe the sense of hearing. Students will listen to the sound of Native American flute music played by Carlos Nakai, “Earth Spirit.”12 They will also listen to powwow drum music played by Tribal Spirit “Powwow Drums.”13 The content objective will have students write a descriptive sentence by using adjectives that describe the sound of the music. The language objective will have students orally read the descriptive sentence written to describe the music. Students will use a sentence frame to describe the taste of the object.
Center 4 Objective
The objective for Center 4 will be to use concrete descriptive sensory adjectives that describe the sense of touch. Students will use hands-exploration to describe the orange peels, juniper leaves, and blue corn meal. The content objective will have students write a descriptive sentence by using adjectives that describe how an object feels. The language objective will have students orally read the descriptive sentence written to describe how an object feels. Students will use a sentence frame to describe the taste of the object.
Center 5 Objective
The objective for Center 5 will be to use concrete descriptive sensory adjectives that describe the sense of site. Students will use hands-on activity to visually describe juniper leaves, orange peel, and blue corn meal. The content objective will have students write a descriptive sentence by using adjectives that describe what is seen. The language objective will have students orally read the descriptive sentence written to describe how an object feels. Students will use a sentence frame to describe the taste of the object.
Third Lesson
In this activity students will use their five senses to describe an illustration created by Navajo artist R.C. Gorman. The objective of the lesson will have students write a descriptive paragraph by using sensory adjectives to describe an illustration. I will begin the lesson by giving background knowledge about Gorman’s history by having students explore the website that provides information about the dates and time lines of his success.14 Students will read the information about Gorman and answer questions with their group such as: What information do you know about R.C. Gorman in the year 1931? What details can you write about R.C. Gorman from the year 1964? What event occurred in 1967 for R.C. Gorman? According to the text you read, what are your inferences about R.C. Gorman? After students answer the questions with their group, they will be asked to go to a different group to compare and discuss their answers. To confirm the answers, students will be asked to share their answers with the whole class as a class discussion.
With this lesson, I will use the “I Do, We Do, You Do” model to explicitly teach the descriptive writing strategy.15 The model will allow me to demonstrate explicit writing skills. Modeling the skills with explicit think-aloud strategies helps students process how a descriptive sentence is written with concrete sensory adjectives for each sentence. I will model writing the five senses using Gorman’s illustration “Corn Lady.”16 To help support writing skills for all levels, I will use a sentence frame and write:
I can smell sweet sugar heated in the air.
I can see ______.
I can hear _____.
I can taste _____.
I can feel _____.
After modeling the sensory descriptive sentences using the five senses from the illustration, I will create one paragraph using these sentences. As the students write down the paragraph I’m modeling for them, they will write the main idea-who or what the illustration is about and what the character is doing. The paragraph should have a main idea at the beginning of the sentence. Next, I will write details about the illustration. Each sentence in the paragraph will include some of the concrete sensory adjectives written from the previous five sentences. I will use a list of sensory adjectives to write the paragraph. The sentence frames will be used as a guide, but add other details to make the paragraph interesting. For example, instead of just writing I can smell sweet sugar in the air, details can be written about what the environment from the illustration might smell like: As I entered the fence, the scent of sweet sugar heated and spun filled the whimsical air. It is essential to model the sensory adjectives in the paragraph. After one sensory sentence is completed, the next sensory sentence will be written until all five senses have been completed in the paragraph. As the paragraph is completed, it is important to have a list of sensory adjective examples to help them write a paragraph.
Having students practice writing skills with scaffolding support and collaborative activities give them guidance for understanding the skills. Students will have the opportunity to describe another illustration from the artist Gorman. Students will follow the same routine by creating one sentence for each sense. Finally, students will create a paragraph using the sensory adjective list to help them describe the illustration. Students will collaborate and dialogue as a class and with partners to create sentences and paragraphs. Students will practice three times before moving on independently.
Mastery of the writing skill allows students to work on the assignment independently and confidently. Students will follow the same steps to create descriptive sentences and paragraphs. Differentiated instruction is important. Some students may only be able to write only using the single sentences to describe the illustration. Some students may be able to write single descriptive sentences and paragraphs using more detail.
Fourth Lesson
In this activity, students will read a paragraph and complete the ending of the story. The objective of the lesson will be to write a descriptive paragraph by using sensory adjectives to complete the story. This lesson requires multiple tasks. Multiple tasks include: reading the text, answering comprehension questions, identifying the plot of the story, writing the end of the story, summarizing the story, and orally reading the summary of the story written. I just needed to point out that my students had previous lessons on reading a short story, answering questions, identifying the plot of the story, writing the end of the story, summarizing, and orally reading the summary. The objective of my lesson is to have students write descriptive paragraphs using sensory adjectives. I will use the “I Do, We Do, You Do” model to explicitly teach how students can end a story with details using sensory adjectives.17 All the tasks written below are to give a background of how I taught them before and what students do to complete those tasks. The tasks provided in this lesson are to have students think critically about how reading and writing are connected.
During the first task, I will orally read the short story. After I read the short story, the students will silently read the story. After students silently read the story, I will have them read out loud to practice their reading fluency.
As for the second task, I will model highlighting what each comprehension question wants. For example, one of the comprehension questions could be: What is the main idea of the story? I would model highlighting the word main and the other word idea from the question. The purpose of highlighting is to help students understand the significance of what the question wants the students to answer. I will answer comprehension questions about the main idea: Who/what is the story about? What is the character trying to do? I would model the text evidence that supports the main idea.
When I get to the third task, I will model identifying the exposition, rising action, and climax of the story using a plot diagram. I will model writing one sentence for the exposition, rising action, and climax. For exposition, I will write one sentence about what happened at the beginning of the story. I will write the main character’s name, the setting, and the character’s action in one sentence. For the rising action, I will write one sentence about the event leading to the problem. For the climax, I will write one sentence about the problem of the story. This strategy is used to help students identify the plot of the story. Students need to identify the plot of the story to help them complete the falling action and resolution of the story.
The fourth task, I will model using some of the five senses adjectives to write the rest of the story. How did the character solve the problem? I will use some sensory adjectives to describe what the character sees, smells, hears, touches, or tastes during the problem of the story. The students have to write the resolution of the story. What did the character learn and do at the end of the story? How did the character feel at the end of the story? I will model using the list of sensory adjectives to write the rest of the story. I will repeat the resolution by using the five senses to complete the story.
After the modeled activity, the students will complete the story using sensory adjectives. Students will work as a group to create the falling action and resolution of the story. I will have students revise the story to correct any mistakes. When students complete the task, the group will read and present their story to the class on a poster.
Fifth Lesson
Students will read a short story and write the end of the story independently. The objective will have students write the falling action and resolution of the story by using sensory adjectives to complete the story. Students will answer questions about the plot of the story. Then, they will write the falling action and resolution of the story using some of the sensory adjectives. The paragraph should have more than 250 words. Students will write their story on Google slides. Differentiation is essential. Students who are at a pre-emergent or basic level can write as many sentences as they are able to. Students who are at intermediate level, can write more than 250 words. With this activity, I will be able to identify if students can identify the plot of the story and write descriptive sentences to describe the character’s experience.
Assessment Project
In this activity, students will write independently. The objective will have students write a narrative essay by using descriptive sentences to describe a challenging journey. Students will read a story and answer comprehension questions about the plot of the story. Students will then write a narrative essay with a plot of the story-exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution. Students need to include descriptive sentences using sensory adjectives to describe the character’s experience. The essay should be more than 500 words. After students write and revise their story, they will create an EBook in Canva. I will then gather the class stories and combine them in Canva to create a book. I will print the book for them to take home.
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