Descriptive paragraph describes a person, place, or thing and its purpose is to paint a word picture by using rich vocabulary. Each paragraph includes a topic sentence, minimum of 3 details and the closing sentence.
Topic sentence, also known as the opening sentence is to grab the readers’ attention. Details are included to paint a vivid picture of the person, place, or thing being described. Lastly, the closing sentence is to summarize person, place or thing.
Halloween Themed Vocabulary
Often students are able to describe a person, place, or thing but their vocabulary is limited. Begin the lesson by brainstorming with students Halloween inspired adjectives. Gory, creepy, nasty, slithering, and cackling are just a few adjectives to describe a Halloween person, place, or thing.
It is best for students to write the list of Halloween inspired adjectives in their notebook for future reference, as well the teacher may write the words on chart paper for students to peruse at a later date.
Halloween Web Graphic Organizer
First task is for students to write about the same person, place, or thing with the teacher. Teacher will display an item such as a witch or skeleton to be described. It is best for the students to see the item being described to create a better descriptive paragraph.
Teacher will create a web to identify the different components of writing a descriptive paragraph. Topic and details are the components of the web. Using all five senses, students will begin to describe the skeleton and the teacher will write the details on the chart paper.
Writing the Halloween Descriptive Paragraph
Teacher and students begin writing the paragraph using the graphic organizer as an aid. Topic sentence should not state the topic but highlight something about the person, place, or thing that will engage the reader.
Next, the students and teacher will add the details of the person, place, or thing to paint a word picture. It is important to use rich vocabulary if the reader is to be able to visualize the person, place, or thing being described.
Lastly, students and the teacher write a closing sentence for the person, place or thing.
Visualization Strategy
Students return to their desks and are given a black piece of paper and pencil. Students are asked to close their eyes as the teacher reads the descriptive paragraph. After the paragraph is read, students open their eyes and draw a picture of the person, place, or thing. The picture will help with editing the descriptive paragraph.
Editing Descriptive Paragraph
After students have completed the visualization strategy they are ready to edit the descriptive paragraph. Students look at their picture and will start to ask the teacher to add details to the previously written paragraph. Looking at their picture they might decide color needs to be added to the beady eyes of a witch or they may choose to know the height of the mummy. Teacher will add the detail with a different color pen.
Teacher repeats the above exercise and more details are added if needed.
Independent Work
Students write a Halloween themed descriptive paragraph on a person, place, or thing. Goblins, Transylvania, and spiders are just a few Halloween ideas. Students follow the same format as the teacher but will draw their first picture as a fellow student reads their paragraph. Lastly, the writer reads the paragraph to a student who draws the picture and decides if more detail is required.
Writing a Halloween themed descriptive paragraph will enhance the student's creative writing skills and increase her vocabulary base. Halloween themed descriptive paragraphs are just one of many themes that can be used for this middle school writing activity.
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