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Narrative Mini-Lesson
Descriptive Writing
6th grade ELA
Mini-lesson
Strand/Content Area: Language Arts
Grade: 6th
Essential Standard: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.3: Write narratives to develop real or
imagined experiences or events using effective technique, relevant descriptive details, and
well-structured event sequences.
After note cards are filled out, the class will come together and share their best
words for each category.
Independent Practice: Students will then independently write a story describing how the
UFO got to be in the forest Remembering to show not tell!!!
Rationale: Writing descriptively, or showing and not telling, is an important aspect of writing
a narrative and appealing to an audience. According to Janet Black, students are able to
write better descriptive words when they are presented with sensory aids like visuals and
sound. By having students watch a video of a puppy, they will be able to see and hear what
the dog is doing. By giving them tangible items like Hersheys Kisses or Lifesavers, they
have objects to hold and interact with by touching, smelling, tasting, listening, and seeing.
This will help them learn how to write descriptively by appealing to all of the senses.
Formative Assessment: Through class discussions of the puppy video and their note
cards, students will share with the teacher if they understand how to use descriptive
language.
Summative Assessment: As a part of a larger unit on writing narratives, students will write
a narrative in which they are an alien and find a UFO. They will be required to include all of
the aspects of a narrative, including the descriptive language they learned in this lesson.
Teaching Point: