Title: Pet Peeve Descriptive Writing
Subject: _____Language Arts
Standard: ____Writing Process
Grade:
3
Date: ___May 2006
Vision
Lesson Summary
We want our students to become independent, confident
writers.
Students already have knowledge of adjectives. This
lesson gives the students additional opportunities to
incorporate adjectives within the context of a descriptive
paragraph.
Goal(s) of This Lesson
Prior Knowledge/Pre-Assessment
Students will improve and enhance their writing using
adjectives.
Identify nouns
Identify adjectives
Choose a topic and write details
Team Members
Reflections/Insights
Erin Blatnica, Fairwood
Katie Bodnar, Big Creek
Roberta Caleris, BPM
Denise Ernst, Brookview
Cindy Frontczak, Big Creek
Lori Waschak, Brookview
The students were highly motivated by the topic. The
graphic organizer was helpful in getting their thoughts
down on paper.
Facilitators: Jennifer Ditz and LaVerne S. Thomas
Berea City School District
Page 1
Title: Pet Peeve Descriptive Writing
Subject: _____Language Arts
Standard: ____Writing Process
Relationship to the Curriculum
Grade:
3
Date: ___May 2006
Ohio Academic Content Standards
Subject
Language Arts
Writing
Processes
Benchmark
A. Generate ideas and determine a
topic suitable for writing
E. Use revision strategies to
improve the coherence of ideas,
clarity of sentence structure and
the effectiveness of word choice.
Indicators
2. Develop a clear main idea for writing
4. Use organizational strategies (e.g. brainstorming, lists,
webs, and Venn Diagrams) to plan writing
11. Add descriptive words and details and delete extraneous
information
Mathematics
Science
Social Studies
Technology
Berea City School District
Page 2
Title: Pet Peeve Descriptive Writing
Subject: _____Language Arts
Standard: ____Writing Process
3
Grade:
Materials and Resources
Chart paper
Notebook paper
Manila paper for graphic organizers
highlighters
Overhead projector
Overhead of My Pet Peeve Worksheet
My Pet Peeve/Shorter Weeks Worksheet (one per
student)
My Pet Peeve Revised Worksheet (one per student)
Grocery Store Pet Peeves (example)
Writing Rubric (copies as needed)
Bubbles of Fun Worksheet (optional)
Berea City School District
Date: ___May 2006
Unit Suggestions
If you would like to do “Bubbles of Fun” to brainstorm
descriptive words before the first lesson, it is attached to
this plan.
Notes:
Page 3
Title: Pet Peeve Descriptive Writing
Subject: _____Language Arts
Standard: ____Writing Process
Grade:
Lesson Plan
Suggested
Time Frame
and Steps
Day One
15
minutes
Teacher Direction, Support
and Key Questions
3
Student Learning Activities
Date: ___May 2006
Anticipated Student
Questions and
Responses
Evaluation/
Assessment
Mini-lesson on eliminating
extraneous information
Have a discussion about
how in our writing, we are
having a problem with
adding information that does
not support the main idea.
Today, we are going to
practice revising a
paragraph.
Teacher shows the students
a model of a paragraph that
will be revised together as a
class on the overhead. Tell
the students that the task is
to identify and delete the
extraneous information.
There are 3 sentences that
do not support the topic.
Teacher will provide a
second paragraph that
requires revision
independently.
Students will look over the
paragraph independently to see if
they can find the extraneous
information.
How many sentences
do I have to identify?
Using the overhead projector,
students will identify the 3
sentences that do not support the
topic.
The students will work
independently to create the
revisions.
The teacher will circulate
and assist as needed.
Berea City School District
Page 4
Title: Pet Peeve Descriptive Writing
Subject: _____Language Arts
Standard: ____Writing Process
Grade:
Lesson Plan
Suggested
Time Frame
and Steps
Day Two
Teacher Direction, Support
and Key Questions
3
Student Learning Activities
Anticipated Student
Questions and
Responses
Evaluation/
Assessment
Mini-lesson on adding details
Teachers show students the
same paragraph that they
used yesterday. Identify the
descriptive words that are
used in this paragraph.
Students highlight words in the
paragraph that are descriptive.
Discuss that now you are
Give the students a piece of manila
going to create your own pet paper to identify a specific place or
peeve paragraphs.
person first. Then, choose one
noun for each pet peeve to
describe the place or person. Using
a graphic organizer, students will
identify adjectives for each noun.
(See attached Grocery Store Pet
Peeves example)
Day Three
Date: ___May 2006
Teacher models their own
pet peeves on chart paper
on the board. (See attached
Grocery Store Pet Peeves
example)
Students produce a pet peeve
graphic organizer.
Drafting
Students use their graphic
organizers from the day before to
draft their pet peeve paragraphs.
Berea City School District
Students had
difficulty finding
building as an
adjective to
creations. Needed a
lot of teacher
prompts
Page 5
Title: Pet Peeve Descriptive Writing
Subject: _____Language Arts
Standard: ____Writing Process
Grade:
Lesson Plan
Suggested
Time Frame
and Steps
Teacher Direction, Support
and Key Questions
3
Student Learning Activities
Day Four
Revision
Students revise their pet peeve
paragraphs utilizing adding details
and eliminating extraneous
information.
Day Five
Editing
Students edit their pet peeve
paragraphs utilizing the editing
rubric.
Day Six
Publishing
Students publish their pet peeve
paragraphs.
Berea City School District
Date: ___May 2006
Anticipated Student
Questions and
Responses
Evaluation/
Assessment
Students will
be evaluated
with a rubric
Page 6
Title: Pet Peeve Descriptive Writing
Subject: _____Language Arts
Standard: ____Writing Process
Grade:
3
Date: ___May 2006
Differentiated Instructional Support
Extensions
•
•
The students write a story about their pet peeves that
include several paragraphs using descriptive words.
•
•
Peer editing
Modify the number of pet peeves
Modify the number adjectives
Give them a cloze assignment (example: fill in the
blanks with adjectives)
Technology Connections
Literature Links
•
Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good Very Bad
Day by Judith Viorst
•
Students will use word processing software to publish
their writing.
Adjectives: http://www.teach-nology.com/
Berea City School District
Page 7
Name: __________________________
My Pet Peeves
I am a pretty agreeable person, but there are a few things
around my house that drive me crazy. One such thing is when my
younger brothers go into my bedroom and destroy my building
creations. My three-year-old brothers both have blonde hair. I also
get upset when my sister sings at the dinner table. Her favorite sport is
gymnastics. My greatest pet peeve is when my older brother taps his
pencil on the kitchen table while I am studying spelling words. I wish I
had a fish tank in my room. My brothers and sister are really great,
but there are moments when they make me crazy!
Berea City School District
Name: __________________________
Shorter Weeks
I think the school week should be shortened to four days for
three reasons. I am in the third grade this year. The first reason is I
could have more time to play on the weekends. My dog likes to play
with his Frisbee outside. The second reason is I could get more sleep
so I could pay more attention in class. I sleep with my stuffed animal
every night. The last reason is I could have more time to watch TV
and play video games. I hope I get a new video game for my
birthday. I think a four-day week just makes more sense!
Berea City School District
Name: __________________________
My Pet Peeves (Revised)
I am a pretty agreeable person, but there are a few things
around my house that drive me crazy. One such thing is when my
younger brothers go into my bedroom and destroy my building
creations. I also get upset when my sister sings at the dinner table.
My greatest pet peeve is when my older brother taps his pencil on
the kitchen table while I am studying spelling words. My brothers and
sister are really great, but there are moments when they make me
crazy!
Berea City School District
Name: __________________________
My Pet Peeves (Answer Key)
I am a pretty agreeable person, but there are a few things
around my house that drive me crazy. One such thing is when my
younger brothers go into my bedroom and destroy my building
creations. I also get upset when my sister sings at the dinner table.
My greatest pet peeve is when my older brother taps his pencil on
the kitchen table while I am studying spelling words. My brothers and
sister are really great, but there are moments when they make me
crazy!
Berea City School District
Writing Rubric
Student Name: _________________
0
Not present
1
Needs
improvement
2
Developing
Uses descriptive
words
Avoids using
extraneous
information
Written in
complete
sentences
Uses correct
spelling
Uses correct
punctuation
and
capitalization
Uses a topic
sentence
Total Points: __________
Berea City School District
3
Competent
Grocery Store Pet Peeves (example)
Cart
Customers
squeaky wheels
sticky handle
cold
hard
Dirty
plastic
red
whiny kids
rude people
slow
impatient
friendly
happy
talkative
young
old
Aisles
Lines
narrow
big boxes
messy
tall shelves
cluttered
clean
long
long
unending
slow
self-serve
short
quick
many/few
Berea City School District
BUBBLES OF FUN
A describing word helps you imagine how something looks, feels, smells, sounds, or tastes.
Write a list of describing words on each bubble to fit the bubble’s category.
words that
describe size
words that
describe taste or smell
____________________
____________________
____________________
____________________
____________________
____________________
words that describe how
something feels
____________________
____________________
____________________
Berea City School District
words that
describe weather
____________________
____________________
____________________
words that
describe sounds
____________________
____________________
____________________
words that
describe feelings
____________________
____________________
____________________
Page 14