Lesson 1: Learning to Identify Descriptive Writing

Lesson Plan
Grade 3: Unit 2: Nonfiction Reading and Descriptive Writing
Lesson 1: Learning to Identify Descriptive Writing
Materials
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Standard
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Pre-made chart, “What We Notice about Descriptive Writing” (see sample on
the last page of this lesson)
Collection of short writing pieces that include descriptions of people,
places, objects, and events, such as:
o Places: Hey World, Here I Am! by Jean Little, “Mrs. Buell,”
page 42, paragraph 1;
o
o
o
o
Write and speak for
a variety of purposes.
Big Idea
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http://cspace.unb.ca/nbco/pigs/writing/write2.html,
“My Sister’s Room,” “The Living Room,” “The Detention Room,”
and Spanish translations
People: Hey World, Here I Am! by Jean Little, “Mrs. Buell,” page
44, paragraph 3, and “About Old People,” page 60, paragraph 1;
Rimshots: Basketball Pix, Rolls and Rhythms by Charles R. Smith,
“Meek,” paragraph 1 (person’s looks) and paragraph 6 (person’s
actions)
Objects: Hey World, Here I Am! by Jean Little, “Pearls” page 65,
and “Clothes” page 50, paragraph 1; Hairs/Pelitos by Sandra
Cisneros, “My mother’s hair…”
Events: Hey World, Here I Am! by Jean Little “Ever So Often,”
page 34, and “Cartwheels,” page 23, first half
Nonfiction:
Write focused paragraphs that
include descriptive, relevant,
and interesting details.

http://www.coloradosightseer.com/testimonials.html, first
answer to question 1 under “Testimonials” and Spanish translation

Too many different examples will overwhelm English language learners.
Intended Learning
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•
Students state some effective descriptive writing techniques.
Students name some distinguishing descriptive writing elements, such as
adjectives, strong verbs, similes or metaphors (other forms of comparisons), or
sensory details to raise awareness of these techniques in high-quality writing.
Mini-Lesson
Connection
Descriptive writing is an especially important writing technique and can be
fun to do. Explain how it makes students’ writing more interesting to
readers because they use their words to help readers “see,” or visualize,
persons, places, or things students write about.
Also explain how when an author writes descriptively about a person,
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Notes

Every time English language learners
need to produce a new genre, they
need a different toolbox of vocabulary.

It is very important to consider
academic language levels.

In a class with a lot of English language
Lesson 1: Learning to Identify Descriptive Writing
1
Lesson Plan
Grade 3: Unit 2: Nonfiction Reading and Descriptive Writing
a place, or an object, it is usually pretty short, often no more than five
to eight sentences.

learners, scaffold language they need
to produce the particular genre.
Connect with the book English language learners are using in Reading
Workshop.
Teaching
Have a typed page with three pieces of short, descriptive writing and an
overhead copy for reference. Read each descriptive writing piece aloud to
model fluency and phrasing. Return to one piece, such as the description of
the mother’s hair in Sandra Cisneros’ Hairs. Think aloud and highlight on the
overhead particularly descriptive language or phrases, such as “My mother’s
hair, like little rosettes, like little candy circles…” and “…the warm smell of
bread before you bake it…”
Write on the “What We Notice about Descriptive Writing” chart features
students notice, such as “Uses comparisons” or “Uses some of the five senses.”

Ask students what they know about descriptive writing and write it on
a chart. Read a text and highlight in different colors or point out
the text’s descriptive writing.
Active Engagement
Students work with their partners to highlight descriptive language and
phrases in one of the other three pieces.
Listen in on groups of students to support the process, helping them
recognize descriptive writing techniques.
Ask students to share some phrases and writing techniques they discovered.
Add their discoveries to the class “What We Notice about Descriptive
Writing” chart.
Link
Students spend part of Independent and Small Group Time examining
the last example of descriptive writing, highlighting descriptive language
and phrases, and naming writing techniques used. Students discuss their
thinking during Sharing/Closure.
Independent and Small Group Time
•
•
Remind students that they will spend the last few minutes of Writing
Workshop editing for one or more items on their self-editing checklists.
Students write independently, trying out mini-lesson strategies in their writing
notebooks or going through the writing process from drafting to publishing.

Confer individually with English language learners about their writing or
bring small groups of students together who need more support or
specific instruction.

•
If English language learners have a few minutes, ask them to write
sentences that include some description. If their English proficiency
is limited, provide language frames.
Confer with students individually about their writing or bring small groups of
students together who need more support or specific instruction.
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Lesson 1: Learning to Identify Descriptive Writing
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Lesson Plan
Grade 3: Unit 2: Nonfiction Reading and Descriptive Writing
Sharing/Closure
•
Partners share their thinking about descriptive language and writing
techniques they found. Add to class chart.
What We Notice about Descriptive Writing
Descriptive Language or Phrase
“My mother’s hair, like little
rosettes, like little candy circles…”
Comparison (or simile)
“…the warm smell of bread before
you bake it…”
Sensory details (or using one or more of the five senses)
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Writing Technique
Lesson 1: Learning to Identify Descriptive Writing
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Lesson Plan
Grade 3: Unit 2: Nonfiction Reading and Descriptive Writing
Lesson 2: Generating Ideas for a School Visitors Guide
Materials
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Denver Zoo Web site (http://www.denverzoo.org/visitors/index.asp)
(Go to “Visitor Info,” click on “Special Exhibits,” and scroll down for a list of
places to visit that are strong examples of good description, such as
“Tropical Discoveries” and “Primate Panorama.” For good examples of
events, click on “Education,” then “Family Programs.”)

•
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Site also has Spanish translations of “Tropical Discoveries” and
“Primate Panorama.”
“What We Notice about Descriptive Writing” chart generated during Lesson 1
Copies for every child of sample visitors guide from Denver Metro Chamber
of Commerce (www.denverchamber.org) or other guide of your choice

•
Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce site also has Spanish translations
of Visitor Information page.
Writing sample describing a person from Write Source (if you have it)
by Sebranek, Kemper, and Meyer, “Squeaky Clean,” page 64
Standards
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Write short paragraphs
in different genres (expository
pieces) for the purpose of
informing or explaining.
Organize writing with main ideas
and supporting details.
Use appropriate words
to communicate clearly.
Big Ideas
•
•
Write focused paragraphs that
include descriptive, relevant,
and interesting details.
Use mentor texts as models
to share information.
Intended Learning
•
•
Students recognize how and why authors write descriptively so they can
incorporate descriptive writing into their school visitors guides.
Students use examples of visitor guides as a tool to begin generating ideas
for their school visitors guides.
Mini-Lesson
Notes
Connection
Review the “What We Notice about Descriptive Writing” chart generated
during Lesson 1, pointing out what students noticed about descriptive
writing. Explain how descriptive writing helps authors create pictures
in readers’ minds, which allows readers to visualize people, places, events,
or objects the authors write about.
Think aloud about how nice it would be to share something they know a lot
about with other people. One thing they all know a lot about is their school,
and it would be helpful to describe it for visitors and new students who want
to know more. A visitors guide gives valuable information. Briefly discuss
three or four topics that might appear in a visitors guide to your school, such
as who the teachers are, special events, places students like to go, or how
to find your way around.
Tell students you brought visitor guides from places they might have visited
or could visit. The exploration and work they do today will help them think
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Lesson 2: Generating Ideas for a School Visitor Guide
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Lesson Plan
Grade 3: Unit 2: Nonfiction Reading and Descriptive Writing
of topic ideas and write their own school visitors guide.
Teaching
Have at least two examples of visitor guides ready on overheads and copies
for each student. Use the “Tropical Discoveries” exhibit from the Denver
Zoo Web site or two others of your choice.
Place one example on the overhead and explore it, with students pointing
out descriptive and informative language. Record this information on
a “What We Notice about Visitor Guides” chart (see sample chart below).
The chart may include, but is not limited to, descriptive language,
information regarding upcoming events, interesting people, places of
interest, special features. Point out specific examples.

Point out and chart features in pamphlets for English language learners
to implant the specific language of features.
Active Engagement
Invite students to “Turn and Talk” about things they notice in the second
visitors guide example. Ask two or three pairs of students to share what they
noticed about descriptive and/or informative writing. Record any new
information students recognize on the “What We Notice about Visitor
Guides” chart. Brainstorm with students possible ideas to include in
a visitors guide to their school.

If you have a large number of English language learners, you may want
to do this activity as a whole group. Chart student suggestions and have
students keep their own charts, so they have the language they need
to create their own visitors guide. If you have a small number of English
language learners, work with them in small group and have most
students work with partners.
Link
Students continue to generate a list of topics in their writing notebooks they
might want to include in their school visitors guides. They will share these
ideas during Sharing.
Independent and Small Group Time
•
•
•
Students generate a list of topics they might include in their school visitors
guides.
As time permits, they work on an entry or add a new entry in their writing
notebooks.
Confer with individual students or with small groups of students needing
additional assistance.

If English language learners have a few minutes, ask them to write
sentences that include some description. If their English proficiency
is limited, provide language frames.
Sharing/Closure
•
Partners share their generated lists and descriptive writing. Ask two or three
partners to share with the whole group.
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Lesson 2: Generating Ideas for a School Visitor Guide
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Lesson Plan
Grade 3: Unit 2: Nonfiction Reading and Descriptive Writing
What We Notice about Visitor Guides
Information
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People
Places
Events
Objects
Description
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Similes
Adjectives
Action Verbs
Chart for English language learners
What We Notice about Visitor Guides
Information
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People
Places
Events
Objects
Description Example
from the Text
[Write down the literal
language from the text.]
Description
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Similes
Adjectives
Action Verbs
Lesson 2: Generating Ideas for a School Visitor Guide
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Lesson Plan
Grade 3: Unit 2: Nonfiction Reading and Descriptive Writing
Lesson 3: Observing and Describing an Object
Materials
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Several interesting objects or artifacts for students to observe and discuss—
such as professional sports equipment or a jersey; a caged live animal, such
as a turtle, fish, or large spider; an interesting picture or photograph;
a milkweed pod; a large sea shell; or an unforgettable food, such as cooked
Brussels sprouts—as long as it captures students’ interest, stimulates
conversation, and presents an opportunity to observe using the five senses
“Sensory Words” chart to help organize the writing (see sample chart on the
last page of this lesson)
Sticky notes for students to record observations (see Link section)
Standards
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•
•

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Clipboard to take notes about the school
Source lesson: Compiled from several ideas in observation lessons found
in Nonfiction Craft Lessons: Teaching Information Writing K-8 by Joann
Portalupi and Ralph Fletcher
Intended Learning
•
Write short paragraphs in
different genres for the purpose
of informing or explaining.
Organize writing with
a beginning, middle, and ending
or with main ideas and
supporting details.
Use appropriate words
to communicate clearly.
Big Idea
•
Write focused paragraphs that
include descriptive, relevant,
and interesting details.
Students use several of the five senses to contribute to the description of
an object to improve descriptive writing skills.
Mini-Lesson
Notes
Connection
When writing descriptively to inform readers, it is often necessary to
research a topic. One of our favorite authors, Ralph Fletcher, says research
involves more than simply copying facts out of a book; we can often
research our topic by paying close attention to the world, which is called
observation.
Explain how you observe objects in the world by looking at them closely,
but you also use your other four senses of smell, sound, touch, and taste.
Tell students these words are called sensory words. Have the “Sensory
Words” chart with icons for students to refer to during the observation
period (see sample chart on the last page of this lesson).
Remind students they may want to include a section about an interesting
object or event at the school in their school visitors guides. What they learn
and practice today will help them write descriptively about objects or
events later.

English language learners will tour the school, using their five senses
to collect information and ideas.
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Lesson 3: Observing and Describing an Object
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Lesson Plan
Grade 3: Unit 2: Nonfiction Reading and Descriptive Writing
Teaching
Put an object or artifact in the center of a circle or where all students can
see it clearly, and hear it, if applicable. If possible, having several of the
same object allows small groups of students to observe it more closely using
several senses. Determine, based on the artifact, whether it is appropriate
for students to touch, taste, and/or smell it. Allow partners or small groups
of students several minutes to closely observe the object and discuss their
observations using sensory words and descriptions.

Provide each student with a “Sensory Words” chart and a clipboard.
Have them write down or draw, if their language is limited, what they
see, hear, smell, taste, and touch.
Active Engagement
Students should have several opportunities to “Turn and Talk” with their
partners before volunteering ideas to the whole group. Record students’
ideas on the “Sensory Words” chart.
Using a shared writing approach, solicit ideas for a class descriptive
paragraph about the object. Model how to incorporate sensory details
the class contributed from the chart.

Students work with partners to write down information they collected
with their five senses.
Link
Students list ideas in their writing notebooks about objects, artifacts, or
events they are considering for their visitors guide during Independent and
Small Group Time. Model with two or three ideas of your own, such as
“I might want to write a description of the tree we planted out front in
honor of our principal who retired last year. So I’m going to jot down, ‘Mrs.
Smith’s Tree.’”
Independent and Small Group Time
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Students add more ideas to their lists.

•
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English language learners write their lists of places or people they saw
from their school tour in their notebooks.
As time permits, students work on an entry or add a new entry in their
writing notebooks.
Confer with individual students or with small groups of students needing
additional assistance.
Sharing/Closure
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Partners share their ideas for visitors guide topics.
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Lesson 3: Observing and Describing an Object
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Lesson Plan
Grade 3: Unit 2: Nonfiction Reading and Descriptive Writing
Sensory Words

Hear
Smell
Taste
Touch
2
y
Æ
,
Include icons under each sensory word to assist English language learners.
Writing Workshop
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See
Lesson 3: Observing and Describing an Object
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Lesson Plan
Grade 3: Unit 2: Nonfiction Reading and Descriptive Writing
Lesson 4: Observing and Describing an Object—Shared Writing
Materials
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Several interesting objects or artifacts for students to observe and discuss,
such as professional sports equipment or a jersey; a caged live animal, such
as a turtle, fish, or large spider; an interesting picture or photograph;
a milkweed pod; a large sea shell; or an unforgettable food, such as cooked
Brussels sprouts
Hairs/Pelitos or House on Mango Street, both by Sandra Cisneros, or another
descriptive mentor text students used during Lesson 1
Student copies of the “Sensory Words” chart created in Lesson 3
Pre-written example of your own sensory paragraph from your writing
notebook to share with students
Intended Learning
•
Students use sensory description to partner-write descriptive paragraphs
of an object to improve writing skills.
Standards
•
•
•
Write short paragraphs in
different genres for the purpose
of informing or explaining.
Organize writing with a
beginning, middle, and ending
or with main ideas and
supporting details.
Use appropriate words
to communicate clearly.
Big Idea
•
Write focused paragraphs that
include descriptive, relevant,
and interesting details.
Mini-Lesson
Notes
Connection
Students continue to practice writing descriptively using sensory words.
Good writers pay close attention to the world around them through the use
of their five senses of sight, smell, sound, touch, and taste. Briefly review
how these senses were used in the previous lesson, addressing the “Sensory
Words” chart and shared writing paragraph.
Remind students what they learn and practice today will help them write
descriptively for the visitors guide.
Teaching
Students write descriptive paragraphs about an object using strong sensory
details. Caution them to write about the object in an interesting way and not
make it sound like a list. Demonstrate this approach by rereading a descriptive
piece such as Sandra Cisneros’ Hairs. Ask students if the description of the
mother’s hair would have been as good if Sandra wrote, “My mother’s hair
looks curly, it smells like bread, and at night it feels warm.”
Use a pre-written example from your writing notebook to show students
how you recorded observations of an object on a “Sensory Words” chart,
then used it to write a description that does not sound list-like.

Do a shared writing of the place you want to describe for English
language learners. Elicit vocabulary and encourage students to use
creative language necessary for descriptive writing.
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Lesson 4: Observing and Describing an Object—Shared Writing
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Lesson Plan
Grade 3: Unit 2: Nonfiction Reading and Descriptive Writing
Active Engagement
Have partners decide what they want to describe. You may allow partners
to choose from a selection of objects (see Materials list for ideas of objects
to observe). Allow students to keep out their copies of an appropriate
mentor text, such as Hairs, to assist making stronger sensory observations
about a new object.

English language learners write a new paragraph, similar to the shared
writing paragraph.
Link
Students work with their partners to write another description of an object
using sensory details. These details make the writing more descriptive and
interesting to readers. Remind them to use the mentor text and the class
shared writing to avoid a list-like sensory description of their objects.
Students spend the last few minutes of Writing Workshop editing for one or
more items on their self-editing checklists.
Independent and Small Group Time
•
•
Students work with their partners to write sensory descriptions.
Confer individually with students about their writing or bring small groups of
students together who need more support or specific instruction.

Work with small groups of students needing extra support.
Sharing/Closure
•
Partners share their sensory descriptions with another partner set. Two or
three partners share out with the whole group. You may copy some
exemplary student work to serve as additional “mentor texts” for student
writing folders.
Homework
•
To give students additional opportunities to write descriptively, instruct
them to write short descriptions of objects at home using their copies of the
“Sensory Words” chart and what they learned about writing descriptively.
Sensory Words

Hear
Smell
Taste
Touch
2
y
Æ
,
Include icons under each sensory word to assist English language learners.
Writing Workshop
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See
Lesson 4: Observing and Describing an Object—Shared Writing
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Lesson Plan
Grade 3: Unit 2: Nonfiction Reading and Descriptive Writing
Lesson 5: Describing Your Subject
Materials
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Nonfiction Craft Lessons: Teaching Information Writing K-8 by JoAnn
Portalupi and Ralph Fletcher, “Describing Your Subject,” page 61
(Read through it to prepare and ignore the first paragraph under “How to
Teach It,” as your students will not be involved in a lot of formal research
for this project.)
Large picture of Abraham Lincoln and overhead of the paragraph about
Abraham Lincoln from Nonfiction Craft Lessons, page 61
Prepared entry of a description of a person from your writing notebook
Descriptive paragraph of a school custodian from Write Source 2006 (if you
have), page 64, or your own mentor text with a strong character description
Intended Learning
•
Students use descriptive writing techniques to write paragraphs about
a person that creates pictures in readers’ minds.
Mini-Lesson
Standards
•
•
•
Write short paragraphs in
different genres (expository
pieces) for the purpose of
informing or explaining.
Organize writing with main ideas
and supporting details.
Use appropriate words
to communicate clearly.
Big Ideas
•
•
Write focused paragraphs that
include descriptive, relevant,
and interesting details.
Organize information in a clear,
easy-to-follow way.
Notes
Connection
Students write about at least one person from your school in their visitors
guide. Today, students describe someone they know well, such as a family
member or close friend. This practice will help them write descriptively
for their visitor guides.
Teaching
Using Craft Lessons, “Describing Your Subject,” begin in the second paragraph of the lesson (“Let’s take a look at two writers…”). Place the description of Abraham Lincoln on the overhead and read it aloud to students.
In the section beginning “As another example…,” use the Write Source
description of the school custodian or another example of your choice.
Think aloud about your process when you chose a person to describe in your
notebook. In your think aloud, include ideas, such as choosing someone you
know well, someone you care about a lot, or someone interesting to you.
Share your descriptive paragraph from your writing notebook before students
“Turn and Talk” about the person they will describe in their notebooks today.

Eliciting ideas, vocabulary, and grammar structures from the group,
write a paragraph about a person. With students, list descriptive words
you used to create a picture in readers’ minds.
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Lesson 5: Describing Your Subject
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Lesson Plan
Grade 3: Unit 2: Nonfiction Reading and Descriptive Writing
Active Engagement
Students “Turn and Talk” with their partners about a person they will
describe, who should be someone they know well, a parent, grandparent,
sibling, or close friend. Later, they will use what they learn about
observation to describe a person in the school for their visitors guides.

Students write a paragraph similar to a shared writing. Offer
a paragraph frame for students whose language is very limited, such as
“The principal is ______.” [“She likes to talk with us when we eat
lunch. She has a beautiful smile.”]
Link
Students write a descriptive piece about the person they discussed with
their partners. As you link to students’ work today, read aloud the final
paragraph in Fletcher’s lesson, “Describing Your Subject.” Begin with the
words, “I want you to use your words to paint a picture…”
Students spend the last few minutes of Writing Workshop editing for one or
more items on their self-editing checklists.
Independent and Small Group Time
•
•
Students begin writing a description of the person they discussed with their
partners.
Confer individually with students about their writing or bring small groups of
students together who need more support or specific instruction.
Sharing/Closure
•
•
As students share descriptive pieces they wrote about their subjects, their
partners should give them feedback about their use of descriptive
techniques, such as use of the five senses and what they did well in creating
a “mind picture.” Have two or three students share with the whole group.
You may copy some exemplary student work for the class to use
as additional mentor texts when writing descriptively about a person.
Homework
•
To give students additional opportunities to write descriptively, instruct
students to use what they learned today to write short descriptions of
a subject at home. They may want to take home a copy of a mentor text
for additional support.
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Lesson 5: Describing Your Subject
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Lesson Plan
Grade 3: Unit 2: Nonfiction Reading and Descriptive Writing
Lesson 6: Describing a Place
Materials
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Nonfiction Craft Lessons: Teaching Information Writing K-8 by JoAnn
Portalupi and Ralph Fletcher, “Beginning with the Setting,” page 42, or
“Attending to Setting,” page 71 (Read each lesson to determine which one
best meets your students’ needs.)
Copies for every student and enlargement or overhead of sample paragraph,
“Where turtles might live,” page 42, or Brenda Z. Guiberson’s paragraph on
sea turtles, page 71, depending on which lesson best fits your students’ needs
Pre-made list of words from mentor text you selected to model to write
descriptively about a setting (see Teaching below)
Intended Learning
•
Standards
•
•
•
Big Ideas
•
Students use descriptive writing techniques to write about places so readers
can create pictures in their minds.
•
Mini-Lesson
Write short paragraphs in
different genres (expository
pieces) for the purpose of
informing or explaining.
Organize writing with main ideas
and supporting details.
Use appropriate words
to communicate clearly.
Write focused paragraphs that
include descriptive, relevant,
and interesting details.
Organize information in a clear,
easy-to-follow way.
Notes
Connection
Remind students they worked on writing descriptively to create pictures in
readers’ minds. Describing places or settings will be important and informative for students’ visitors guides. Writing to describe a setting is an important technique they will want and need to use many times in their lives.
Teaching
Put the sample from Fletcher and Portalupi’s lesson, “Beginning with the
Setting,” on the overhead and read aloud, highlighting descriptive words.
Point out the author’s use of sensory words and strong action words (verbs)
such as thrashing, scampers, pokes, and so forth. You may even write some
of these words on a class chart for emphasis.

Write vocabulary on a class chart. Use a web or other graphic organizer
to list describing words that create images of places and/or people.
Follow the lesson, making any necessary modifications for your class needs.
Use your pre-made word list from the mentor text and the last paragraph of
page 42 for the Active Engagement part of the lesson.

Write a paragraph describing a place known to students. English
language learners need to be familiar with the place to use their senses
and their most creative vocabulary to describe it.
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Lesson 6: Describing a Place
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Lesson Plan
Grade 3: Unit 2: Nonfiction Reading and Descriptive Writing
Active Engagement
Using the last paragraph of the lesson on page 42, have students “Turn and
Talk” with their partners about places they may want to describe. They
should know the places they describe well, such as their bedrooms, backyards, inside of their cars, or their sisters’ messy rooms. Later in the unit,
they use what they learn today to describe places at the school for their
visitors guides.
Students use their writing notebooks to list possible describing words for
their settings. Show students how you tried this in your own notebook.

Eliciting ideas, vocabulary, and grammar structures from the group,
write a paragraph about a place. List descriptive words you used
to create a picture in readers’ minds with students.
Link
Students write descriptive pieces about places they discussed with their
partners. Remind them to use strong action words, or verbs, as well as
sensory words to create better pictures in their readers’ minds.
Students spend the last few minutes of Writing Workshop editing for one or
more items on their self-editing checklists.
Independent and Small Group Time
•
•
Students write descriptive pieces about places they discussed with their partners.
Confer individually with students about their writing or bring small groups of
students together who need more support or specific instruction.

Provide a paragraph frame for students with limited language.
Sharing/Closure
•
•
As partner A shares his or her descriptive piece, partner B gives feedback
about the use of descriptive techniques, such as the five senses, action
words, and what they did well in creating a “mind picture.” Have two or
three students share with the whole group.
You may copy some exemplary student work for the class to use as
additional mentor texts when writing descriptively about places.
Writing Workshop
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Lesson 6: Describing a Place
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Lesson Plan
Grade 3: Unit 2: Nonfiction Reading and Descriptive Writing
Lesson 7: Choosing a Seed Idea
Materials
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•
Standard
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Teacher and student writing notebooks
“Topics for Visitors Guide” chart
Intended Learning
•
Students state important reasons for selecting topics to take to publication.
Write in a variety of modes,
such as short personal narrative,
friendly letters, and brief
expository pieces (informational
or how-to paragraphs) for the
purpose of informing or explaining to a variety of audiences.
Big Idea
•
Mini-Lesson
Write focused paragraphs that
include descriptive, relevant,
and interesting details.
Notes
Connection
Choosing visitors guide topics to take to publication is an important decision.
Students need to choose topics that are important and interesting enough
to spend the next three weeks revising, editing, and publishing. They also
need to know a lot about the topic or collect more information.
Teaching
Each student make his or her own decisions about which topics to include
in the visitors guide, but every student’s visitors guide must have between
three and four topics of interest to visitors, and there must be a variety of
topics, such as people, places, objects, and events.
Model the process of selecting topics by going through your “generated ideas”
lists from the early lessons in this unit and think aloud about why each is
important or interesting enough, or not, to include in your visitors guide.
Model highlighting possibilities and finally circling the three you intend
to include in your guide.
Topic for Visitors Guide

To be specific about reasons why English language learners want those
topics for their visitors guide, you may have ELLs use a graphic
organizer to help them generate ideas.
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Why I Chose This Topic
Lesson 7: Choosing a Seed Idea
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Lesson Plan
Grade 3: Unit 2: Nonfiction Reading and Descriptive Writing
Active Engagement
Students “Turn and Talk” to their partners about things you considered
before finally selecting seed ideas to take to publication. List key ideas you
want students to remember on the class chart, “Topics for Visitors Guide.”

Students can work on graphic organizers with partners. Work with very
limited English language learners in a small group.
Link
Students use the same process to go through their own idea lists to thoughtfully select seed ideas for their published visitors guides. During Sharing,
students need to give several important reasons from the class chart,
“Topics for Visitors Guide,” to explain to their partners why they decided
on each topic idea.
Independent and Small Group Time
•
•
Students decide and circle which topics on their lists they want to include.
Confer individually with students about their writing or bring small groups of
students together who need more support or specific instruction.

After working on graphic organizers, students may start working on their
own visitors guide ideas.
Sharing/Closure
•
Students share their thinking about selecting seed ideas for their visitor
guides with their partners. Two or three students share their thinking with
the whole group.
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Lesson Plan
Grade 3: Unit 2: Nonfiction Reading and Descriptive Writing
Lesson 8: Writing an Introduction
Materials
•
•
Nonfiction Craft Lessons: Teaching Information Writing K-8 by Joann
Portalupi and Ralph Fletcher, “Writing an Introduction,” page 57
Overhead and copies for each student of sample visitors guide from Denver
Metro Chamber of Commerce (www.denverchamber.org) or other guide of
your choice

•
Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce site also has Spanish translations
of Visitor Information page.
“Visitor Guide Introductions” chart (see sample on last page of this lesson)
Standards
•
•
•
Big Ideas
Intended Learning
•
•
Student recognize that introductions are stated in a simple, concise form
that lets readers know what information will be found in their guides.
Students use mentor texts as models to write informative and descriptive
introductory paragraphs.
•
•
•
Mini-Lesson
Write short paragraphs in
different genres (expository
pieces) for the purpose of
informing or explaining.
Organize writing with main ideas
and supporting details.
Use appropriate words
to communicate clearly.
Write focused paragraphs that
include descriptive, relevant,
and interesting details.
Organize information in a clear,
easy-to-follow way.
Use mentor texts as models
to share information.
Notes
Connection
Students examined several visitor guides earlier. Remind them how we
noticed that the guides provided information and descriptions about people,
events, places, and objects of interest. But, every visitors guide also had an
introductory paragraph as an overview of what you would find in the guide.
Students look closely at the introduction of the Denver Metro Chamber of
Commerce visitors guide or another guide you selected, which will help
them write introductions for their visitor guides to your school.
Teaching
Have an overhead and copies for each student of the introduction to the
Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce entitled “Visitor Information.” Ask
students to notice the kinds of information and descriptive language used
to capture readers’ interests in hopes of getting them to visit our city.
Read the introductory paragraphs aloud from the overhead as students
follow on their own copies.
Chart information so students may refer to it during their own “try-it”
(see sample on next page).
Show students how you tried writing an introduction, based on your seed
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Lesson Plan
Grade 3: Unit 2: Nonfiction Reading and Descriptive Writing
idea selections and mentor text ideas, in your own notebook.
Active Engagement
Students discuss with their partners the information they will include
in their visitors guides. Partners brainstorm lists of descriptive language
they might use in their introductions to add interest for their readers.

After the mini-lesson, write an introduction together about a place
students have in common. Students elicit the language with your help
and write it with you at the same time in their writing notebooks.
Link
Students use the mentor text and notes they made with their partners
to write an introduction to their visitors guides. Let them know they will
share these introductory paragraphs during Sharing.
Students spend the last few minutes of Writing Workshop editing for one or
more items on their self-editing checklists.
Independent and Small Group Time
•
•
Students work with their partners to write introductions to their visitors guides.
Confer individually with students about their writing or bring small groups of
students together who need more support or specific instruction.

English language learners might want to use the paragraph they wrote
together to write similar ones. Students with very limited language
could use a paragraph with blanks.
Sharing/Closure
•
Partners share their introductions. Ask two or three partners to share with
the whole group. You may type up several exemplary student introductions
for students to use as mentors later when they revise their own.
Visitors Guide Introductions
Information Included
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Descriptive Language
•
places
•
top-ranked
•
location
•
vibrant
Lesson 8: Writing an Introduction
19
Lesson Plan
Grade 3: Unit 2: Nonfiction Reading and Descriptive Writing
Lesson 9: Gathering More Information about a Topic
Materials
•
•
•
•
Teacher and student writing notebooks
“Gathering Informative and Descriptive Information” outline for student
interviews (see sample at the end of this lesson)
“My Question/My Observations” graphic organizer for student interviews
(see sample at the end of this lesson)
“Appointment Request” form (see sample at the end of this lesson)
Standard
•
Intended Learning
•
Students gather background information about topics to write with more
authority about their topics.
Mini-Lesson
Write in a variety of modes,
such as short personal narrative,
friendly letters, and brief
expository pieces (informational
or how-to paragraphs) for the
purpose of informing or explaining to a variety of audiences.
Big Idea
•
Write focused paragraphs that
include descriptive, relevant,
and interesting details.
Notes
Connection
Remind students of how close observation, using sensory details, and
comparisons are wonderful ways to write descriptively about a person
(e.g. our school custodian), an object (e.g., the memorial tree planted
in front of our school), or a place (e.g., the school cafeteria). However,
a visitors guide needs to be both descriptive and informative.
For students to write informatively, they often need to talk to someone who
can provide them with background information about the topic.
Teaching
Arrange to invite someone in (perhaps custodian, principal, or another
teacher) during Writing Workshop so you can model the process of
interviewing. Tell students you invited this person because you know they
have background information about your topic.
Explain to the guest interviewee that you are writing a short paragraph
about [select a topic] to include in a visitors guide to your school. Model
asking questions, such as “What is the most important or interesting fact
you can tell me about the background or history of [your selected topic]?”
Write the guest’s responses on an outline or graphic organizer like the
samples on the last page of this lesson.
Active Engagement
Students will not have time to interview a person for each visitors guide
topic, so they will choose one who has the most information or interesting
facts about their topics. For all other topics in the visitor guides, they will
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Lesson Plan
Grade 3: Unit 2: Nonfiction Reading and Descriptive Writing
write descriptive pieces.
For example, explain how you could describe the school nurse, custodian,
or favorite playground equipment, just by observation and past experience.
But to be completely thorough, you would interview someone who knows
the background or history of one of these topics at your school.
Have students review their seed ideas and discuss with their partners which
topic most needs a personal interview and have them circle it.

Students with very limited language need to work with other students
to conduct the interview. If you have students who speak the other
students’ native language, pair them. It is important that they
understand the task. If you do not have anybody who could work with
them, provide simple questions they can read and understand.
Link
Students fill out a form (see “Appointment Request” form at the end of this
lesson) to make an appointment with a person who can provide them with
the needed background information. Put a blank template on the overhead
or make a model on chart paper to demonstrate, by thinking aloud, how to
fill out the form. Instruct students to turn in their forms so you can deliver
them to the appropriate school personnel.
Independent and Small Group Time
•
•
Students complete the “Appointment Request” form. If time permits,
students continue working on their entries for their visitors guides.
Remind students they will spend the last few minutes of Writing Workshop
editing for one or more items on their self-editing checklist.
Sharing/Closure
•
Students discuss with their partners some questions they might ask during
their interviews. Ask two or three students to share with the whole class.
Gathering Informative and Descriptive Information
Introduce yourself.
Explain that you are writing a short paragraph about _______________________
to include in a visitors guide to our school.

Let the person the child is interviewing know that the child is not proficient
in English and to help them on their task.
Tell the person that you would like to ask them a question that will add
important information to your topic.
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Lesson Plan
Grade 3: Unit 2: Nonfiction Reading and Descriptive Writing
My Question
My Observations
What is the most important or interesting fact that you
can tell me about the background or history of
______________________ at our school?
What senses can I use to help me describe this topic?
What details or examples can I include?
Which strong verbs can I use to make my writing more
descriptive?
Appointment Request
Dear _________________,
I would like to have a few minutes of your time to interview you about _____________.
Please let me know if any of the times listed below would work for you. Thank you.
_____________________ (your name)
Day: _____________ Time: __________
Day: _____________ Time: __________
Day: _____________ Time: __________
Other: ________________________
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Lesson Plan
Grade 3: Unit 2: Nonfiction Reading and Descriptive Writing
Lesson 10: Using Subheadings to Organize Information
Materials
•
•
Nonfiction Craft Lessons: Teaching Information Writing K-8 by JoAnn
Portalupi and Ralph Fletcher, “Use Subheadings to Organize Information,”
page 60
Copies of several sections from the Denver Chamber of Commerce Web site
(www.denverchamber.org), such as “Mexican Rodeo Extravaganza” under
“Special Events; Author Events,” or “Princess Martha Louise of Norway…”
under “Events and Programs,” or similar pages from another sample visitors
guide of your choice

See translations of “Plein Air Artists Paint Out” and “Getting It Down
on Paper”"
Intended Learning
•
Standard
•
Use appropriate words
to communicate clearly.
Big Ideas
•
•
Organize information in a clear,
easy-to-follow way.
Include text features, such as
labels, bold print headings,
pictures, white spaces, and
page breaks.
Students use subheadings to present information in a clear and organized
manner.
Mini-Lesson
Notes
Connection
Students looked at nonfiction texts before and noticed text features such as
subheadings. Briefly review what they learned about the purpose of
subheadings. Use the final paragraph in Fletcher’s lesson about subheadings
to summarize why we use subheadings and connect to their work today in
Writing Workshop.

Remind students they read books with headings and subheadings during
Reading Workshop to help them find information. Tell them they will do
the same thing in their visitor guides. They will provide readers with
headings and subheadings so readers can find information and skim and
scan their writing.
Teaching
Read through Nonfiction Craft Lesson, “Using Subheadings to Organize
Information,” page 60. Use the lesson’s ideas to emphasize the points about
the purpose and importance of subheadings.
With your class, examine subheadings in sections of the visitors guide
mentor text you selected. Continue to connect to how it helps keep the
visitors guide organized and readers informed about the content of the
different sections.
Point out, if students don’t notice it on their own, how some subheadings
are simple and straightforward (i.e., “Entertainment”), and others are more
“catchy” (e.g., “Mexican Rodeo Extravaganza”). Tell them they will try
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Lesson Plan
Grade 3: Unit 2: Nonfiction Reading and Descriptive Writing
several styles of subheadings to see what works best for their visitors guides.

Provide examples students are familiar with. You may give them examples
from your school, such as “Computer Games” or “Incredible Library”.
Active Engagement
Have students discuss with their partners different subheadings they might
use in their visitors guides to both inform their readers and capture their
attention. Students should write one or two possible subheadings for their
visitors guide topics in their writing notebooks.

Pair English language learners with partners who speak their same
language. Students with very limited language benefit from small group
instruction.
Link
Students write two or three possible subheadings for each visitors guide
section and circle the one they like best to share with their partners.
Show them how you tried it in your own notebook.
Remind students they will spend the last few minutes of Writing Workshop
editing for one or more items on their self-editing checklists.
Independent and Small Group Time
•
•
Students write two or three possible subheadings for each visitors guide
section and continue working on their drafts.
Confer individually with students about their writing or bring small groups of
students together who need more support or specific instruction.

Again pair English language learners with students who speak their same
language. Students with very limited language benefit from small group
instruction.
Sharing/Closure
•
Partners share their selected subheadings and explain why they chose
a particular subheading for each section. Ask two or three partners to share
their subheadings with the whole group. You may write on chart paper
several exemplary models of subheadings for students to use as mentor texts
when they revise their own.
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Lesson Plan
Grade 3: Unit 2: Nonfiction Reading and Descriptive Writing
Lesson 11: Writing a Caption for a Photograph or Drawing
Materials
•
•
•
Nonfiction Craft Lessons: Teaching Information Writing K-8 by JoAnn
Portalupi and Ralph Fletcher, “Writing a Caption for a Photograph or
Drawing,” page 75
The Great Fire by Jim Murphy or another mentor text that supports
the intended learning
Copies of several sections from the Denver Chamber of Commerce Web site
(www.denverchamber.org), such as “Mexican Rodeo Extravaganza” under
“Special Events; Author Events,” or “Princess Martha Louise of Norway…”
under “Events and Programs,” or similar pages from another sample visitors
guide of your choice

Standard
•
Use appropriate words
to communicate clearly.
Big Ideas
•
•
See translations of “Plein Air Artists Paint Out” and “Getting It Down
on Paper”"
Organize information in a clear,
easy-to-follow way.
Include text features, such as
labels, bold print headings,
pictures, white spaces, and
page breaks.
Intended Learning
•
Student use pictures or photographs with captions to present information
in a clear and organized manner.
Mini-Lesson
Notes
Connection
Remind students how as they noticed characteristics and features of visitor
guides. One feature that makes different guides interesting was pictures or
photographs with captions. As students work on different topics for their
visitor guides, they will want to include this important text feature. Therefore, today you teach them how to add pictures with captions meaningful
to readers.
Teaching
Read through “Writing a Caption for a Photograph or Drawing” on page 75 of
Nonfiction Craft Lessons.
This lesson does not need much modification, just a word change in a couple
of places, to support adding pictures with captions to a visitors guide.

Remind students of different features in books they read during Reading
Workshop. You may show the “Nonfiction Text Features” chart from
Reading Lesson 2 to help them understand. Tell them they will do the
same thing in their visitors guide: they will provide pictures to interest
and attract readers to their topics.
Active Engagement
Students discuss with their partners pictures or photographs they might use
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Lesson Plan
Grade 3: Unit 2: Nonfiction Reading and Descriptive Writing
in their visitors guide. They talk about possible captions and how their
captions give important information to their readers.
Link
Students write two or three possible captions for photographs or drawings
they plan to use in their visitors guides and circle the one they like best to
share with their partners. Show them how you tried it in your own notebook.
Independent and Small Group Time
•
•
Students write captions for photographs or pictures they plan to include
in their visitors guides and continue working on their drafts.
Confer individually with students about their writing or bring small groups of
students together who need more support or specific instruction.

Have a variety of school pictures for students to use in their visitors guides.
Sharing/Closure
•
Partners share their selected pictures and caption ideas with their partners.
Ask two or three partners to share theirs with the whole group. You may
display several exemplary student models for students to use as mentors
later when they revise their own.
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Lesson Plan
Grade 3: Unit 2: Nonfiction Reading and Descriptive Writing
Lesson 12: Using Strong Verbs
Materials
•
•
Standards
•
Copies of the sample sentences from Nonfiction Craft Lessons: Teaching
Information Writing K-8 by JoAnn Portalupi and Ralph Fletcher, “Using
Strong Verbs,” page 72
Copies of mentor text from Denver Zoo Web site
(http://www.denverzoo.org/visitors/index.asp) or other source used in
Lessons 1–2

•
Translations of:
“Tropical Discoveries” and “Primate Panorama” from the Denver Zoo
Web site (http://www.denverzoo.org/visitors/index.asp)
“Visitor Information” page from Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce
Web site (www.denverchamber.org)
“My Sister’s Room,” “The Living Room,” “The Detention Room”
(http://cspace.unb.ca/nbco/pigs/writing/write2.html)
Write short paragraphs in
different genres (expository
pieces) for the purpose of
informing or explaining.
Use appropriate words
to communicate clearly.
Big Idea
•
Write focused paragraphs that
include descriptive, relevant,
and interesting details.
Intended Learning
•
Students revise using strong verbs to increase the quality of their writing.
Mini-Lesson
Connection
Use ideas from the “Discussion” section of “Using Strong Verbs,” on page 72,
“It’s easy for students to fall into the trap of describing…” and “Students
writing becomes more vivid and lively…” to help students understand why
this lesson is important.
Teaching
This lesson does not need modification. Have copies of sample sentences
about the wrench, so students can highlight verbs in each sentence as you
model.

Notes

The less language English language
learners have, the more support
they need to elicit language. Work in
small groups as necessary.

Small group instruction provides the
time and the non-threatening
environment necessary to support
English language learners.
Due to their limited language and the language manipulation students
need to do for this lesson, this skill is difficult for English language
learners to acquire. If you have a large number of English language
learners in your class, provide no more than 10 verbs to replace with
strong verbs in their writing. Collect some verbs students have written
in their introductions or captions, so they can replace them during
Independent Time.
Active Engagement
Pass out copies of the second mentor text. Students work with partners
to highlight strong verbs in the descriptive paragraph. Several partners share
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Lesson Plan
Grade 3: Unit 2: Nonfiction Reading and Descriptive Writing
verbs they identified.
Ask students to take a few minutes to look at descriptive pieces they wrote
earlier in the unit about a place, an object, or a person. Ask students to locate
and circle several places where they used passive verbs, such as is or are.
Model finding a passive verb in your own notebook and revising it using
a strong verb.
Students talk with their partners about stronger verbs they could use in one
place in their notebook. Students write strong verbs above, beside, or under
passive verbs.

English language learners might need a great level of support on this
task. Small group instruction is highly encouraged. Provide replacement
verbs students need and help them understand the reason strong verbs
help their writing.
Link
Tell students to choose another is or are verb they circled with their
partners to start revising. When they finish the first one, they should revise
others they identified.
Remind students they will spend the last few minutes of Writing Workshop
editing for one or more items on their self-editing checklists.
Independent and Small Group Time
•
•
Students revise their work by replacing passive verbs with strong verbs.
Confer individually with students about their writing or bring small groups of
students together who need more support or specific instruction.

Again, English language learners might need a great level of support
on this task. Small group instruction is highly encouraged. Provide
replacement verbs students need and help them understand the reason
strong verbs help their writing.
Sharing/Closure
•
Partners share places where they made their writing better by revising using
strong verbs. Have several students share sentences showing the “before”
with passive verbs and the “after” with strong verbs. You may post some of
the strongest examples of student work.
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Lesson Plan
Grade 3: Unit 2: Nonfiction Reading and Descriptive Writing
Lesson 13: Visitors Guide Layout
Standard
Materials
•
•
•
Overhead and student copies of several visitors guide mentor texts
Layout paper and/or blank booklets to support student choice in organizing
their visitor guides
Pre-made “Visitors Guide Layout Design Features” chart to remind students
of their visitors guide organization and content (see sample on the last page
of this lesson)

Visitor guides from different attractions
Intended Learning
•
•
Students use mentor texts to help them organize their writing topics into
appropriate layout designs, including introduction, use of text features,
pictures with captions, and so forth.
Big Ideas
•
•
Mini-Lesson
Write in a variety of modes,
such as short personal narrative,
friendly letters, and brief
expository pieces (informational
or how-to paragraphs) for the
purpose of informing or explaining to a variety of audiences.
Include text features, such as
headings and subheadings,
captions, diagrams, pictures,
photographs, and white space.
Organize information in a clear,
easy-to-follow way.
Notes
Connection
Students organize their writing into a visitors guide format today. Remind
them how good writers use mentor texts as models to give their work a highquality sound and professional look.
Teaching
Display an overhead of a visitors guide and have student copies available.
Talk about organization, layout, and text features they notice. Ask them
to pay attention to white space, so the guide is easy to read and does not
feel crowded.
Show an alternate, but equally professional, visitors guide and have a similar
discussion. Depending on time and resources, you may want to show another
or just have others available for students to peruse for ideas.
Active Engagement
Students talk with their partners about which format would work best (or
they prefer) for their visitors guides. Have them explain why they prefer one
over another.
Link
Students decide on their layout design based on a mentor text today. They
will use this mentor text to organize their visitors guide into the appropriate
format and sections, including title placement, layout of the introduction
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Lesson Plan
Grade 3: Unit 2: Nonfiction Reading and Descriptive Writing
and topic sections, subheadings, and pictures with captions. Refer to the
pre-made “Visitors Guide Layout Design Features” chart to remind students
of these considerations (see sample on the last page of this lesson).
Independent and Small Group Time
•
•
Students work individually or with their partners on the layout of their
school visitors guides.
Confer individually with students about their writing or bring small groups of
students together who need more support or specific instruction.
Sharing/Closure
•
•
Students pair up at desks or tables to review their layout designs and
organization with their partners. Partners refer to the “Visitors Guide Layout
Design Features” chart to ensure they consider and include key features of
a visitors guide layout.
You may call students to gather to point out particular students’ techniques
or layouts that might help other students improve their designs.
Visitors Guide Layout Design Features
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Placement of Title
•
Placement of Introductory Paragraph
•
Placement of Topic Sections
•
Subheadings—Are they engaging and interesting?
•
Pictures or Photos—Do they include informative captions?
•
Do I have enough White Space?
Lesson 13: Visitors Guide Layout
30
Lesson Plan
Grade 3: Unit 2: Nonfiction Reading and Descriptive Writing
Lesson 14: Studying Stronger and Weaker Examples of Descriptive Writing
Materials
•
•
A strong example and a weak example of descriptive writing similar
to the ones students will write for their visitor guides
Notebook paper for drafting seed ideas
Standards
•
Intended Learning
•
Students use the class rubric to examine and discuss characteristics of
stronger and weaker descriptive writing so they can include attributes of
strong writing and avoid weaker attributes in their own descriptive pieces.
•
•
Write in a variety of modes,
such as short personal narrative,
friendly letters, and brief
expository pieces (informational
or how-to paragraphs) for the
purpose of informing or explaining to a variety of audiences.
Organize writing with a
beginning, middle and ending or
with main ideas and supporting
details.
Use appropriate words
to communicate clearly.
Big Idea
•
Mini-Lesson
Write focused paragraphs that
include descriptive, relevant,
and interesting details.
Notes
Connection
Using the rubric to score some stronger and weaker examples of descriptive
writing helps students use what they learned about good writing to write
drafts of their topics for visitor guides.
Teaching
Put a strong description of a person, place, or object on the overhead.
Use the class rubric to promote discussion with students as they identify
and justify their thinking, based on the rubric, about qualities of good
descriptive writing in the piece.
Give students plenty of opportunities to “Turn and Talk” with their partners
to ensure that all students are actively engaged in the process.
Next, show an example of a weaker descriptive piece and follow the same
procedure as students discuss the work, identifying and justifying their
thinking using attributes identified on the class rubric.

Compare and contrast an example of good writing with a weak
descriptive piece. Ask students to write characteristics of the good
descriptive writing.
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Lesson Plan
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Active Engagement
Students are actively involved during the entire process.
Link
Students write a draft of at least one of the seeds ideas they selected for
their visitors guides. Remind them to use the class rubric for support as they
write strong descriptive pieces for their visitor guides.
Tell students they will have a lesson to help them write the section requiring
an interview in a couple days, after all students complete their interviews.
Remind students they will spend the last few minutes of Writing Workshop
editing for one or more items on their self-editing checklists.
Independent and Small Group Time
•
•
Students begin to write a draft of one of their seed ideas.
Confer individually with students about their writing or bring small groups of
students together who need more support or specific instruction.
Sharing/Closure
•
Students share their descriptive pieces with their partners. Together they
use the class rubric to identify strengths of their pieces and areas they might
revise to improve the quality. Listen in and ask one or two students who
were reflective and insightful if they would share with the whole group what
they talked about with their partners.
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Lesson Plan
Grade 3: Unit 2: Nonfiction Reading and Descriptive Writing
Lesson 15: Studying Strong Student Examples of Descriptive Writing
Materials
•
•
Strong student example of descriptive writing for visitors guide
Notebook paper for drafting seed ideas
Standards
•
Intended Learning
•
Students use a strong student example from previous lessons, Independent
Time, and the class rubric to review characteristics of good descriptive
writing, so they can include those attributes in their own descriptive pieces.
•
•
Write in a variety of modes,
such as short personal narrative,
friendly letters, and brief
expository pieces (informational
or how-to paragraphs) for the
purpose of informing or explaining to a variety of audiences.
Organize writing with a
beginning, middle, and ending
or with main ideas and
supporting details.
Use appropriate words
to communicate clearly.
Big Idea
•
Mini-Lesson
Write focused paragraphs that
include descriptive, relevant,
and interesting details.
Notes
Connection
Students continue to use the class rubric and what they know about qualities
of good writing to write drafts of their topics for visitor guides.
Teaching
Before students review what they wrote previously and write additional
sections for their visitor guides, share a draft one of their classmates wrote.
Make sure the chosen sample exemplifies strong qualities of descriptive writing.
Using the rubric, point out to students each place where the student used
characteristics of strong descriptive writing.
Active Engagement
Put up another strong example of a student’s writing. Direct students to use
the class rubric and talk about the strengths they see in the writing.
Link
Students review work from the last lesson to see if they can use the rubric
to make it stronger and write additional sections for their visitors guides.
Students need to complete their interviews today, as the next mini-lesson
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Lesson Plan
Grade 3: Unit 2: Nonfiction Reading and Descriptive Writing
will help them write the section where they incorporate their interviews
into their visitors guides.
Remind students they will spend the last few minutes of Writing Workshop
editing for one or more items on their self-editing checklists.
Independent and Small Group Time
•
•
Students continue to work on their drafts.
Confer individually with students about their writing or bring small groups of
students together who need more support or specific instruction.
Sharing/Closure
•
Students share with their descriptive pieces with partners. Together they
use the class rubric to identify strengths of their pieces and areas they might
revise to improve quality. Listen in and ask one or two students who were
reflective and insightful if they would share with the whole group what they
talked about with their partners.
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Lesson 15: Studying Strong Student Examples of Descriptive Writing
34
Lesson Plan
Grade 3: Unit 2: Nonfiction Reading and Descriptive Writing
Lesson 16: Writing Informatively and Descriptively
Materials
•
•
•
Overhead of a mentor informative/descriptive section from a visitors guide
Overhead and student copies of your informative and descriptive piece for
a school visitors guide
Notebook paper for drafting seed ideas
Standards
•
Intended Learning
•
Students write an informative and descriptive piece for their visitors guides,
demonstrating their ability to combine description and information.
•
•
Write in a variety of modes,
such as short personal narrative,
friendly letters, and brief
expository pieces (informational
or how-to paragraphs) for the
purpose of informing or explaining to a variety of audiences.
Organize writing with
a beginning, middle, and ending
or with main ideas and
supporting details.
Use appropriate words
to communicate clearly.
Big Ideas
•
•
Mini-Lesson
Write focused paragraphs that
include descriptive, relevant,
and interesting details.
Organize information in a clear,
easy-to-follow way.
Notes
Connection
Remind students visitor guides are informative as well as descriptive.
They will use the information from their interviews to write a section
informing visitors about the background or history of a topic.
Teaching
Ask students to remember the interview you conducted earlier in Lesson 9.
Refer to your graphic organizer from that day to review background
information you gathered (e.g., “Mrs. Smith told us interesting information
about how we raised money to build the new playground at our school.”).
Show students how you wrote the piece to combine description and
information.
Explain how you first looked at a visitors guide section that incorporated
both description and information. Put a sample on the overhead and point
out to students how the writer captured our attention by providing a rich
description of the topic first, then moved into the background or history
to inform readers.
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Lesson 16: Writing Informatively and Descriptively
35
Lesson Plan
Grade 3: Unit 2: Nonfiction Reading and Descriptive Writing
Show students how you tried to do the same thing by beginning with some
sensory details and strong verbs to describe the topic, then added
background information.
Active Engagement
Ask students to use mentor texts (yours and the visitors guide example)
to review their graphic organizers with their partners to determine if they
have enough descriptive details and information to write the section
for their visitors guides. Listen in on conversations to give additional
feedback to support the process.

At this point, students need a draft of their visitors guides to identify
descriptive writing that needs more information. You might have
different examples from the class with students’ permission to share
good descriptive language.

Connect Reading Workshop information with writing information.
Be specific with examples from their reading about what is descriptive
and informative in the books.
Link
Students write the section for their visitors guides, combining both background information and description of the topic. Remind students to use
mentor texts to support their efforts.
Remind students they will spend the last few minutes of Writing Workshop
editing for one or more items on their self-editing checklists.
Independent and Small Group Time
•
•
Students write the section for their visitors guides, combining both
background information and description of the topic.
Confer individually with students about their writing or bring small groups of
students together who need more support or specific instruction.
Sharing/Closure
•
Students share their writing with partners. One or two students, who provide
strong models of the process, share with the whole group. You may type
exemplary student work for the class to use as additional mentor texts
to revise their own pieces.
Writing Workshop
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Lesson 16: Writing Informatively and Descriptively
36
Lesson Plan
Grade 3: Unit 2: Nonfiction Reading and Descriptive Writing
Lesson 17: Creating a Class Rubric for Descriptive Writing
Materials
•
•
Class-created attribute charts from this unit
Prepared three- or four-point blank rubric with no more than four (or five, if
including conventions) criteria rows (see example at the end of this lesson)

Provide specific examples for each point and consider different language
levels. Be clear about your learning desire for each student, according to
his or her language level (see sample at the end of this lesson).
Intended Learning
•
Standards
•
•
•
Students create a class rubric that reflects a clear understanding of
descriptive writing qualities to set clear targets for writing and revising
that meet high standards.
Write short paragraphs in
different genres (expository
pieces) for the purpose of
informing or explaining.
Organize writing with
a beginning, middle, and ending
or with main ideas and
supporting details.
Use appropriate words
to communicate clearly.
Big Idea
•
Mini-Lesson
Construct a class rubric that
provides a clear target, with
examples, for meeting standards
and big ideas of the unit.
Notes
Connection
Tell students the attribute charts we created helped us notice good
descriptive writing characteristics. Students develop a class rubric to help
see how well we use writing techniques we learned, and as a resource
to help revise our writing and make it better.
Teaching
Narrow the qualities of good descriptive writing to no more than four
categories for your rubric. Your attribute charts should help with this
process. Some ideas for categories might include:
o
o
Descriptive Writing…contains comparisons such as similes and
metaphors or sensory words
Descriptive Writing…contains strong verbs
You will add the categories below in Lesson 18.
o
o
Relevant Details
Text Features
Choose one category and have students determine what writing looks like at
the highest level (score point four or three). Use student language wherever
possible. Have students determine what writing looks like at the lowest level
(score point one). Other levels are easier to fill in after you’ve determined
Writing Workshop
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Lesson 17: Creating a Class Rubric for Descriptive Writing
37
Lesson Plan
Grade 3: Unit 2: Nonfiction Reading and Descriptive Writing
the highest and lowest measures.
Wherever possible, provide mentor texts and/or student samples as
examples to set the standard for the highest score point.
No categories should appear on the rubric unless mini-lessons or exemplars
from attribute charts were provided.
Active Engagement
Students are actively involved during the entire phase of the rubricconstruction process.
Link
Constructing a good rubric takes a lot of time, so there will not be enough
time for independent writing. Encourage students to think about how they
might improve their writing after creating the rubric.
Independent and Small Group Time
•
Developing the rubric takes up most of Independent and Small Group Time.
Sharing/Closure
•
Students “Turn and Tell” their partners how the rubric helps them think
about making their writing better. Listen in and ask one or two students
to share with the whole group based on insightful comments during the
“Turn and Talk.”
Criteria
3 Points
2 Points
1 Point
Descriptive Writing…
Descriptive Writing…
Descriptive Writing…

Provide specific examples for each point and consider different language
levels. Be clear about your learning desire for each student, according to
his or her language level.
Standards
•
•
Intended Learning
•
Students add the categories “Text Features” and “Relevant Details” to the
class rubric to set clear targets and high standards for writing and revising.
•
Write short paragraphs in
different genres (expository
pieces) for the purpose of
informing or explaining.
Organize writing with
a beginning, middle, and ending
or with main ideas and
supporting details.
Use appropriate words
to communicate clearly.
Big Ideas
•
•
Construct a class rubric that
provides a clear target, with
examples, for meeting standards
and big ideas of the unit.
Include text features, such as
headings and subheadings,
captions, diagrams, pictures,
photographs, and white space.
Mini-Lesson
Notes
Connection
Remind students how text features such as subheadings and captions add
interest and additional information to even short pieces of writing.
Gathering background information adds authority to a piece of writing and
is more interesting to readers. Because students have learned how
important text features and background information are to our visitors
guides, we need to add them as criteria to our rubric.
Teaching
Past lessons about text features, such as Lessons 11 and 16, guide you as
you list some strong and weak criteria. And Lesson 9 should guide criteria
for the “Relevant Details” category.
o
o
Text Features
Relevant Details
Choose one category and have students determine what writing looks like at
the highest level (score point four or three). Use student language wherever
possible. Have students determine what writing looks like at the lowest level
Writing Workshop
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Lesson 18: Adding to the Class Rubric for Descriptive Writing
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Lesson Plan
Grade 3: Unit 2: Nonfiction Reading and Descriptive Writing
(score point one). Other levels are easier to fill in after you’ve determined
the highest and lowest measures.
Wherever possible, provide mentor texts and/or student samples as
examples to set the standard for the highest score point.
No categories should appear on the rubric unless mini-lessons or exemplars
from attribute charts were provided.

If you have a large number of English language learners, divide students
according to language and writing skills.
Link
Constructing a good rubric takes a lot of time, so there will not be enough
time for independent writing. Encourage students to think about how they
might improve their writing after creating the rubric.
Independent and Small Group Time
•
Developing the rubric takes up most of Independent and Small Group Time.
Sharing/Closure
•
Students “Turn and Tell” their partners how the rubric helps them think
about making their writing better. Listen in and ask one or two students
to share with the whole group based on insightful comments during the
“Turn and Talk.”
Writing Workshop
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Lesson 18: Adding to the Class Rubric for Descriptive Writing
40
Lesson Plan
Grade 3: Unit 2: Nonfiction Reading and Descriptive Writing
Criteria
3 Points
2 Points
1 Point
Descriptive Writing…
Descriptive Writing…
Descriptive Writing…
Text Features
Relevant Details

Chart including examples for English language learners
Criteria
3 Points
2 Points
1 Point
Descriptive Writing…
Example
Example
Example
Descriptive Writing…
Example
Example
Example
Descriptive Writing…
Example
Example
Example
Text Features
Relevant Details
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Lesson 18: Adding to the Class Rubric for Descriptive Writing
41
Lesson Plan
Grade 3: Unit 2: Nonfiction Reading and Descriptive Writing
Lesson 19: Using Supporting Details and Examples
Materials
•
•
Copies of the sample sentences from Nonfiction Craft Lessons: Teaching
Information Writing K-8 by JoAnn Portalupi and Ralph Fletcher, “Using
Supporting Details and Examples,” page 62
Lifetimes by David Rice or another nonfiction book
Intended Learning
•
Students add details and examples to their writing to support their claims
and develop their writing.
Standards
•
•
•
Write short paragraphs in
different genres (expository
pieces) for the purpose of
informing or explaining.
Organize writing with main ideas
and supporting details.
Use appropriate words
to communicate clearly.
Big Ideas
•
•
Mini-Lesson
Write focused paragraphs that
include descriptive, relevant,
and interesting details.
Organize information in a clear,
easy-to-follow way.
Notes
Connection
Use some ideas from the lesson, “Using Supporting Details and Examples,”
page 62, in Nonfiction Craft Lessons. The “Discussion” section, “Students
often make unsupported claims…” will help students understand why this
lesson is important.
Teaching
Use the paragraph provided about World War II for the first half of the lesson.
For the second sample, you may make up examples similar to what your
students are writing instead of using “Animal Dads.” Remind students that
many of them wrote about people, places, or objects and said they were
beautiful, but did not provide examples or details describing their beauty.
Or they said people were nice, but again did not give adequate examples or
details to prove they were nice.
Explain the importance of supporting their claims in any writing they do now
and the rest of their lives. Today they practice adding details and examples
to descriptive pieces they have already written to develop them more.
Quickly model the revision process of adding details, examples, or facts,
using one of your own descriptive entries.
Writing Workshop
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Lesson 19: Using Supporting Details and Examples
42
Lesson Plan

Grade 3: Unit 2: Nonfiction Reading and Descriptive Writing
Connect with Reading Workshop Lesson 17 about supporting details. Bring
the book, Flashy Fantastic Rain Forest Frogs by Dorothy Hinshaw Patent,
to the mini-lesson. Remind students how supporting details work. Ask
them to add supporting details to their drafts of their visitors guides.
Active Engagement
Ask students to take a few minutes to look at the descriptive pieces in their
notebooks they wrote earlier about places, objects, or people. Have
students locate and circle a couple of places where they made statements or
claims, but did not provide (or did not provide enough) details or examples
to develop their ideas well.

At this point, have students add supporting details to their drafts of
their visitors guides.
Link
Tell students to choose one statement they circled and share the place
they chose to start revising with their partners.
When they finish the first revision, they revise a second statement they
circled and so forth.
If students use sticky notes or the opposite side of their notebook pages
to develop their ideas, it is easy for everyone to see how they revised
to make their writing better.
Remind students they will spend the last few minutes of Writing Workshop
editing for one or more items on their self-editing checklists.
Independent and Small Group Time
•
•
Students revise their visitors guides.
Confer individually with students about their writing or bring small groups of
students together who need more support or specific instruction.
Sharing/Closure
•
Partners share places where they developed their ideas by adding details or
examples. You may copy some exemplar student work for the class to use
as additional mentor texts when developing their ideas.
Writing Workshop
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Lesson 19: Using Supporting Details and Examples
43
Lesson Plan
Grade 3: Unit 2: Nonfiction Reading and Descriptive Writing
Lesson 20: Revising Using the Class Rubric
Materials
•
•
•
Class rubric chart and individual student copies of the rubric created in
Lessons 17–18
Overhead copies of your own descriptive pieces
Blank overhead to jot revision needs
Standards
•
•
Intended Learning
•
Big Idea
Students use the class rubric to improve their writing.
•
Mini-Lesson
Organize writing with
a beginning, middle, and ending
or with main ideas and
supporting details.
Use appropriate words
to communicate clearly.
Write focused paragraphs that
include descriptive, relevant,
and interesting details.
Notes
Connection
Tell students even though they have written drafts of descriptive pieces
for their visitor guides, they still need revise to make them the best they
can be. Students tried crafts and techniques of real writers and published
visitor guides. The class rubric will help them ensure their writing reflects
the highest score possible.
Teaching
Use the overhead of one of your own descriptive pieces. Think aloud as you
go through each category on the rubric, pointing out how the rubric shows
you exactly how to make parts of your writing better. Make sure your piece
has room for improvement in at least one or two categories. Make those
changes in the margin of your piece or on the blank overhead.

If you have a large number of English language learners, divide them
according to language and writing skills. Work in small groups to address
different students’ needs. When English language learners need to
correct or edit written papers, they do it according to language levels.
Therefore, this task is hard to do just by listening to you. They need you
to work with them in small groups to see what is expected.
Active Engagement
Ask students to look at one of their descriptive pieces and direct them to
one category on the rubric. You probably already have a sense of which
category would be best to examine with your class. Students talk to their
partners about how they would score themselves and why, and what they
will do to improve their writing in this category.
Writing Workshop
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Lesson 20: Revising Using the Class Rubric
44
Lesson Plan
Grade 3: Unit 2: Nonfiction Reading and Descriptive Writing
Link
Students go through at least two more categories on the rubric to selfevaluate their drafts, then make revisions so their pieces move to the next
score point on the rubric.
Remind students they will spend the last few minutes of Writing Workshop
editing for one or more items on their self-editing checklists.
Independent and Small Group Time
•
•
Students revise their drafts using suggestions from the rubric.
Confer individually with students about their writing or bring small groups of
students together who need more support or specific instruction.
Sharing/Closure
•
Students share how they used the rubric to improve the quality of their
descriptive pieces. Two or three students who can provide a good model
share with the whole group.
Writing Workshop
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Lesson 20: Revising Using the Class Rubric
45
Lesson Plan
Grade 3: Unit 2: Nonfiction Reading and Descriptive Writing
Lesson 21: Editing the Final Draft for Publishing
Materials
•
Overhead of your own descriptive writing
Intended Learning
•
Students complete final edit of their descriptive writing and begin writing
final drafts.
Standards
•
•
•
•
Write in complete sentences.
Use capitalization at beginning
of sentences, for proper nouns,
and for the pronoun “I.”
Use correct punctuation to end
sentences (period, question
mark, exclamation mark).
Use correct spelling of ageappropriate high-frequency
words, regular plurals, and
phonetic spelling for difficult
words.
Big Ideas
•
•
Mini-Lesson
Write focused paragraphs that
include supporting details.
Include text features, such as
labels, bold print headings,
pictures, white spaces, and
page breaks.
Notes
Connection
Every day, students have reread their writing and used classroom tools, such as
personal word walls, to make sure they spelled high-frequency words correctly.
They also used strategies to make sure they used correct punctuation and
capitalization. Tell them these daily checks are habits of good writers.
Teaching
Put your own descriptive writing on the overhead to model checking for
spelling, punctuation, and capitalization. Model making any necessary
changes by noticing a skipped period when your voice paused or checking
a suspicious-looking high-frequency word using a personal word wall.

It is difficult for English language learners to edit their papers due to
their English language levels. Collect different mistakes you have seen
in students’ writing and list them on a chart. In your mini-lesson,
address the need to look at this list. Be specific which mistakes are nonnegotiable. Language structures are also very difficult; therefore, meet
with ELLs in small groups or individually to address these issues.
Writing Workshop
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Lesson 21: Editing the Final Draft for Publishing
46
Lesson Plan
Grade 3: Unit 2: Nonfiction Reading and Descriptive Writing
Active Engagement
Have students edit one of their short descriptive pieces with partners.
Check with partners to monitor the process and give extra support.
Link
Students use the rest of Writing Workshop to edit their final two descriptive
pieces. Explain that they are to be nearly perfect by the end of the period.
Remind students that all authors use a final proofreader and for their
papers, this reader will be you, the teacher. If they have clearly done their
very best to edit their drafts, explain how you will make any small changes
they may miss in the process.
Independent and Small Group Time
•
•
Students edit their writing individually or with their partners.
Confer individually with students about their writing or bring small groups of
students together who need more support or specific instruction.

Language mistakes are usually similar and according to students’ English
language proficiencies. You may group them according to those
mistakes to meet all your students’ needs.
Sharing/Closure
•
Students share their edited descriptive pieces with partners to show how
they used strategies and tools to identify and correct their work. Have one
or two students who can model the process share with the whole class.
Writing Workshop
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Lesson 21: Editing the Final Draft for Publishing
47
Lesson Plan
Grade 3: Unit 2: Nonfiction Reading and Descriptive Writing
Lesson 22: Celebrating and Reflecting on Learning
Materials
•
•
•
Published visitor guides
The No Nonsense Guide to Writing by Judy Davis and Sharon Hill, pages 93–95
“Descriptive Writing Assessment” reflection template (see sample at the end
of this lesson)
Standard
•
•
•
Intended Learning
•
Students celebrate their published work and reflect on their learning from
this unit.
•
* A form of celebrating that is generally least effective and enjoyable is for
every student to have to sit through a presentation on every other student’s
published work.
Write in complete sentences.
Use capitalization at beginning
of sentences, for proper nouns,
and for the pronoun “I.”
Use correct punctuation to end
sentences (period, question
mark, exclamation mark).
Use correct spelling of ageappropriate high-frequency
words, regular plurals, and
phonetic spelling for difficult
words.
Big Ideas
•
•
•
Mini-Lesson
Write focused paragraphs that
include supporting details.
Organize information in a clear,
easy-to-follow way.
Include text features, such as
labels, bold print headings,
pictures, white spaces, and
page breaks.
Notes
Connection
Remind students of procedures and expectations for your chosen form of
celebrating published visitor guides. Find excellent ideas for celebrating in
The No-Nonsense Guide to Teaching Writing, pages 93–95. Your school office
may also display visitor guides, so they serve the purpose for which they
were written.
Teaching
Model for the class how they will share or respond to their peer’s work.
Active Engagement
Students share and/or respond to published visitor guides.
Link
At the end of the celebration, reflect on all the important things we learned
Writing Workshop
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Lesson 22: Celebrating and Reflecting on Learning
48
Lesson Plan
Grade 3: Unit 2: Nonfiction Reading and Descriptive Writing
about writing to describe and inform. Remind students they used the craft
and techniques of good writers to publish visitor guides, but they need to
apply this learning to their writing many times throughout the year and for
the rest of their lives.

Hand students a copy of the “Descriptive Writing Assessment” reflection
template and read the questions aloud. Allow students adequate time
to write their reflections.
For English language learners whose
English language is limited, you may
want to have a checklist (see
example at the end of this lesson).
Independent and Small Group Time
•
Students spend Independent and Small Group Time sharing their visitor guides.
Set aside some time for students to write their reflections of the unit.

Invite parents and ask students to talk about their visitors guides at
home, which helps parents who are not English-proficient understand.
Sharing/Closure
•
Students share reflections on what they learned about descriptive and
informative writing during the unit of study. Ask two or three students to
share with the whole group. You may wish to display these reflections (and
class rubric) with the students’ published work.
Descriptive Writing Assessment
Thinking about my visitors guide, I can say it shows these
elements of good descriptive writing.
It ___________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________ .
It also _______________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________ .
The descriptive writing mentor text or visitors guide that
helped me most was ___________________________________
____________________________________________________ .
It helped me in the following ways _______________________
_____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________ .

“Descriptive Writing Assessment” reflection checklist template for English language learners
Descriptive Writing Assessment
Thinking about my visitors guide, I can say it shows these
elements of good descriptive writing.
Writing Workshop
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Simile

Sensory Details

Strong Verbs

Lesson 22: Celebrating and Reflecting on Learning
49

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Lesson 1: Learning to Identify Descriptive Writing

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