Essay - A writing assignment best done from home – DESCRIBE

 

by Peter Huidekoper, Jr.

Students home from school every other day, or all the time. Beautiful October weather calling them outside. Here is a writing task ideal for this time of year – and terrific for social distancing.

Here is what we asked middle school students to do, while on an overnight science camp—up in Deckers, Colorado. For many students, now unable to make such trips, a similar assignment might work well from home. Students in urban areas might need to walk to a park and sit down near some vegetation. It does not demand a huge space. To encourage students to focus on what they could see, hear, touch, etc., we asked them to stick to a 10’ by 10’ plot of land. Time will vary. We accomplished much of this in one hour.

Descriptive writing- observation – use of five senses

Our state standards ask middle and high school students to “craft arguments,” “craft narratives,” and “craft informational/explanatory texts using techniques specific to the genre.” (More from the standards, page 2.)

One element critical for many narratives and informational essays is the ability to describe.

Today’s assignment asks you to produce a paragraph or more describing a place. Use the five senses—as much as possible—in order to help your reader see, feel, hear, smell, and perhaps even taste what you observe in your “spot.” We will go outside and ask you to describe what you see, feel, hear, etc. in a limited amount of space—10 feet by 10 feet.

 Remember, the five senses you should try to include in your descriptive writing about a place:

• the sense of sight (what you see)-words like silvery, spotted, round, twisted
• the sense of touch (what you feel)-words like fuzzy, slippery, damp, slimy
• the sense of sound (what you hear)–words like whisper, rustle, twitter, scrape
• the sense of smell                               -words like rotten, fresh, mildewed, sweet
• the sense of taste                                                 -words like salty, fresh, bland, sour

 Your task is to find a nearby plot of land of roughly 10 feet by 10 feet. 

Then follow these two steps:

1.       Look, observe, and make a list (ON PAPER) of details of what you see, hear, smell, etc.  Try to capture some aspect of all five senses in your list.

2.       Then write a well-developed paragraph (or more) that reflects all you see, hear, smell, etc., inside that 10 by 10 space. [Organizational hints: high to low, left to right, or by each sense.]

 [This part of the assignment would need to be adapted for those taking all their classes remotely. Sharing and commenting and revising can be done, even online.]

Once you have a draft written we will come back to the larger group. If we have time, you will share what you have written with two or three others, who will provide suggestions on how your description could be even stronger. Then you will revise your first draft and produce a stronger second draft. The goal is to have everyone produce a good final draft by the end of the session. We also hope that several will read their description to the whole group, or that everyone will read the sentence or two from their final draft of which they are most proud. 

 **

 Excerpts from the Colorado Academic Standards

Standards in Reading, Writing, and Communicating

   “The Colorado Academic Standards in reading, writing, and communicating are the topical organization of the concepts and skills every Colorado student should know and be able to do throughout their preschool through twelfth-grade experience.”

Among the four standards of reading, writing, and communicating, #3 is Writing and Composition.

   “Writing is a fundamental component of literacy. Writing is a means of critical inquiry; it promotes problem solving and mastering new concepts. Adept writers can work through various ideas while producing informational, persuasive, and narrative or literary texts… As students arrange ideas to persuade, describe, and inform, they engage in logical critique, and they are likely to gain new insights and a deeper understanding of concepts and content.”

From the Writing and Composition section – Grades 6-8

8. Craft narratives using techniques specific to the genre. (Bold mine)

Grade Level Expectation:

3. Write engaging real or imagined narratives using techniques such as sensory language, dialogue, description and sequencing to convey experiences and events.

ii. Use narrative techniques, such as dialogue, pacing, and description, to develop experiences, events, and/or characters. (CCSS*: W.6.3b)

iv. Use precise words and phrases, relevant descriptive details, and sensory language to convey experiences and events. (CCSS: W.6.3d)

Essential Question  -  How is word selection important to a piece of writing?

9. Demonstrate mastery of their own writing process with clear, coherent, and error-free polished products.

Grade Level Expectation:

5.   Plan, draft, edit, and revise as needed to craft clear and coherent writing that demonstrates a grasp of standard conventions for grammar, usage, and mechanics as well as a style appropriate for purpose and audience.

c. Uses knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or listening. (CCSS: L.6.3)

i. Vary sentence patterns for meaning, reader/listener interest, and style. (CCSS:L.6.3a)

ii. Maintain consistency in style and tone. (CCSS: L.6.3b)

d. Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. (CCSS: W.6.4)

g. Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences. (CCSS W.6.10)

*CCSS - Common Core State Standards       

                              http://www.cde.state.co.us/coreadingwriting/2020cas-rw-6-8