DESCRIBING THINGS
CLEARLY
Teacher Guidelines ▶ pages 1 – 2
1
Instructional Pages ▶ pages 3 – 4
Activity Page ▶ page 5
Practice Page ▶ page 6
GRADE Homework Page
Answer Key
▶
▶
page 7
pages 8 – 9
Classroom Procedure: Approximate Grade Level: 1
1. Introduce the lesson by asking students to close their eyes Objectives: Students will describe what they
have experienced, observed, or heard into
and imagine a cat in their neighborhood. Allow students describing words with specificity appropriate
a few moments to think. After a short time ask students to the age and learning level of the student.
to describe what came into their mind when they thought
about a cat. State Educational Standards*
LB.ELA.LITERACY.SL.1.4
2. Write some of the examples on the board. Explain to LB.ELA.LITERACY.RF.1.1
students without words to describe something specifically LB.ELA.LITERACY.L.1.1
everyone will have a different picture from the word cat. Class Sessions (45 minutes):
That is why descriptive words are essential. They help us At least 2 class sessions.
to distinguish between items and give meaning to words. Teaching Materials/Worksheets:
3. Repeat Step 1 choosing a dog. After checking for student Letters, Words, Picture content pages,
Activity pages, Practice page, Homework
understanding, move to the next procedure. page
4. Distribute Letters Words Pictures content pages. Read and Student Supplies:
review the information with the students. Use the additional Handouts, crayons, markers, or pencils
resources to enhance understanding. If a projector is
Prepare Ahead of Time:
available, project the page on the board. Ask students to Copy handouts.
read their descriptions aloud to the class.
Options for Lesson: Students may work
5. Distribute the Activity page. Read and review the instructions. alone or in groups for the activity. A warm-up
The Activity may require two sessions. When students for the lesson is to point to different objects in
complete a section, have some of the students read aloud the classroom and ask students to describe
the colors, shapes, number, and size of
to the class their description. Reinforce descriptive words
the classroom items. Write the list on the
by pointing out to the class the adjectives used by the board emphasizing the descriptive words for
student reading. students. Use the words as an anchor chart
for later lessons.
6. Distribute the Practice page. Read the story to the class.
Ask students to explain the story to the class. Have students *Lessons are aligned to meet the education objectives and goals of
complete The Chase. Review this section before moving most states. For more information on your state objectives, contact
your local Board of Education or Department of Education in your state.
to the Adjective List. Check and review the students’
responses.
7. Distribute the Homework page. The next day, check and
review the students’ responses.
8. In closing, ask students: How do adjectives help explain a
story and make it more enjoyable? What is the difference
between an adjective and a noun?
1
Teacher Notes
The lesson introduces students to descriptive words – adjectives, and nouns. Students are still in the process
of developing word recognition skills and are in the earliest stage of reading comprehension. The lesson
utilizes familiar sight words in short descriptive sentences so that students will have little difficulty in word
recognition and comprehension. The lesson begins with a common instructional practice of relating words
to pictures with the underlying concept that letters placed in order (spelled correctly) forms pictures in a
person’s mind. The lesson progresses through different activities where students will write short descriptive
sentences and differentiate adjectives from nouns.
2
Letters Words Pictures
Look at the picture. What is the picture?
It is a ________. The letters are in order. They spell the picture. Circle the word that spells the picture
( tac cta cat ). Words form pictures in our minds. That is why the letters have to be in
order. Does tac or cta spell cat? ________. What color is the picture? _________. It is a
________ ________. The word that describes the picture is called an adjective. An adjective is a word that
describes something. Adjectives make the pictures clearer. Colors are adjectives. What word describes the
cat? ___________. It is an adjective. Letters make words and words make pictures in our mind.
Look at this shape. What is this shape? It is an ____________________. Color the shape
your favorite flavor. What flavor is the shape? ___________________. Flavor describes
the ice cream cone. The flavor is an adjective. So are colors. Without describing words,
we would not know the flavor or the color of the ice cream. We use adjectives to describe
people, places, things, feelings, and events. It is hard to compare things if we don’t use
adjectives. The next shape is a ball. What kind of ball is it?
Describe the ball.
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
Look at the faces. Describe the faces. What are they feeling? They feel….
_________________ _____________________ _____________________
Feelings are adjectives. They describe what people think. Adjectives describe people, places, and things.
They are words describing something. Can you think of some adjectives? Write them in the box.
3
Letters Words Pictures Answers
Look at the picture. What is the picture?
It is a __cat___. The letters are in order. They spell the picture. Circle the word that spells
the picture ( tac cta cat ). Words form pictures in our minds. That is why the letters have
to be in order. Does tac or cta spell cat? No . What color is the picture? black . It is a black
cat . The word that describes the picture is called an adjective. An adjective is a word that
describes something. Adjectives make the pictures clearer. Colors are adjectives. What word describes the
cat? black . It is an adjective. Letters make words and words make pictures in our mind.
Look at this shape. What is this shape? It is an ice cream cone . Color the shape your favorite
flavor. What flavor is the shape? Answers will vary. Flavor describes the ice cream cone.
The flavor is an adjective. So are colors. Without describing words, we would not know the
flavor or the color of the ice cream. We use adjectives to describe people, places, things,
feelings, and events. It is hard to compare things if we don’t use adjectives. The next shape
is a ball. What kind of ball is it?
Describe the ball. It is a red, green, blue, white beach ball.
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
Look at the faces. Describe the faces. What are they feeling? They feel….
______mad_______ ________happy_____ ______sad_______
Feelings are adjectives. They describe what people think. Adjectives describe people, places, and things.
They are words describing something. Can you think of some adjectives? Write them in the box.
Answers will vary (Colors, shapes, emotions, size, etc.)
4
Activity Name __________________________ Date _________
Instructions: Look at the picture. Describe what they are doing. Use adjectives.
Instructions: Look at the picture. Describe the picture. Use adjectives.
5
Practice Name __________________________ Date _________
Treasure Hunt
Would you like to hunt for treasure? Pretend adjectives are a treasure. How do you
find the treasure? By finding clues. You learned that adjectives describe something.
What do they describe? They describe persons, places, or things. That is your clue!
Persons, places, or things are called nouns. Adjectives describe nouns. In the example
sentence, the nouns are in bold print. The adjectives are underlined. Example: The
yellow sun rose in the blue sky. Find the noun, and the adjective is usually nearby.
Instructions: Copy the adjectives from the scroll in the space under the treasure box. Circle the nouns
in the Word List.
Word List
Curly Building Hard
Boy Tall Soft
Cold Short Winter
Girl Mom Stormy
Orange Dad Thunder
Blue Sister Star
Car Angry Moon
Boat Sad Heavy
Frog Toad Turtle
Warm Tree Tough
Hot Today Fuzzy
Dog Bird Old
Cat Blue Cow
6
Homework Name __________________________ Date _________
Instructions: Read the story. Underline the adjectives in the story.
The Chase
Bill and Mary had dogs. Bill’s dog was brown with white spots. Mary’s dog was
white with brown spots. Bill and Mary walked the dogs at the same time. One
sunny morning the dogs saw two cats. One cat was
brown with white spots. The other cat was white with
brown spots. When the dogs saw the cats, they began
to chase them. The dogs and the cats ran around an
old oak tree. Finally, the dogs and the cats stopped
running around the old oak tree. It was a warm day. All
the animals were tired from the chase! Bill and Mary walked the dogs back home.
The tired cats took a nap in the cool shade under the old oak tree.
Adjective List
cross angry fastest pretty field tired purple
green bench jolly curly walk hollow mailman
Instructions: Complete the sentences. Use the adjectives in the list.
1. All the girls liked Mary’s hair. Mary has long __________ hair.
2. It is spring. The oak tree is covered with __________ leaves.
3. The cat played all day. The cat was __________ and took a nap.
4. All the girls thought Leana dressed nice. Leana liked to wear __________ colorful dresses to school.
5. Jay beat all the boys in a race. Jay was the __________ runner in first grade.
BONUS: What do you think was the color of the cat Bill’s dog chased? Why do you think that?
7
Practice Answer Key
Name __________________________ Date _________
Treasure Hunt
Would you like to hunt for treasure? Pretend adjectives are a treasure. How do you find the treasure? By
finding clues. You learned that adjectives describe something. What do they describe? They describe persons,
places, or things. That is your clue! Persons, places, or things are called nouns. Adjectives describe nouns.
In the example sentence, the nouns are in bold print. The adjectives are underlined. Example: The yellow
sun rose in the blue sky. Find the noun, and the adjective is usually nearby.
Instructions: Copy the adjectives from the scroll in the space under the treasure box.
Circle the nouns in the Word List.
Curly Building Hard
Boy Tall Soft
Cold Short Winter
Girl Mom Stormy
Orange Dad Thunder
Blue Sister Star
Car Angry Moon
Boat Sad Heavy
Frog Toad Turtle
Warm Tree Tough
Hot Today Fuzzy
Dog Bird Old
Cat Bad Cow
8
Homework Answer Key
Name __________________________ Date _________
Instructions: Read the story. Underline the adjectives in the story.
The Chase
Bill and Mary had dogs. Bill’s dog was brown with white spots. Mary’s dog was white with brown spots. Bill
and Mary walked the dogs at the same time. One sunny morning the dogs saw two cats. One cat was brown
with white spots. The other cat was white with brown spots. When the dogs saw the cats, they began to
chase them. The dogs and the cats ran around an old oak tree. Finally, the dogs and the cats stopped running
around the old oak tree. It was a warm day. All the animals were tired from the chase! Bill and Mary walked
the dogs back home. The tired cats took a nap in the cool shade under the old oak tree.
Instructions: Complete the sentences. Use the adjectives in the list.
1. All the girls liked Mary’s hair. Mary has long __curly__ hair.
2. It is spring. The oak tree is covered with ___green___ leaves.
3. The cat played all day. The cat was __ tired___ and took a nap.
4. All the girls thought Leana dressed nice. Leana liked to wear ___pretty _ colorful dresses to school.
5. Jay beat all the boys in a race. Jay was the ___fastest___runner in first grade.
BONUS: What do you think was the color of the cat Bill’s dog chased? Why do you think that?
