Scott Foresman Reading Street

Genre Description
Writer's Craft Style
Writing Trait Word Choice

Identify the
characteristics of a
description.
Write a description of a
setting using an
engaging style.
Focus on word choice.
Use a rubric.

Word Choice Work with students to use vivid words that appeal to readers' senses. A bilingual dictionary, picture dictionary, or thesaurus, as well as other home-language speakers, may help provide words that create pictures for readers.

FOCUS/IDEAs The description

focuses on a specific time and place.

ORGANIZATION/PARAGRAPHS

The details have a logical time order and spatial order.

VOICE The writer is a close

observer with an individual voice.

WORD CHOICE The writer uses

vivid words to create sensory details about the place.

SENTENCES A variety of

sentence lengths and kinds
are used.

CONVENTIONS Grammar and

mechanics are excellent, including use of correct subject pronouns.

Model the Trait

Improve Writing

Prewrite and Draft

Draft and Revise

Connect to Unit Writing

READING-WRITING CONNECTION

Hottest, Coldest, Highest, Deepest is expository nonfiction.
The writer uses vivid words to create sensory details and to describe his personal observations of the unusual settings in Hottest, Coldest, Highest, Deepest.
Students will describe a setting they have seen using vivid words to create sensory details.

MODEL WORD CHOICE Discuss Writing Transparency 17A. Then discuss the model and the writing trait of describing a setting.

I see that the writer has described the setting in a story called Saturday Morning in Eastwood. The writer uses vivid verbs and sensory details such as sights, sounds, and smells of the setting. The place of the setting is described in the topic sentence.

Writing Transparency 17A

with | without Answers

WRITER'S CRAFT

Style

Display Writing Transparency 17B. Read the directions and work together to identify style.

STYLE Tomorrow we
will write a description of a place. What style will I use? I can use many facts to describe the setting: The mountain was six thousand feet high. It took seven minutes to reach the peak by cable car. I can use sensory words such as majestic and grand. I can vary the lengths of my sentences, making some very short and others much longer. These can all be elements of my writing style.

GUIDED WRITING Some students may need more help recognizing style. Point out two or three selections with different styles and discuss features such as word choice and details that distinguish the styles.

Writing Transparency 17B

with | without Answers

READ THE WRITING PROMPT

on page 55 in the Student Edition.

Hottest, Coldest, Highest, Deepest describes unusual places around the world.

Think about an interesting or unusual place you know.

Now write a description on that place using vivid words.

Writing Test Tips

Make a list of words and phrases that describe the sights, sounds, and smells of the place.
Recall and describe unique facts about the place.
Describe the details in a logical spatial order, such as right to left or top to bottom.

GETTING STARTED Students can do any of the following:

Create a concept map with Unusual Places in the center.
Visualize the sights, sounds, and feelings of an interesting place.
Work in a group to create a list of different settings such as fun places, quiet places, beautiful places, and strange places.

EDITING/REVISING
CHECKLIST

Does the description have facts and sensory details about an interesting setting?
Does the description have a recognizable style?
Are subject and object pronouns used correctly?
Are words that include vowels with r spelled correctly?

See The Grammar and Writing Book, pp. 150–155.

Revising Tips

Word Choice

Use vivid action verbs as well as linking verbs such as looks and feels.
Support word choice by listing words and phrases that describe the sights, sounds, and smells of the place.
Choose words that express your unique style and personality.

PUBLISHING Students can illustrate their descriptions and display them on a bulletin board. Some students may wish to revise their work later.

ASSESSMENT Use the scoring rubric to evaluate students' work.

Week 1

Poem 35g–35h

Week 2

Describe a Setting
59g–59h

Week 3

Memoir 85g–85h

Week 4

Describe a Goal
111g–111h

Week 5

Writing for Tests
137g–137h

Story

PREVIEW THE UNIT PROMPT

Tell a story about a character who
is one of a kind. Focus on an
event that shows how this person
is unique. Your story may be real
or imagined, humorous or
serious.

APPLY

A story has a beginning,
middle, and end and focuses
on one incident or event.
A story usually includes a
vividly described setting.

Writing Workshop Describe a Setting

Word Choice