Exploring Seasons

Using Interactive Discussion to Support Descriptive Writing

Stage of Literacy Development:

Stage 1: Beginning Literacy
Stage 2: Consolidation / Fluency

Ages:

5-7

Grade Range:

K 1st 2nd

Food Groups:

Primary:
Oral Language & ELL, Writing Processes & Strategies

Secondary:
Text Structures & Genres

Activity Description

Preparation:

Select a poster that illustrates the current season
Gather chart paper and markers for modeling how to write a descriptive paragraph
Photocopy Writing Paper worksheet
1. Each student will need 1 copy

Implementation:

     1.   Discuss the current season by having students describe their favorite activities
     2.   Invite students to view the poster illustrating the current season
     3.   Use the Visual Thinking Strategies questions to support critical thinking
                a.   Ask “What do you see?”
                      •   Encourage students to point out specific details from the illustration
                b.   Encourage students to support their ideas by asking “What makes you say that?”
                c.   Move the discussion along by saying “What more can you find?”
     4.   Brainstorm and record a title for the poster
     5.   Explain to the students that they will illustrate a picture and write a description of the current season
     6.   Model how to write a descriptive paragraph
            a. Have students share ideas to include in your description
     7.   Have students complete their own illustration and descriptive paragraph
     8.   Invite students to share their work during an “author’s chair”

Adaptations For

English Language Learners/ESL:

- Prior to the whole class discussion provide sentence starters to students and allow time to practice speaking aloud
- Allow the student to describe his/her picture orally

LD/Reading & Writing Difficulties:

- Provide an individual copy of sentence starters when writing the paragraph
- Allow paragraph to be written using a typing program or speech-to-text software program
- Scribe written paragraph for student so that the student's ideas are the focus

Cultural Appropriateness & Diversity:

- Select a poster that is culturally inclusive

Differentiated Instruction:

- Encourage varied responses during discussion of poster
- Provide a variety of sentence starters as examples from which students can choose

Related References

Source: 
Visual Thinking Strategies: http://www.vtshome.org/

Evidence:
Danko-McGhee, K. (2007). Floating experiences: Empowering early childhood educators to encourage critical thinking in young children through the visual arts. Art Education, 60, 13-16.

Activity Objective

The goal of Exploring Seasons: Using Interactive Discussion to Support Descriptive Writing is to use the Visual Thinking Strategies method developed by Abigail Housen and Philip Yenawine to build students' inquiry skills and their ability to make inferences orally and in writing.

What You Need

Prep Time:

10-15 minutes
- Select a poster illustrating a season
- Gather chart paper and markers
- Photocopy Writing Paper worksheet (1 per student)

Task Time:

40-60 minutes
- Students discuss current season
Teacher presents poster and helps students think critically about it by asking "What do you see? What makes you say that?"
- Teacher models how to write a descriptive paragraph
- Students complete descriptive paragraph independently

Materials Required:

Teacher:
- Poster illustrating a season
- Chart paper
- Markers

Students:
- Writing Paper worksheet
- Pencils
- Coloring materials

What You Do

Teacher Role:

Facilitator:
- while students discuss season and illustration

Modeling:
- while showing students how to write a descriptive paragraph

Consultant:
- while students complete descriptive paragraphs independently

Student Grouping:

Whole class:
- during discussions and teacher modeling of how to complete a descriptive paragraph

Individual:
- when students write their descriptive paragraphs

Assessment Ideas:

- Use a checklist during the whole class discussion as a way to track participation and speaking and listening skills

- Create a requirements and criteria chart for descriptive writing and use this to assess students' writing

Quick Tips

Activity Extensions:

- Create a Seasonal Center and include a variety of pictures, books and writing materials

- In small groups have students view a given poster illustrating a season, discuss the illustration following the same format as above and present their findings to the class

- Display and discuss a "Poster of the Day" using the Visual Thinking Strategies method

Additional Comments:

- The Visual Thinking Strategies method should promote participation and encourage students to take risks. Facilitate the discussion by continuously referring to the open-ended questions "What do you see?" and "What makes you say that?" rather than leading the students to a correct response.

- Encourage students to think outside of the box. Creativity should be promoted when they are illustrating their pictures.

- Guide students during their written work by encouraging them to always go back to their picture to look for evidence and details to support their thinking.

Other Adaptations/Modifications:

- Provide individual copies of the illustration to all students to use as a guide while they work independently

Other Recipes by this Teacher

Making Teddy Bears: Motivating Descriptive Writing
K - 2nd

Look Closely!: Describing Similarities and Differences Between Objects
PreK - 1st