Halloween House - Descriptive Writing

Descriptive Writing Assignment

Preparing to Write:

1. Brainstorm a list of vocabulary words for objects/things (nouns) that you see in the picture.

2. Beside each object add some describing words (adjectives) that go with each object.

3. Use a mind web to sort the objects into

• SUBJECT - What the picture is focusing on?
• FOREGROUND - What's in front of the subject?
• BACKGROUND - What's behind the subject?

Writing:

1. Using the mind web and vocabulary list for ideas and details, write a descriptive passage about the Halloween House.

Success Criteria:

• I have skipped lines (double spaced) for my writing.
• I have an introduction to the subject (1 sentence) in my first paragraph
• I have one paragraph describing the foreground.
• I have one paragraph describing the background.
• I have one paragraph describing the subject.
• I have one closing sentence in the last paragraph.

Descriptive Writing - Haida Village

We used this photo of Haida longhouses to inspire our descriptive writing. The Haida Nation are aboriginal people that are from the Western Coastal region. Here is the class brainstorm that we recorded:

Setting: parkland, forest, trees, peaceful, clear skies, welcoming, relaxing, calm, free, spacious, open space, appealing,

Background:

TREES – tall, thin, cedar, massive, green leaves, fresh, enormous, some are thick with leaves, some have bare branches

GRASS – all around, trimmed, neat

Middle Ground:

PATHWAY – long, gray, sandy, gravel, winding, curvy

3 LONGHOUSES – colourful (black, orange, brown) designs on front wall, pentagon shaped front wall, faces of animals, chimneys, wooden planks or boards, totem pole in middle of wall

2 TOURISTS one in red jacket one in pink shirt

Foreground:

TOTEM POLE – creative, tall, unpainted, natural wood colour, carved animals and people

LONGHOUSE – strong, sturdy, faces on front, tall board, triangular top

PEOPLE – 2 TOURISTS, #1: woman, brown hair, dark blue jacket, white pants, looking at her watch

#2: older woman, walking stick, wide brim hat, black strap (purse?), light blue jacket, black pants  

Walking RV: Aboriginal Studies

At Rouge Park last week, we came across a modern reconstruction of a tepee. This tied in with our Aboriginal Peoples unit in Social Studies and was a wonderful opportunity for us to practice our descriptive writing and observational skills. Students made dot jots about what they observed of the interior and exterior of the tepee. This information was brought back to class for a writing assignment.

A fascinating observation that some of the students made was that vapour was rising up from the sunny side of the tepee. We observed that the canvas was wet from the early morning dew (condensation). Now that the sun was getting brighter, much of the moisture was evaporating back into the atmosphere. What a powerful learning opportunity to see the water cycle in action. These are the experiences that make learning real!

Descriptive Writing - Three Tepees

This picture gave our class a wonderful opportunity to look at concepts in Science (Structures and Forces), Social Studies (First Nations) and Language (Descriptive Writing). In Language, students were asked to brainstorm words to describe this scene. We focused on elements in the background/setting, the middle ground and the foreground. Here is a descriptive piece that the class wrote collaboratively to serve as a model for future writing:

Three Tepees

By Room 208

On a gloomy,overcast day, there are three tepees in a grassy field surrounded by a forest. The tepees are in a peaceful, wilderness area. The meadow is covered by fresh, luxurious grass. The clouds look stormy, like it is threatening to rain. The wall of trees in the background is massive and green. In front of the trees are two tepees. The first tepee is mostly yellow and has a thick red stripe. It is taller than the second tepee, which is white with a green stripe. Its flap is slightly open and the poles are on the outside. There is a large cone-shaped tepee in the foreground. It is white with two thin red stripes. There is also a tiny red stripe at the top. The ends of the poles are sticking out the top. There are wooden sticks that pin the hides together.

Super Heroes and Villains - Descriptive Writing

Devious Madeline the Amazing

By K.S. (Gr. 4)

The Devious Madeline is the best super villain ever. She became a super villain when she got bit by an evil bug. She is 19 years old. Her birthday is on January 1st.  She has a pink dress that has a capital ‘’M’’ on it. Her goals are to take over her town and to destroy the planet Mars. Her super powers and abilities are: 1) shooting fire from her eyes 2) freezing people with her hair, and 3) turning invisible. Her weaknesses are salt and sugar. When she eats them her powers are weakened. Her disguise is a 21 year old millionaire in Toronto. She is the best super villain

My Villain – ABC Dumpty

By: I.A. (Gr. 4)

ABC Dumpty is the smallest villain ever! ABC Dumpty’s powers are ultra-speed, bad dancing, and the ability to turn into different people. ABC Dumpty’s weakness is the purple gem that sucks into his body, and makes him lose his powers. ABC Dumpty was on his home planet when he got hit by a baseball. Then he got mad and he became evil! ABC Dumpty wears a brown cape with collar, green and yellow shirt, blue pants, and baseball head with no eyes, ears, nose or mouth! ABC Dumpty’s real name is Hades.

Descriptive Writing

Here is the picture of the old broken down house that students used for their descriptive writing.

Descriptive Writing

Students were asked to write a paragraph to describe this picture. Here is a sampling of some of the best writing:

The Halloween Mansion
By: A.B.

     There is a creepy, haunted mansion that looks like it is abandoned. It is scary and looks like there are ghosts living in there. The yard is flat and lifeless. There are only a few green patches and the rest of the grass is dead. Many rusty brown leaves cover the grass. The front face has a satellite right under the second window in the middle. None of the windows have any lights on. The windows are tall and rectangular and they are surrounded by dirty, white frames. All the bricks are just grayish black. The wooden porch does not have any stairs and the paint is peeling. The worn-out wood looks like it is going to break because it is slanting. It looks like there is a ghost at the window to the left, just below the porch roof. There are cinder blocks holding up the porch. The roof has three broken windows and looks like there is a broken air conditioner above. Many of the bricks on the wall get darker as they go to the top of the roof. The grey brick chimney is narrow and rectangular. The tall cylindrical tower has a black cone roof and there are four rectangular white and black windows. Some of the bricks are brown and rusty…BOO!!!

THE OLD DEADLY HOUSE
By: M.S.

     There is an old deadly house with three floors. This house is very old and falling apart. It is also very creepy and spooky. Overall this house is odd. The front face of the house is any thing but pretty! The bricks are grey, brown and black. There are three curved windows and FIFTEEN rectangular windows! Above one of the windows there is a white air vent. The roof is black and is starting to fall down. The shingles are falling off too. On the sloping roof there is also a red and black chimney. The house has an ugly tower in the shape of a grey cylinder with a black cone on the top. If you look closely on top of the cone there is a green tip with bats flying around it. There are four windows in the tower. Below the tower there is a mysterious satellite dish. Below the satellite dish there is a grey, brown, and black wooden porch. The porch is also falling apart. There are no stairs leading up to the porch. In fact, there are cinder blocks holding the porch up. On the left of the house is a shed and wires. On the right of the house there are trees and another house.  In front of the porch is a yard covered with crumpled dead leaves. The yard has not been cared for, and it looks gross and ugly.

The Old Abandoned Mansion
By: M.E.

     There is an old abandoned mansion that looks very queer. It looks disowned and is dilapidated. It is also very scary looking. The front yard looks as if it was burnt from the sun. It is also well trimmed. The colour of the yard is a brownish yellow. The front face of the house has an out of place satellite dish on it. The front door’s frame is wooden and there are many tiny windows in it. Next to the door is a closed widow with shutters. Some parts of the front face are brown and some are grey.
     The tower on the scary looking house has a cone roof and a greenish point. On the bottom of the tower you can see the window to the basement. The tower has four windows and is a tall cylinder. The roof of this house is black and is not falling apart like the rest of the house. Also there are two extra windows from the roof of the porch to the roof of the house. It has a white vent. On the top left side of the roof there are windows replaced by boards. The roof also has bats or birds flying around it. The side of the house has four rectangular windows and two trees that are bare. It also has an extra little shed at the back. There is a chimney at the top right hand side. The right side of the house’s windows stick out and are elevated. The porch of the house is falling apart and is held up by cinder blocks. There is what appears to be a little white mailbox at the porch’s right hand side. The porch is also dark and discoloured. BOO!

Descriptive Writing

In Language Arts, we have been practising our descriptive writing skills. Students were asked to look at a photograph of a building and to write a passage describing what they saw. Here are the two photos that we used for reference.

#1 The Old Fashioned Mansion

#2 The Haunted House