Ellie

Wyant
K352
Explicit Lesson Plan
Writing Detailed Sentences

Lesson Objective(s):
After completing this lesson the student will demonstrate an ability to write
detailed sentences by adding in who, what, where, when, why, adjectives and
adverbs.
District Outcome(s) and/or State/National Standard(s)
3.W.4: Generate a draft by developing, selecting and organizing ideas relevant to topic,
purpose, and genre; revise to improve writing, using appropriate reference materials (e.g.,
quality of ideas, organization, sentence fluency, word choice); and edit writing for format
and conventions (e.g., spelling, capitalization, usage, punctuation).
Lesson Prerequisites:
Understanding of sentence structure
Understanding of adjectives, verbs & adverbs
Materials:
Printed out student objectives
Printed out students schedule of activities
Printed out copies of the story used in the Preinstructional Set
Notecard
Purple & green marker
Small white board
2 White board markers
25 popsicle sticks of various colors
10 notecards: 5 pink and 5 yellow
5 Ws, adjective, verb & adverb handout
7 sheets of white paper
Independent practice worksheet
Scratch paper
Description of Student:
Paloma is a 3rd grade English language learner who moved to the United States in first
grade from Bogot, Colombia. Paloma successfully uses sequence in her writing and
generally has a good knowledge of grammatical rules. Paloma also loves to read,
especially in Spanish. Although she is an English language learner, she has an excellent
ability to understand verbal instruction. However, Paloma struggles with expressing her
ideas in writing. Paloma often writes simple, short sentences because she is hyperfocused on spelling instead of details and organization of a sentence. Furthermore,
Paloma has a limited vocabulary in English and often uses basic words and therefore is
unable to fully communicate her ideas.

Ellie Wyant
K352
Explicit Lesson Plan
Writing Detailed Sentences

Notes on Modifications or Accommodations: Since Paloma has a limited vocabulary
she will be provided with a list of common adjectives with more interesting adjectives
listed underneath them for her to use when she is trying to describe something in an
interesting manner. For example:
Fun
Entertaining
Enjoyable
Pleasurable
This practice will also help Paloma improve her vocabulary by continually referencing
synonyms to common terms she may be using.
For the guided practice Paloma will be using popsicle sticks and notecards to form
sentences so that she doesnt have to worry about spelling.
Preinstructional Set
Gain attention
I will begin by gaining Palomas attention by using stories that relate to her culture to
activate her interests. I will ask Paloma do you like to read or listen to stories? Paloma
will then answer. Next I will tell Paloma, Today I am going to begin by reading you a
short story two different times. Its going to be the same story but the second time I read
it, it will be told a little differently. While Im reading I want you to think about what is
different about the way I tell the story each time. I will provide copies of each version of
the story to Paloma so that she can read along.
I will then read Paloma an excerpt of a story with little detail.
I walk down the streets of Bogot. I see the ladies selling breakfast. I hear the music of
Fruko y Sus Tesos and Shakira. The mountains are in the distance and the sun is shining.
This day is like everyday.
Next I read the story with detail.
This morning I slowly walked down the streets of Bogot on my way to school. My
mouth drooled as I saw abuelitas selling tasty Arepas on the street corner. In between the
delicious smells I could hear the music of Fruko y Sus Tesos and Shakira drifting out of
faraway windows. As I walked I was greeted by the strong Andes Mountains and the
bright sun in the distance. I love how all of my mornings in Bogot are like today.
I read these two stories in order to highlight for Paloma that details make a story much
more interesting. After I finish reading I will ask Paloma Which version of the story did

Ellie Wyant
K352
Explicit Lesson Plan
Writing Detailed Sentences

you like better? Paloma will answer and I will ask, Why did you like that version
better? What was different about it compared to the first time I read it? Paloma may
point out significant words she thought were better or parts of the sentences that were
added to make it more interesting. She also might comment on the fact that the second
story helped her see in her head what was going on or reminded her of home. At this
point I will point out to Paloma that she is right, the second time I read the story the
sentences included who, what, where, when, why, adjectives and adverbs which makes
our writing more interesting and exciting.
Inform student of learning objective
Today we are going to learn how to make our sentences more interesting and exciting.
At the end of our lesson you will be able to make boring sentences interesting by adding
in who, what, where, when and why. You will also add adjectives and adverbs to make
the sentences better. And you will be able to write your own exciting sentences using
these ideas.
I will also give Paloma a printed out version of our goals to help her remember why she
is learning to put details in her writing.
Use informed instruction
We will learn how to do this by
Reviewing the 5 Ws, adjectives, verbs and adverbs
Playing a game with popsicle sticks and notecards where you put together
detailed sentences
Rewriting boring sentences using our details
Following a writing prompt using detailed sentences.
We will also provide the steps of the lesson printed out on a sheet of paper for Paloma to
reference if desired.
Prepare students for instructional content
Activate prior knowledge
In order to activate prior knowledge I will ask Paloma What are some ways you have
already learned to make your writing more interesting? Can you write down 3 different
ways you have learned? Paloma will write down her 3 ideas on an index card.
Paloma may say ideas such as: write about something you know about, show dont tell,
use exclamation marks, quotation marks and question marks, add in dialogue, have
different characters, settings and a plot.
I will then explicitly connect Palomas ideas to our objective of writing detailed
sentences.
Those are all great strategies to make our writing interesting. If you think back to our
story we liked about Paloma we saw how the writer wrote about something they know
and because they know about Bogot they were able to create many pictures and feelings
about Bogot in their writing. But how did they do that? If we look at the sentences they
used who, what, where, when, why, adjectives and interesting verbs. Look at this

Ellie Wyant
K352
Explicit Lesson Plan
Writing Detailed Sentences

sentence here:
My mouth drooled as I saw abuelitas selling tasty Arepas on the street corner.
(I would write the Ws above the words in the sentence to show Paloma)
Who: I
What: Drooled
Where: Street corner
When: In the morning (We learned this from the sentence before. Sometimes we cant fit
all the Ws in one sentence so we have to use two).
Why: The abuelitas were selling Arepas
The writer also used great adjectives and verbs.
I would then circle the adjective in purple and the verb in green to show Paloma.
Adjective: Tasty
Verb: Drooled
Review prerequisite skills
Before we begin lets review adjectives, verbs and adverbs. Can you describe for me
what an adjective is? Paloma will respond. Next can you come up with three different
adjectives to describe the picture of this dog and write them down on your notecard?
Paloma will write the adjectives on her notecard. I will then ask Now can you describe
for me what a verb is and give me 3 examples of a verb on your notecard? Paloma will
respond. Finally Ill ask Ok so what is an adverb then? Can you use an adverb to
describe each of the verbs you stated before? Paloma will respond.
Preteach key vocabulary
Now when we work on this lesson I am going to use the word details. I am going to say
we are working on adding more details to your sentences. When I say details I mean what
are different ways we can show what is going on in your sentence. Details could be
adjectives, verbs, or adverbs. They also could be our Ws we talked about earlier: who,
what, when, where and why. These are all things that show or tell us more about our
sentence. They are details.
One way I might use the word details outside of writing could be Wow I love your shirt
the pattern adds great detail. The detail of the shirt is the pattern that makes it
interesting. Can you think of another sentence we could use details in?
Paloma will offer an idea.

Ellie Wyant
K352
Explicit Lesson Plan
Writing Detailed Sentences

Instruction
Cognitive modeling
Ok so now I am going to show you what might be going on in your head when you are
trying to write sentences with details. Now first I need to think of an idea to write about.
Hmmmm I want to write about ice cream my favorite food. Ok so I picked my topic.
Now the first sentence that comes to mind when I think ice cream is:
Yesterday, I ate ice cream (I will write this on the whiteboard).
Okay well I remember that I learned that sentences with details have who, what, where,
when, why, adjectives, verbs and adverbs. I am going to write these down to help me
remember (I write down a list of the Ws and adjectives etc. on the side of the whiteboard
and fill in what corresponds in the sentence).
Alright so Who: I What: Ice Cream Where: Oh hmm I didnt put where, When:
Yesterday and Why: Ok so I didnt put why either. Ok so now Im looking for adjectives.
I dont see any words describing my noun ice cream no adjectives. Verbs: ok well I
have ate. Finally Adverbs: Man, I dont have any words describing how I ate my ice
cream. Im thinking my sentence doesnt have a lot of details.
But I know I can add details by adding in adjectives, adverbs, where and why. Ok so I am
going to start with where (I circle where on the white board). Where did I eat ice cream?
Ok so: Yesterday, I ate ice cream at Kilwins Ice Cream shop (I write the new sentence
under the first sentence on the board).
Ok next I need to add in why (I circle why on the white board). Ok so why did I eat ice
cream? Well because it was my Moms birthday. So:
Yesterday, I ate ice cream at Kilwins Ice Cream shop because it was my Moms birthday.
(I write the new sentence under the second sentence on the board).
Great, next I need to think about adjectives. What are the nouns in this sentence I can
describe? Well ice cream, the ice cream shop and my mom. Ok how can I describe the ice
cream? Well it was chocolate chip. Great and how can I describe the ice cream shop,
well they serve yummy ice cream so I am going to choose delicious. And how can I
describe my mom? I love my mom I will describe her as sweet! So now Im going to add
in my adjectives.
Yesterday, I ate chocolate chip ice cream at the delicious Kilwins Ice Cream Shop for my
sweet moms birthday (I write the new sentence under the third sentence on the board).

Ellie Wyant
K352
Explicit Lesson Plan
Writing Detailed Sentences

Great! Now I am going to add in an adverb. What is the verb I need to describe. Ate!
Ok so how was I feeling when I ate ice cream? Excited! So I will use excitedly ate! So my
final sentence will be:
Yesterday, I excitedly ate chocolate chip ice cream at the delicious Kilwins Ice Cream
Shop for my sweet moms birthday (I write the new sentence under the fourth sentence on
the board).
Now that is one detailed sentence! I used all the Ws and adjectives and verbs and
adverbs! Yesterday, I excitedly ate chocolate chip ice cream at the delicious Kilwins
Ice Cream Shop for my sweet moms birthday. is much more interesting and shows me a
lot more that is going on then: Yesterday, I ate ice-cream.
One thing I know I have to be careful about when I am adding details into a sentence is
adding so many details that the sentence becomes a run on. If we think a sentence we
loaded with details is too long we can break it up into two sentences. We could do this
with this sentence by saying.
Yesterday we went to the delicious Kilwins Ice Cream Shop for my sweet Moms
birthday. I excitedly ate chocolate chip ice cream.
I still got my ideas full of details out. I just broke it up into two sentences.
Guided practice
Next Paloma will participate in a guided activity by me. I will
provide 5 piles of popsicle sticks with each pile a different
color. I will also provide 2 piles of notecards each pile being a
different color as well. Each color of popsicle stick will
correspond with one of the Ws (who, what, where, when,
why) and the each color of the notecard will correspond with either adjectives or adverbs.
For example, the pile of red sticks will correspond to who and each red stick will have a
different who on it. The pile of green sticks will correspond with what and each green
stick will have a different what on it. The pile of purple notecards will correspond to
adjectives and each notecard will have an adjective on it, etcetera. Each pile will be
labeled with a sheet of paper titling the pile placed above it. Paloma will then be
instructed to create sentences using the popsicle sticks and notecards. She will be asked
to include all the details into one or two sentences. She will then record her sentences on
a sheet of paper. The teacher will model the activity first by thinking aloud and creating
the first sentence for Paloma. This activity will also be fun because Paloma can make
silly sentences when combining popsicle sticks and notecards. The popsicle stick activity
will help Paloma become familiar with what details look like and what types of details
she can add to her sentences.
Check understanding
I will check Palomas understanding by whether Paloma can put together correctly
structured and detailed sentences incorporating the elements from the popsicle sticks and

Ellie Wyant
K352
Explicit Lesson Plan
Writing Detailed Sentences

notecards. The teacher will then ask Paloma to make her own popsicle stick for each
detail category and put a sentence together using those details on the popsicle sticks.
Independent practice
For the independent practice Paloma will be given 3 boring
sentences and asked to add details to the sentences to make
them more exciting. The sentences will be:
1. I like going to the park.
2. The giraffe eats leaves.
3. The ocean is pretty.
While completing this activity Paloma will be able to use a
handout that will help her remember the specific details we
talked about. A handout example it to the right.
Assessment
For the assessment Paloma will be required to write 5-6 detailed sentences about her first
day of school.
Palomas sentences will be assessed by whether she incorporated details in her sentences
including: who, what, where, when, why, adjectives, and adverbs.
Closure
I will close the activity by discussing with Paloma the following three questions.
What did we learn today? This question is to review and summarize the material.
Why is it an important skill? This question makes Paloma think about why the
skill might be useful to her.
Now what should you do that you have this skill? This question requires Paloma
to apply the learned skill to a particular context.

Ellie Wyant
K352
Explicit Lesson Plan
Writing Detailed Sentences

Handouts
Learning Goal
Today we are going to learn how to make our sentences more
interesting and exciting.
At the end of our lesson you will be able to make boring
sentences interesting by adding in who, what, where, when and
why. You will also add adjectives and verbs to make the
sentences better. You will be able to write your own exciting
sentences using these ideas!

Schedule
Review the 5 Ws, adjectives and adverbs
Play a game with popsicle sticks and notecards where we put
together detailed sentences
Rewrite boring sentences using details

Ellie Wyant
K352
Explicit Lesson Plan
Writing Detailed Sentences

Following a writing prompt using detailed sentences

Guided Practice Activity Information

Red
Yellow
Blue
Green Purple
Pink
Brown
Popsicle Popsicle Popsicle Popsicle Popsicle Notecards Notecards
Adverbs
Sticks
Sticks
Sticks
Sticks Sticks Adjectives
Who

What

Where

When

Why

My Mom

Ate a
pizza

In
his/her
kitchen

Yesterday

Because
of work

The dog
named
Pablo

Sang a
song

This
morning

At school
Last
night

Because
it was
his/her
birthday

Harley the Ran for 6 To Africa

Chef
miles
At/to the During
Because
The nurse Laughed
grocery breakfast he/she
named
until
store
wanted to
David
he/she
During
be
cried
In/ to
the
famous
My baby
Chicago afternoon
sister
Traveled
Because
Marisol across the
it was a
world
beautiful
day
Because
he/she
loved to
try new
things

Cozy

Proudly

Crowded

Happily

Gigantic

Uncontrollably

Beautiful

Excitedly

Hilarious

Nervously

Ellie Wyant
K352
Explicit Lesson Plan
Writing Detailed Sentences

Independent Practice Handout

When writing detailed sentences

Who?
Did What?
Where?
When?
Why?
Dont forget to add!
Adjectives: Describes a noun
EX: A gorgeous sunset.
Adverbs: Describes a verb
EX: Jim calmly read the book.