ENGLISH 10�HONORS ENGLISH 10

Tuesday, February 20

Descriptive Writing

Descriptive Portrait Portfolio

NOTE:

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ESLRs

• Expected Schoolwide�Learning Results
• Academic Achievement
• Self-motivated Learners
• Technology Users
• Critical Thinking
• Effective Communications

LiveLesson Behavior Expectations

• Be respectful
• Participate: Make the most of this time!
• Stay on topic!
• Never give out private information
• You are a scholar here: Do your best to always use correct English and avoid “text speak”

Core Standards

• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.9-10.3.d�Use precise words and phrases, telling details, and sensory language to convey a vivid picture of the experiences, events, setting, and/or characters.

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Objectives

• Students will practice descriptive writing to master using effective nouns, verbs, adjectives, and sensory details to create vivid descriptions
• Students will understand the requirements of the Unit 2 portfolio: Descriptive Portrait

Announcements

• Unit 1 Discussion
• Remember to write a complete paragraph response to the prompt AND reply to two or more students for full credit
• If your discussion has received a lower grade, you can go back and add to it by replying to other students and/or posting an improved response for up to full credit!
• Be sure to let your teacher know that you’ve updated your discussion!
• Contacting your Teacher
• Use your teacher’s youcanbookme page to schedule a call
• Note that some teachers are busy with some State Testing duties at the moment, so if your English 10 teacher is unavailable, you can contact any of us for help!

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Call My Homeroom�Teacher!

DESCRIPTIVE WRITING

Descriptive Writing

The best way to creative vivid descriptions is to use:

• Precise, concrete nouns
• Active, vivid verbs
• Colorful adjectives and adverbs
• It does not help and can sometimes hurt to get too “fancy” with adjectives! Put down the thesaurus and use your imagination
• Sensory details!!
• Sight
• Sound
• Smell
• Taste
• Touch
• Let’s practice!

Descriptive Writing

• What sensory details come to mind when viewing this picture?�
• What do you see?
• What do you hear?

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Descriptive Writing

• What sensory details come to mind when viewing this picture?

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• What do you feel?
• What do you smell?

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Descriptive Writing

• What sensory details come to mind when viewing this picture?

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• What do you smell?
• What do you hear?

Descriptive Writing

• What sensory details come to mind when viewing this picture?

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• What do you hear?
• What do you taste?

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Descriptive Writing

• How can this be improved?:
• The pretty stream ran down through the woods
• The bubbling creek skips along the stones, laughing as it slips between the stern birch trees, their mossy beards twitching with disapproval

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Descriptive Writing

• How can this be improved?:
• The man on the paddleboard sees a dolphin at sunset

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Descriptive Writing

• Precise nouns and vivid verbs along with sensory details will improve your descriptive writing!

Descriptive Writing

• What sensory details come to mind when viewing this picture?
• What do you see?
• What do you hear?
• How can this be improved?:
• The man laughed loudly
• The man threw his head back and cackled in glee, clasping both hands against his chest

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Descriptive Writing

• What sensory details come to mind when viewing this picture?
• What do you see?
• How does it make you feel?
• How can this be improved?:
• The lady giggled
• The elderly lady tilted her head to her shoulder as she let out a cute, quiet chuckle

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Descriptive Writing

• What sensory details come to mind when viewing this picture?
• What do you hear?
• How does it make you feel?
• Write a sentence that uses sensory details to describe this laugh

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Descriptive Writing

• When writing about a person, you don’t always want to be literal when it comes to sensory details!

DESCRIPTIVE PORTRAIT

Descriptive Portrait Portfolio

• The assignment is to write a descriptive portrait of someone you know
• What is a “portrait”?
• A painting, drawing, or photograph of a person that attempts to capture their essence

Descriptive Portrait Portfolio

• Originally, portraits were created by artists who were paid commissions by nobility to create a representation of themselves for future generations
• Today, portraits are more often photographs of people meant to capture something profound or interesting about the subject

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Descriptive Portrait Portfolio

• The main goal of the essay is that readers can see your subject clearly in their minds and understand why that person is significant to you
• A clear visual image
• A clear image of important mannerisms and personality traits
• A clear understanding of what makes that person significant to you as an author (the overall impression)

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Descriptive Portrait Portfolio

• Guidelines
• English 10: 600-800 words
• Honors English 10: 750-1000 words
• MLA format
• CheckMyWork link!
• Please review the policies under Portfolio Resources for instructions on portfolio submissions

Descriptive Portrait Portfolio

• First draft scheduled for 2/27
• Note that some English 10 teachers have dropped the first draft or provided an alternate outline assignment—check with your teacher!
• Final draft scheduled for 3/8
• You have almost three weeks from the beginning of Unit 2 until the final draft is due!
• Portfolios are worth 30% of your grade, and students are provided with ample time and clear expectations
• Writing essays is a process
• Work on this portfolio each day as you are completing your English 10 lessons
• This essay should take several hours to complete!

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Descriptive Portrait Portfolio

• Sensory Details
• Sight
• Sound
• Touch
• Taste
• Smell
• These can be used as memory associations or as figurative descriptions (simile, metaphor, etc)
• You are not expected to literally describe how a person smells, for example
• You are expected to capture the essence of your subject using sensory details

Descriptive Portrait Portfolio

• So… who do you know that would be an effective subject for a description?
• Family member
• Friend
• Neighbor
• Mentor
• Coach
• Youth leader
• Other important people in your life?

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Descriptive Portrait Portfolio

• Once you have your subject in mind, brainstorm details about that person you can use in your description
• The Descriptive Details graphic organizer can help you keep track of your ideas

Descriptive Portrait Portfolio

• A main goal of the essay is to convey an overall impression of the person you are describing
• What main impression of the person you’re describing do you want to give the reader?
• Loving
• Inspiring
• Quirky
• Precious
• Admirable
• Tough
• Others?

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Descriptive Portrait

• Sensory Details
• Sight
• Sound
• Touch
• Taste
• Smell
• These can be used as memory associations or as figurative descriptions (simile, metaphor, etc)
• You are not expected to literally describe how a person smells, for example
• You are expected to capture the essence of your subject using sensory details

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Descriptive Portrait Portfolio

• When writing descriptively, you want to appeal to the senses, but that does not mean you need to force-fit details for all five senses… use good judgment and common sense when writing about a person!
• You are NOT being asked to literally describe how a person smells, tastes, or feels
• Examples:
• A grandmother reminds you of the smells and tastes of family breakfast on a Sunday morning
• A grandpa reminds you of the scents and tastes of fishing on a lake early in the morning
• A friend reminds you of the smells and taste of cotton candy and churros because you love going to Disneyland together
• A friend reminds you of the gritty feeling of a basketball in your hands after playing pickup games on hot asphalt in the summer
• A family member reminds you of the feeling of soft yarn in your hands as they taught you how to knit

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Descriptive Writing

• What sensory details come to mind when viewing this picture?
• What do you smell?
• What do you taste?
• How does it make you feel?

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• Write a sentence using sensory details describing this scene

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Descriptive Writing

• What sensory details come to mind when viewing this picture?
• What do you hear?
• What do you smell?
• How does it make you feel?

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• Write a sentence using sensory details describing this scene

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Descriptive Portrait Portfolio

• Using an anecdote or two to help describe your subject is effective, but remember you are not writing a narrative
• Avoid writing more about yourself than about your subject
• It’s helpful to include details about the impact a person has on you, but be sure the subject is your main focus
• Organize the details and use transitions to avoid jumping from one detail to the next in a haphazard fashion
• Avoid “explaining” how the person you’re describing acts and looks or makes you feel… SHOW how the person acts or looks so that the reader feels it, too!
• Consider the central impression you want to convey about your subject… what one main thing is the most important to portray?

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Descriptive Portrait Portfolio

• SHOW! Don’t tell…
• Which is more effective?
• I love his laugh. It’s full of joy and always makes me happy even when I’m down. I can’t help but laugh with him!
• Most times her laugh is a quiet giggle where her nose crinkles and her eyes light up. But every so often when something strikes her as extra funny she explodes with a shriek followed by a joyful cackle, her shoulders shaking and tears forming in her eyes.

Descriptive Portrait Portfolio

• Remember that the first draft of your essay should include the following elements:
• A central idea or impression that is well chosen for the purpose and audience
• A clear organizational structure with effective transitions
• Specific details and vivid descriptions that appeal to the senses and create a vivid mental picture of the subject

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Descriptive Portrait Portfolio

• Organize the essay into focused paragraphs
• Introduction
• Body
• Conclusion

Descriptive Portrait Portfolio

• For example:
• Introduction that gives overall impression and previews important topics
• Body Paragraph 1 – Appearance
• Body Paragraph 2 – Mannerisms – distinctive actions or ways of speaking
• Body Paragraph 3 – Character – personal qualities that make him unique
• Conclusion that summarizes your main points and emphasizes the overall impression

Descriptive Portrait Portfolio

• Be sure to view the Portfolio Resources on the English 10 website for more specific information and helpful prewriting and organization activities!

Using Message Board

• Whenever you have questions about a writing assignment, check the English 10 website/Message Board or contact your teacher for assistance

Questions?

• Questions about the final draft?