Describing the Senses Learning Objectives: How to make our writing amazing, by describing using the senses. Building your setting • Imagine you are walking through an abandoned house; list as many things as you can see in your books e.g. cobwebs. • Now do the same for what you can hear, smell, taste, feel. 5 lists. • Extension task: if you complete this, write down things that you would definitely not expect to find in an abandoned house e.g. a cuddly teddy bear. What we found… Old photos Spiders/insects Flashing lights Missing floorboards Bones scattered around the floor Dusty furniture Smashed windows Draws and wardrobes spilling clothes Dried Blood Creaky floorboard Leaves Spray-paint Broken plates/furniture One description… They cut your feet off first. That’s what the kids in the estate said anyway. The Others. In abandoned houses. So you couldn’t run away. Whenever he approached an empty house, this was what he was thinking. Slowly, James pushed the weary, weather-beaten door open and peered inside the house. The stale smell of dust greeted him as he scanned the gloomy hallway. It was like an old friend. Undisturbed dust meant there weren’t any Others here. As his eyes adjusted to the dim interior he remained alert. Cautiously, carefully James edged into the house. The soft breeze whined and leapt into the hallway from behind him, disturbing the torn up and discarded newspapers that had been scattered across the wooden floor. Flustered, they scuttled across the ground, whispering angrily, waking a thick layer of dust. The peace had been disturbed. James surveyed the room to the right of him. The usual. Broken bottles, a heap of dark ash, empty tins and stained mattresses. The heavily boarded windows let little light into the house. Thin beams pushed through gaps in the wood creating eerie shadows. Edging towards the snaking banisters James craned his neck to see up onto the second floor. Instinctively he tightened his grip on the cool metal pole in his The senses! Slowly, James pushed he weary, weather-beaten door open and peered inside the house. The stale smell of dust greeted him as he scanned the gloomy hallway. It was like an old friend. Undisturbed dust meant there weren’t any Others here. As his eyes adjusted to the dim interior he remained alert. Cautiously, carefully James edged into the house. The soft breeze whined and leapt into the hallway from behind him, disturbing the torn up and discarded newspapers that had been scattered across the wooden floor. Flustered, they scuttled across the ground, whispering angrily, waking a thick layer of dust. The peace had been disturbed. James surveyed the room to the right of him. The usual. Broken bottles, a heap of dark ash, empty tins and stained mattresses. The heavily boarded windows let little light into the house. Thin beams pushed through gaps in the wood creating eerie shadows. Edging towards the snaking banisters James craned his neck to see up onto the second floor. Instinctively he tightened his grip on the cool metal pole in his hand. The steel soothed him. Why are the senses important? ? In our setting… Write down a sentence about each of the senses: – – – – – What you might smell? What you might taste? What you might feel? What you might see? What you might hear… – Write them in your books- work with your partner if you are struggling for inspiration The sun sets… The wind picks up as darkness falls… A storm rages above you… As the sun rises you follow the dry river bed… You look over the city from on top of a hill… Write down your favourite description on a post-it and then stick it on the window!! While you are standing up have a look at other people’s ideas….
