Level Red
NAME
Chapter 1 Writer’s Workshop (pp. 21–26)
Description
With a partner, read aloud the descriptive essay below. How vivid are the details? Could you draw a
picture of the place based on the description? Talk about how well the writer completed the assignment.
Writing Model
Another World in the Woods
If I could live anywhere, I would live in a forest. A forest is its
Clearly stated topic
own world. Unlike a city, it has no people, no buildings, no cars, no
Internet, and no phones. A forest is an exciting place full of unusual
Writer’s feelings
plants, animals, and surprises everywhere you walk.
the forest. My cave is slightly damp, but it stays at the same cool
temperature all day. Rock formations in the walls look like monsters
Sensory details that focus
on sight and touch
Simile
guarding my cave. A small opening to the cave is hidden by trees. It’s
large enough for me to squeeze through but small enough to keep
out fierce creatures, such as bears and wolves. To others, my cave
seems spooky. To me, it’s like a castle.
I wake up to the warm smell of wet grass and leaves. My alarm
clock is a bright red cardinal singing on a branch near the cave. For
Simile
Details that appeal to the
sense of smell, sound, and
taste
food, I eat fresh berries from a thick bush. They’re delicious! I go
fishing in the calm, clear stream just to the left of the cave. The
Transitions to clarify spatial
order
stream has many different kinds of colorful fish. They swim by and
look at me with suspicious eyes.
The stream flows into a quiet lake to the north of it. Sunlight
shines on the lake. Tall trees catch a wavy reflection of themselves in
Vivid imagery
the water. The crisp air smells fresh, and the soft breeze makes the
leaves gently rustle.
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Copyright © by William H. Sadlier, Inc. Permission to duplicate classroom quantities granted to users of Grammar for Writing.
First, I imagine living in a large, dark cave at the center of
Continued
Writing Model
Throughout the day, most of the forest animals find their way
to this part of the forest. A beaver is busy at work, building a dam
near the end of the stream. Next to him, two deer sip fresh water.
A traffic jam of ducks honks at each other as they swim around the
Metaphor
lake. Birds poke the moist ground with their beaks and search for
slimy worms. Behind them, squirrels chase each other from tree to
Specific verbs and
adjectives
tree. Even with all the activity, time still seems to move more slowly
in the forest than in the city.
In a forest, even a thunderstorm is different from a storm in
are brighter and bigger. In only a few seconds, sheets of rain soak
the ground and trees. The stream becomes a raging river, and the
lake turns into a roaring ocean. Then, the storm ends. There is a
Detail that appeals to the
sense of sound
Short sentence that makes
the reader pause and ends
description of storm
long silence like the forest sighing in relief. Finally, the birds start
Simile
chirping, and chipmunks start sprinting about looking for food.
Every day is an adventure in the forest. New parts of the forest
are always waiting to be discovered. In the city, you always know
what to expect. You know where the mall is, where the movie theater
is, and where the best restaurants are. However, a forest is its own
Writer’s overall impression
world with surprises for me around every corner.
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Copyright © by William H. Sadlier, Inc. Permission to duplicate classroom quantities granted to users of Grammar for Writing.
the city. The thumping of rain is louder, and flashes of lightning