For Use with Holt, Rinehart and Winston
7th Grade, Chapter 1
MINI-WORKSHOP
Chapter 1, Grade 7
Writing a Descriptive Essay
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California Standards
Writing 1.0
–  Students write clear, coherent, and focused essays.
Writing exhibits students’ awareness of audience and
purpose. Essays contain formal introductions,
supporting evidence, and conclusions.
Writing 1.1
–  Create an organization structure that balances all
aspects of the composition and uses transitions
between sentences to unify ideas.
Copyright © 2010 Sacramento County Office of Education
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California Standards
Writing 1.2
–  Support all statements can claims with descriptions.
Writing 1.7
–  Revise writing to improve organization and word choice
after checking the logic of the ideas and the precision
of the vocabulary.
Writing 2.0
–  Students write descriptive text of 500-700 words.
Copyright © 2010 Sacramento County Office of Education
Some images used under license from Shutterstock, Inc.
Curriculum Companion
Sacramento County Office of Education
1
For Use with Holt, Rinehart and Winston
7th Grade, Chapter 1
Writing a Descriptive Essay
Preteaching
Motivate
•  After reading the
poem, compose
your own
descriptive poem.
•  Would anyone like
to share their poem?
Copyright © 2010 Sacramento County Office of Education
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Writing a Descriptive Essay
When you write a description, your main
purpose is to paint a detailed, vivid picture
of an object, place, animal, or person.
–  You use words to help readers see, hear, smell,
taste, and touch what you are describing.
–  In this section you will choose and observe a subject,
organize a description, and use sensory details to
elaborate your description.
Copyright © 2010 Sacramento County Office of Education
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Writing a Descriptive Essay
Decisions, Decisions
–  Here are some qualities to look for when
choosing the subject of a description.
Choose something:
»  Sense-able: appeals to your senses.
»  Observable: you can spend at least 20 minutes observing.
»  Manageable: can be described in 500- to 700- words.
»  Meaningful: that is important or interesting to you.
»  Comfortable: a topic comfortable for sharing with readers.
Copyright © 2010 Sacramento County Office of Education
Some images used under license from Shutterstock, Inc.
Curriculum Companion
Sacramento County Office of Education
2
For Use with Holt, Rinehart and Winston
7th Grade, Chapter 1
Writing a Descriptive Essay
Writing a Descriptive Essay
What You See Is What
They’ll Get
Color
–  Take notes paying
particular attention
to specific details.
Size
Specific
Details
Shape
Sounds
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Writing a Descriptive Essay
An Orderly Choice
–  Two ways to organize
details in a description are:
»  Spatial Organization:
describing items according
to their locations.
Words Showing
Spatial Organization
across from
around
between
close
down
near
next to
up
far
»  Order of importance:
starting with the most
important element
and ending with the
least important.
Copyright © 2010 Sacramento County Office of Education
Some images used under license from Shutterstock, Inc.
Direct Teaching
Beef It Up
To help you elaborate
on your details, use
this chart to record
sensory details.
–  Use one copy for the
professional model.
–  Use another copy
to record details for
your essay.
Download this graphic organizer at www.curriculumcompanion.org
Copyright © 2010 Sacramento County Office of Education
Some images used under license from Shutterstock, Inc.
Curriculum Companion
Sacramento County Office of Education
3
For Use with Holt, Rinehart and Winston
7th Grade, Chapter 1
Writing a Descriptive Essay
Direct Teaching
Professional Model
•  Share what you
thought the most
vivid details were.
•  Let’s discuss what
these details were
so effective.
Copyright © 2010 Sacramento County Office of Education
Some images used under license from Shutterstock, Inc.
Direct Teaching
Finishing Touches
Remember to use
the Guidelines for
Proofreading that appear
in the Introduction to Part 2
on page 533.
Copyright © 2010 Sacramento County Office of Education
Some images used under license from Shutterstock, Inc.
Curriculum Companion
Sacramento County Office of Education
4