### Lesson Plan: Writing Descriptions and Reports
**Grade Level**: 3
**Subject**: English Language Arts
**Duration**: 60 minutes
**Topic**: Writing Descriptions and Reports
#### Objectives:
- Students will learn how to write descriptive sentences.
- Students will practice organizing their thoughts to write a simple report.
- Students will understand the difference between a description and a report.
#### Common Core Standards:
- **CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.3.2**: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.
- **CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.3.4**: Report on a topic or text, tell a story, or recount an experience with appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details, speaking clearly at an understandable pace.
#### Materials:
- Whiteboard and markers
- Picture Cards (animals, people, places, objects)
- Writing paper and pencils
- Chart paper and markers
- Sample descriptions and reports
- Handouts with prompts
#### Lesson Sequence:
**1. Introduction (10 mins):**
- Begin with a brief discussion about what descriptions and reports are. Write the definitions on the board:
- **Description**: Writing that paints a picture with words, describing characteristics or features.
- **Report**: Writing that provides information about a topic in a clear and structured way.
- Show examples of descriptive sentences and report sentences.
**2. Guided Practice: Writing Descriptions (15 mins):**
- Show a picture card to the class (e.g., a picture of a park).
- Ask students to look at the picture and think about how they would describe it.
- Write a collaborative descriptive paragraph on the board with input from the students.
- Focus on using sensory details and adjectives.
**3. Independent Practice: Writing Descriptions (10 mins):**
- Hand out a different picture card to each student or small group.
- Ask students to write a descriptive paragraph about their picture.
- Circulate the room to offer support and guidance as needed.
**4. Transition to Reports: Explain and Example (10 mins):**
- Introduce the concept of a simple report by explaining its structure:
- Introduction
- Main Ideas with Details
- Conclusion
- Show a simple report example about a familiar topic (e.g., a favorite animal).
**5. Structured Report Writing Activity (10 mins):**
- Provide students with a template for their report. A clear outline for them to fill in might include:
- **Title**
- **Introduction**: A few sentences to introduce the topic.
- **Paragraph 1**: First main idea.
- **Paragraph 2**: Second main idea.
- **Conclusion**: A summary of what they wrote about.
- Choose a simple, relatable topic for all students, e.g., "My Favorite Animal" or "A Place I Like to Visit."
**6. Sharing and Conclusion (5 mins):**
- Ask a few students to share their descriptions and their reports with the class.
- Recap the key differences between descriptive writing and report writing.
**7. Homework/Extension:**
- Assign students to write a short report about their favorite season, including a description and structured information.
**8. Assessment:**
- Monitor student participation during discussions and activities.
- Review student descriptions and reports for use of descriptive language and report structure.
- Provide feedback highlighting strengths and areas for improvement.
### Additional Notes:
- **Differentiation**: Provide sentence starters or graphic organizers for students who may benefit from additional support.
- **Adaptations**: For students who need extension activities, encourage them to add more paragraphs or details to their reports.
By the end of this lesson, students should be able to distinguish between descriptive and report writing and apply these skills in their own work.