Download 1. Can it be divided into 3 parts?

Descriptive Writing:
Fast Food Edition
Ms. Ward’s Fourth Grade Class
Purpose & Mission
• PURPOSE: To thoroughly describe a topic
• MISSION: To “paint a word picture” for the
reader
• KEY WORD: “describe”
Organizer
Rectangle: Topic (what the whole paper is about;
something that can be divided into 3 parts!)
Triangle: Supporting Detail: Object (a PART of
the topic that I can hold or touch AND divide
into 3 parts!)
Circle: Elaborating Detail: Object (a PART of
the triangle that I can hold or touch!)
Sentences
• Your
sentence can be a TELLING
sentence, so it can use a WEAK verb.
• Your
sentences must be SHOWING
sentences, so they must use ACTION verbs!
Paragraphs
• Remember…a paragraph =
• A paragraph can only be about ONE thing!
• Which is a proper paragraph?
food
taco
taco
shell
burrito
meat
nachos
cheese
Topics vs. Prompts
• It is important to understand the difference
between a topic and a prompt!
• Sometimes the prompt IS your topic, but
sometimes it is NOT!
• Remember that a paper can
be about ONE topic!
only
Topics vs. Prompts
Prompt: Describe a Chick-Fil-A restaurant.
Prompt = Chick-Fil-A
Topic
= Chick-Fil-A
Prompt: Describe your favorite restaurant.
Prompt = favorite restaurant
Topic
= Chick-Fil-A
NOTE: A clue word like “favorite” will indicate that
the prompt and topic are different!
Topics vs. Prompts
Determine which prompts have different topics:
1. Describe a Dairy Queen banana split.
2. Describe your favorite Dairy Queen food item.
3. Describe any Dairy Queen food item.
4. Describe a Dairy Queen restaurant.
5. Describe a Dairy Queen uniform.
Triangles
• There are 2 tests that all triangles must
pass:
1. Can it be divided into 3 parts?
2. Can you hold it or touch it?
• If your triangle choice can’t pass BOTH
tests, you can’t use it as a triangle!
Triangles
Which detail(s) would pass BOTH triangle tests?
Circles
• There is only 1 test that all circles must
pass:
1. Can you hold it or touch it?
• If your circle choice can’t pass that test, you
can’t use it as a circle!
One Final Thought
Don’t be a
…just follow these tips
to do descriptive right!