1. Descriptive Writing: Fast Food Edition Ms. Ward’s Fourth Grade Class

2. Purpose & Mission PURPOSE: To thoroughly describe a topic
MISSION: To “paint a word picture” for the reader
KEY WORD: “describe”

3. 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!)

4. 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!

5. 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

6. 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 only be about ONE topic!

7. 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!

8. 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.

9. 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!

10. Triangles
Which detail(s) would pass BOTH triangle tests?

11. 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!

12. One Final Thought Don’t be a
…just follow these tips to do descriptive right!