Unit 2 Portfolio: Descriptive Essay English

Pre-Writing Outline 11A

REQUIRED: Complete this outline and submit as your Unit 2, Lesson 7 portfolio
rough draft for the Descriptive Essay.

Introduction — 1 paragraph Begin your essay with a “hook,” quote, or something

memorable that will hook your reader into reading your essay. Your introduction will give
your reader a brief glimpse into your topic, provide some details, and will let your reader
know what your paper will be about. If using a quote, be sure to have an in-text citation
and properly cite the source on the Works Cited page.

Introduce your topic

As I come off of Highway 1 the mountains feed me into the water. The vast expanse
of the edge of the world. Blue and blue and more blue for as far as the eye can see.
Blue in the sky and blue in the water. The high cliffs of sturdy rock make way to the
fluid water, swimming in itself.

Explain why this topic is important to you:

The ocean has always been a place of wonder to me. Hearing the waves crash into
the sand, and the seagulls caw, I’m in a trance while I’m at the beach. It’s a place for
me to relax, and a place to recharge. It’s a place to discover and a place to just be in
awe.

Write a thesis statement that identifies your topic and include the three types of
sensory details you will describe in your body:
My whole body pulses with the experience of the ocean. The sun blinks its eyes as I
blink my eyes, and turns the water into a bed of glistening sapphires. The wind blows
past my ears calling to me. And the salt on my lips let me know that I am alive.

Body Paragraphs — 3 (or more) The details presented in the body of your
description should present a vivid portrait of your subject (imagery). Focus on
organizing your paper by sensory details, choose three of the five senses (sight,
sound, smell, taste, and texture). Remember, you should include transitions for each
new paragraph. For example:

Paragraph One: First sensory detail (ex. What did you hear? What did it sound like?)
Topic sentence introducing your first sensory detail:
That first glimpse of the ocean, after being surrounded by trees and other roaring cars
and motorbikes is magical. I stand at the edge of the cliff and gaze out.

Detail #1:
The water is a furnace to blend all the blues in the world: aqua, turquoise, teal and
cerulean. They froth together way out there, and crash as one white foam bar. The
water stretches for as far as one can see. As I gaze across, I think, “I am staring at
Japan and Korea. I am standing at the edge of the world.”

Detail #2:
The sand from way above looks like gold. Some of it is that rich, yellow color that
makes you think you stumbled across a leprechaun’s stash. Other parts have the
color of a pasty lump of dough that’s not quite baked. There are logs strewn across,
sticks of beef jerky from way up here. And there are squiggles of seaweed too,
glistening emerald green when wet to papery moss when dry.

Detail #3 (Optional):
There are people too. Some lay on the beach tanning, others are far out in the surf.
The people tanning are golden brown, burnt red, or pale white. Their tents and
umbrellas are bright colors, pink, yellow, blue, and green, reminding me of a fruit
stand. There are joggers too, leaving behind footprints for me to follow a mile back.
Surfboards with hibiscus flowers, palm trees, or the Rip Curl logo are painted on them,
creating breaks in the endless blue. Surfers shout “Gnarly dude!” and hold up the
shaka sign.

Paragraph Two: Second sensory detail (ex. What did you see? What did it look like?)

Transition from paragraph to paragraph by linking the topic from the first
paragraph to the topic of the second paragraph:
People chatter on busy days, call out to each other on the water, but there is always
that background music playing on the Victrola.

Detail #1:
“Crash, crash,” that timeless sound. One that can brush you with peace, or instill you
with fear. The beach is an orchestra of its own. The biggest waves are the cymbals;
they crash into the sand. Smaller waves are the drums, keeping the beat and making
sure the water flows with the rhythm. The water farther out is the piano, playing the
melody and harmonizing with the seagulls.

Detail #2:
“Caw, caw,” go the seagulls. They are the vocalists. They sing the song of the ancient,
yet always changing ocean. And they ride upon the wind, which is the guitar, plucking
faint strums, to tie all the instruments together.

Detail #3 (Optional):
Sometimes we add to it. We yell with excitement and delight. We laugh with joy and
adrenaline. We chat with friendliness and camaraderie. We’re the guest stars,
because at the end of the day, we were only seasoning to the dish.

Paragraph Three: Third sensory detail (ex. What did you smell? What did it smell
like?)

Transition from paragraph to paragraph by linking the topic from the second
paragraph to the topic of the third paragraph:
I close my mouth and run my tongue around my lips and teeth.

Detail #1:
There is salt, which I savor. It’s yummy, but also too much sometimes. I am
surrounded by water but it’s not for drinking. It’s more like the bottle of Morton’s salt in
my food cupboard than the fresh, thirst-quenching juice that it looks. It parches my lips
and burns my throat, but tastes good all the same.

Detail #2:
There are little grains of sand in between my teeth. I bite down and they crunch.
Tastes like dirt mostly, though it holds some similarities to Pop Rocks. They crackle
and coat my tongue, sandpaper rubbing sandpaper. Then, I spit it out.

Detail #3 (Optional):

*** Additional body paragraphs can be added to create an even more vivid picture in
your paper. It’s also ok to use more than three senses for this paper.***

Conclusion

Conclude by summarizing why this topic is important to you:

The ocean is where I feel at home. It’s where I can experience God. It’s where
adventure and peace lie in equal measures. It’s the moving painting that I can stare
with joy at. It’s the enrapturing melodies that flow and swirl around my ears. It’s my
five-star, five-course meal. I could stay here all day. And, at night, once the sun and I
grow tired, we both blink our eyes and sink down, turning the water back into a pool of
perfectly smooth black onyx.

Good luck and be sure to reach out to your teacher if you need help!