Name: Steve Hughes Grade Level: 3

Writing Mini-Lesson 1

Mini Lesson Topic Using Vivid Verbs

Objective: Showing students how authors use vivid verbs to enhance their writing.
SOL: 3.8 The students will write a descriptive paper describing animals’ movements in their
habitats.
Mentor texts: In the Small, Small Pond by Denise Fleming. Paper, pencil, thesaurus.
Materials

Connection: During our last writer’s workshop, we wrote about animals in their habitat. We talked
• Tell them what you about how we need to choose verbs that capture the readers’ attention. We then looked at
taught in the the verb choices you made in describing each animals’ movements. Some of the phrases
previous lesson. you used in your writing were, deer run through the forest, deer eat leaves, monkeys climb
• How does this idea trees, sharks swim in the ocean. There were a lot of phrases like that. You told me what
connect? they do, but think about this question: How do those phrases sound? Interesting? Do they
capture your attention? Do you want to read sentences like that all day? Look for student
facial reactions… Let’s revisit this assignment, but…
…today, we will look at our mentor text, written by Denise Fleming, and see how she went
Explicit Instruction: about choosing verbs to describe animals’ movements. Today we will learn how to choose
• Tell them what you vivid verbs that give life to a story. Today we will learn to write with precise verbs that are
will teach today. exciting. Let’s get started by talking about tadpoles. What do tadpoles do? (Solicit student
• Show them responses.) Show pages 6-7 from In the Small, Small Pond “wiggle, jiggle, tadpoles
examples of how wriggle”. Doesn’t that capture your attention more than tadpoles swim? Wiggle means to
others use the move up and down or from side to side with small rapid movements, jiggle means move
technique(s). about lightly and quickly from side to side or up and down, and wriggle means twist and
turn with quick movements. Is that how tadpoles move? They do more than swim. They
wiggle! They jiggle! They wriggle! Notice that Fleming doesn’t use a ton of language here.
There isn’t a lot of filler. It’s blunt. It’s to the point. It’s precise. It’s descriptive. It shows
exactly what a tadpole does. Think about a goose. What does a goose do? (Solicit student
responses.) Show pages 8-9 from In the Small, Small Pond by Denise Fleming “waddle,
wade, geese parade.” Again, doesn’t that capture your attention more than geese fly or
geese swim? Waddle means walk with short steps and a clumsy swaying motion, wade
means walk with effort through water, and parade means walk in a formal procession. Is
that how geese move? They do more than swim or fly. They waddle! They wade! They
parade! Again, Fleming doesn’t use a lot of language here. There isn’t a lot of filler. It’s
blunt. It’s to the point. It’s precise. It’s descriptive. It shows exactly what a goose does. This
is what I want you to do today!
But before you do it on your own, let’s do one together. Let’s think about squirrels. What
Guided Practice: do squirrels do? (Solicit student responses. Allow use of thesaurus.) (Hopeful examples or
• Engage them in examples I add! scamper, hurry, scurry, dash, dart, dive-among others.) Write “scamper,
practicing you’re scurry, squirrels hurry.” Doesn’t that capture your attention more than squirrels run fast or
your and/or squirrels climb trees? Talk about definitions of each word: scamper means run with quick
other(s). light steps, scurry means move hurriedly with short quick steps, and hurry means move
with great haste. Is that how squirrels move? Squirrels do more than run or climb trees.
They scamper! They scurry! They hurry! This time WE didn’t use a lot of language. WE
didn’t use a lot of filler. WE were blunt. WE were to the point. WE were precise. WE were
descriptive. Now it’s your turn!
 Independent Practice: Let’s get into our groups. First, I want you to take some time to read In the Small, Small
• Remind students Pond by Denise Fleming. Talk about each animal and the text that describes the animals’
how the teaching movements. Notice how precise and exciting the verbs are. You may also notice some
point can be used in alliteration and rhyming. Use it if you are able. Next, you will need to choose your animal
independent and your habitat. Then you will need to start thinking about what verbs describe the
writing. movements of your animal in its habitat. Make a list, use your thesaurus. I will move about
• Link mini-lesson and the room listening to your conversations and asking you some helpful questions to keep
writing lives. you moving and on track. Ask me questions when I come by, too! (If you finish one animal,
write about another animal in your habitat.)
Groups Wrap Up: Alright, authors! Let’s wrap this thing up for today! What did we want our verbs to be? We
• Restate the teaching wanted our verbs to be ______________! (Solicit student responses. Looking for vivid,
point. precise, descriptive, exciting.)
• Ask: Did you try
what was taught? Who wants to share their sentences that we could publish? Sentences like the ones that
Did it work for you? Denise Fleming used in her book, In the Small, Small Pond? Seek comments from their
How will it affect peers.
your future writing?
Do you feel like your group experienced success? What was easy? What was difficult? What
can I do better to support you?

Remember that when you are writing, it is important to capture the attention of your
readers. One way you can do this is by using vivid verbs! Vivid verbs can be used in all kinds
of writing!

Self Check:

I modeled writing for the students.

I used a mentor text.

I used excerpts from the mentor texts.

I provided details as to what I was doing for each stage of the lesson.

I provided details as to what the students were doing for each stage of the lesson.