Adjectives

Author: Kristin Merritt

Grade: 3

NE Standards: 4.2.1 Students will identify, describe, and apply knowledge of the structure of the English language and standard English conventions for sentence structure, usage, punctuation, capitalization, and spelling. 4.3.1 Students will pose questions and contribute their own information or ideas in group discussions in order to acquire new knowledge.

Objectives: The student will:

1. write down adjectives to describe objects in a bag.

2. report to the class the adjectives they used.

3. write down adjectives that describe the music they listen to.

4. share their adjectives with the class

5 paper bags

5 different objects to place in each bag (potato, granola bar, fabric softner)

Various samples of recorded music (Classic Disney Volume 1)

Anticipatory Set Ask the students what an adjective is. Then talk with the class about the work they have done with adjectives in the past. They have been identifying adjectives in sentences. Explain that today they are going to do a fun activity using adjectives.

Vocabulary: none

Activities: Distribute the five bags around the room. Each student is asked to place one hand in the bag and feel the object. They can touch the object, shake the bag, etc., but they can not look at the object. The student should then write down as many adjectives as they can to describe the unknown object. After each child has written the adjectives for all five bags, the adjectives will be shared with the class. The teacher will ask the students if they can name the object. The teacher will then display the object to the class. We will then talk about the fact that adjectives can help us figure out what objects are. Next, will play a sample of music (Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah) and the students will write down adjectives that describe the music (elements of music, how it makes them feel, what it makes them think of). The students will then share their adjectives with the class.

Closure: The teacher will discuss that adjectives can be used to describe many objects and can also be used to describe music. Even though we can’t actually see the objects or the music, we came up with many descriptive words to help others understand what are senses are telling us about the objects and the music. The song Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah uses many different adjectives in the song that can help students better grasp this concept.

Assessment: The students will hand in the papers on which they recorded adjectives. If the students’ words were indeed adjectives they will receive full credit for this assignment.