As an introduction to our Narrative Writing Unit, third-grade students explored the power of sensory adjectives by practicing descriptive writing in the third-grade lunch area. To start, students sorted sensory adjectives and added a helpful reference list to their interactive writing notebooks. Following this, they spent time outdoors, attentively noting what they could hear, see, smell, and touch in their surroundings. This learning activity concluded with a discussion on how these sensory adjectives might be used to add vivid detail and realism to future writing.
Over the next few weeks, students will author their own fictional short stories. They will be encouraged to use sensory adjectives to dive deeper into their characters' experiences, answering questions such as "What does my protagonist notice when they enter a new space?" Using sensory details is a key element of effective narrative writing. By engaging the five senses—sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch—writers create a richer, more immersive world for their readers.