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IGCSE Year9 Descriptive Writing Lesson Notes Cleaned

The lesson notes focus on teaching students the art of descriptive writing, emphasizing the importance of sensory details and figurative language to create vivid imagery and evoke emotions. Key techniques include 'show, don't tell,' using similes, metaphors, and personification, as well as varying sentence structure. The notes also provide prompts for practice and a checklist to ensure effective descriptive writing.

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370 views3 pages

IGCSE Year9 Descriptive Writing Lesson Notes Cleaned

The lesson notes focus on teaching students the art of descriptive writing, emphasizing the importance of sensory details and figurative language to create vivid imagery and evoke emotions. Key techniques include 'show, don't tell,' using similes, metaphors, and personification, as well as varying sentence structure. The notes also provide prompts for practice and a checklist to ensure effective descriptive writing.

Uploaded by

Victor Ndirangu
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

IGCSE Year 9 Descriptive Writing Lesson Notes

Lesson Objectives

By the end of this lesson, students should be able to:

1. Understand what descriptive writing is and why it's not just listing adjectives.

2. Learn how to create vivid, sensory images through words.

3. Use similes, metaphors, and personification naturally.

4. Develop an atmosphere that makes the reader feel something (even if it's discomfort from the smell of

imaginary socks).

What is Descriptive Writing?

Descriptive writing paints a picture with words. It uses sensory details to:

- Create atmosphere

- Bring scenes and characters to life

- Evoke emotion

Think of it as writing with a camera, microphone, and nose (yes, nose). If the reader can see, hear, feel, or

smell it-they're immersed!

Sensory Details

Always ask: What would you...

- See?

- Hear?

- Smell?

- Feel (touch)?

- Taste?

The more specific, the better:

- Weak: "The room was messy."

- Strong: "Dirty socks clung to the lamp like bats in a cave, and the air smelled like expired cheese."
IGCSE Year 9 Descriptive Writing Lesson Notes

Techniques that Work

1. Show, Don't Tell: Don't say "She was scared." Show it!

- "Her fingers trembled around the doorknob."

2. Figurative Language:

- Simile: "The wind hissed like a boiling kettle."

- Metaphor: "The classroom was a zoo."

- Personification: "The moon watched silently."

3. Vary Sentence Structure:

- Mix long, flowing sentences with short, punchy ones for effect.

Descriptive Writing Prompts

1. Describe a thunderstorm from the perspective of a nervous cat.

2. Write about a forgotten place at the edge of a forest.

3. Describe the inside of an old suitcase filled with secrets.

4. Imagine walking through a city where everything is made of sweets.

Mini Sample

The sun melted into the horizon, bleeding orange and gold across the sky. A warm breeze carried the scent

of grilled corn and dust, while a solitary swing creaked on its rusty hinge like a whisper from the past.

Quick Checklist

- Did I use at least 3 senses?

- Did I show, not tell?

- Did I use figurative language?

- Did I avoid clichés?

- Did I create a clear atmosphere or mood?


IGCSE Year 9 Descriptive Writing Lesson Notes

Wrap-Up

Descriptive writing isn't just about describing-it's about transporting. The best pieces don't just tell a reader

what a place looks like-they make them feel like they've been there.

"Good writing is supposed to evoke sensation in the reader-not the fact that it is raining, but the feeling of

being rained upon." - E.L. Doctorow

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