Language Arts - Grade 4 TEKS 4.18D - Using Adjectives and Adverbs to Make Writing Vivid or Precise by Crystal Yoder

Category:  Language Arts
Grade Level:  4th Grade
Objective: 

Language Arts TEKS 4.18D  Writing/grammar/usage.
The student applies standard grammar and usage to communicate clearly and effectively in writing.  The student is expected to use adjectives (comparative and superlative forms) and adverbs appropriately to make writing vivid or precise.

Music TEKS 4.4A  Creative expression/performance.
The student creates and arranges music within specified guidelines.  The student is expected to create simple and melodic phrases.

Behavioral Objective:
In small groups, the students will apply standard grammar in writing poems with vivid adjectives and then creating movement that goes with the poem.

Materials: 
Free verse or haiku poems, colorful leaves, thanksgiving pictures or objects.  Drum, triangle, claves.

Activities/Strategies: 
This activity will be introduced with a class discussion on how various movements to the reading of a poem can be interpreted.  I will have a student in the class read a simple haiku poem (that I have already chosen that is full of vivid adjectives) while I act out movements.  Students will be divided up into small groups to discuss the difference in how presentational and representational movements describe what is being read.  Students will be given an object related to the season or holiday and as a group choose adjectives that describe the object the best.  In the same small groups, students will work with various poems and discuss the use of adjectives and adverbs and try to write their own haiku or free verse poem using some of their own adjectives and adverbs.  Next, students will work in these same groups to develop some type of movements to their poem, either presentational or representational which they will share with their classmates.  Once students understand how to use the different types of movement they will be given the option of adding a musical instrument to their movement.  At the end of class students will say their poem while acting out movements and possibly using musical instruments.

Example using haiku poem:

* drums # claves ^ triangle

 

^	^				^
#			#
*
Twi.........		...............tch..........		.........ing
Tuf.........		................ft............		..........ed
Tail
Wave hands up and down
Spin in a circle
Clap

 

#	#
*			#
^		^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
A tooooo...............		.......................asty
Tawny
Tum ....................		.........................my
Put hand into air, give toast
Make muscles
Rub belly

 

^
#		#
*
A
Tir...........................	..........................ed
Tiger
Stomp
Slowly go towards ground
Curl in ball

Evaluation: 
Each group will be evaluated based on the following:

• Poem written

• Poem demonstrated proper use of vivid adjectives and adverbs

• Movement accompanied poem

• Students used musical instruments (optional)