Date: January 30, 1997

Grade Level(s): 4, 5, 6

Subject(s):

• Language Arts/Writing (composition)

Description: Students in writing classes are given apples and are asked to examine them closely for unique characteristics that will serve as the basis for a descriptive paragraph.

Purpose: Students learn to write descriptive paragraphs that include specific details and ideas.

Objectives: Students are to:

1. Practice looking for details in ordinary objects
2. Write topic sentences about one main idea
3. Write supporting sentences that give specific, detailed descriptions
4. Learn that even ordinary objects, while appearing to be alike, can be quite different from each other.

Materials:

• apples (one per student or pairs of students, one for teacher)
• paper
• pen or pencil

1. Write ground rules on the board: "No eating the apples until the assignment is finished." "No marking, carving, or poking apples until the assignment is finished."

2. Pass out apples to each student or group of students that will be working together.

3. Ask students to examine their apples for unique characteristics, such as different colors, shapes, marks, stems, bruises, etc., and take notes.

4. Model descriptions students can make with teacher's apple. "This apple has a dark red/black spot on one half. The other half has light green and brown. There are speckles like stars on one side." And so on.

5. Collect apples and place them on a table.

6. Have students reclaim their apples. Most can since they've focused on how their apples are different from each other's.

7. Have students compose descriptive paragraphs using their apples and notes.

8. Group Presentations and Extended Activity:
   
   1. Have students make presentations to the class, reading their paragraphs or have them compare their apples to another group's and report to the class.