Describing with Adjectives: Let's Paint Pictures with Words!

English Language Arts Grades 1st Grade 3:15 Video
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Lesson Description

Learn about adjectives and articles, words that help us describe nouns and make our sentences more interesting! We'll explore how adjectives make our descriptions more specific and how articles (a, an, the) tell us if we're talking about something specific or general.

Video Resource

Adjectives and Articles

Miacademy Learning Channel

Duration: 3:15
Watch on YouTube

Key Concepts

  • Adjectives describe nouns.
  • Articles (a, an, the) are special types of adjectives.
  • Articles specify whether a noun is general or specific.
  • Using 'a' before words starting with consonants, and 'an' before words starting with vowels.

Learning Objectives

  • Students will be able to identify adjectives in sentences.
  • Students will be able to use adjectives to describe nouns.
  • Students will be able to differentiate between the articles 'a,' 'an,' and 'the' and use them correctly.
  • Students will understand the purpose of adjectives in making sentences more descriptive.

Educator Instructions

  • Introduction (5 mins)
    Begin by asking students what words they use to describe things. Show them a picture of a cat and ask them to describe it. Introduce the idea that words that describe are called adjectives. Tell them they will be watching a video to learn more about adjectives.
  • Video Viewing (5 mins)
    Play the Miacademy Learning Channel video: 'Adjectives and Articles'. Encourage students to listen carefully for the definition of adjectives and examples.
  • Discussion (10 mins)
    After the video, ask students what they learned about adjectives. Discuss the definition of an adjective and provide more examples. Talk about the articles 'a,' 'an,' and 'the,' and how they are also adjectives. Review the rule for using 'a' and 'an'.
  • Interactive Exercise: Adjective Hunt (10 mins)
    Write several sentences on the board, such as: 'The big dog ran fast.' 'The red ball bounced high.' 'A small bird sang sweetly.' Have students identify the adjectives in each sentence. Ask them to explain what noun the adjective is describing.
  • Activity: Describe a Friend (10 mins)
    Have each student think of a classmate (but not say their name aloud). Have them write 2-3 sentences describing that person using adjectives. Then, have them share their descriptions and see if the class can guess who they are describing.
  • Wrap-up & Quiz Introduction (5 mins)
    Review the main points of the lesson. Explain that we use adjectives to describe things around us, and that 'a', 'an', and 'the' are special kinds of adjectives called articles. Then tell the students that they will be taking a short quiz to test what they have learned about adjectives and articles.

Interactive Exercises

  • Adjective Charades
    Write adjectives on slips of paper (e.g., happy, sad, sleepy, silly). Have students act out the adjectives without speaking, and the class guesses the adjective.
  • Article Sort
    Write words on index cards, some starting with vowels and some with consonants. Have students sort the cards under headings 'a' and 'an'.

Discussion Questions

  • What is an adjective?
  • Can you give me some examples of adjectives?
  • What are the articles? How are they used?
  • Why is it important to use adjectives in our writing?

Skills Developed

  • Listening Comprehension
  • Vocabulary Development
  • Descriptive Writing
  • Grammar Skills

Multiple Choice Questions

Question 1:

Which word is an adjective?

Correct Answer: Happy

Question 2:

Which sentence uses an adjective?

Correct Answer: The sun is bright.

Question 3:

Which of these is an article?

Correct Answer: The

Question 4:

We use 'a' before words that start with a...

Correct Answer: Consonant

Question 5:

We use 'an' before words that start with a...

Correct Answer: Vowel

Question 6:

Which sentence is correct?

Correct Answer: I saw an apple.

Question 7:

What does an adjective do?

Correct Answer: It describes a noun.

Question 8:

Which word describes the noun 'flower'?

Correct Answer: Pretty

Question 9:

Which article do we use for a specific noun?

Correct Answer: The

Question 10:

Which sentence is correct?

Correct Answer: The dog is happy.

Fill in the Blank Questions

Question 1:

An _________ is a word that describes a noun.

Correct Answer: adjective

Question 2:

'A', 'an', and 'the' are called _________.

Correct Answer: articles

Question 3:

We use 'a' before words that start with a _________.

Correct Answer: consonant

Question 4:

We use 'an' before words that start with a _________.

Correct Answer: vowel

Question 5:

The adjective in 'The blue car' is _________.

Correct Answer: blue

Question 6:

The article we use to describe a specific item is _________.

Correct Answer: the

Question 7:

A _______ cat is sleeping. (Use an adjective).

Correct Answer: small

Question 8:

I ate _________ apple. (Use a or an)

Correct Answer: an

Question 9:

The _______ is shining. (Use an adjective)

Correct Answer: bright

Question 10:

I have _________ book. (Use a or an)

Correct Answer: a

Educational Standards

1.5.R.2:Students will recognize parts of speech in sentences: nouns as concrete objects (i.e., people, places, and things), regular plural nouns, present-tense verbs as actions, color, size, and number adjectives, prepositions, the pronouns I, me, you, and we, the conjunctions and, or, and but, the adverbs too and very. 1.5.W.2:Students will use nouns, verbs, and adjectives to add clarity and variety to their writing. 1.4.W.1:Students will use grade-level vocabulary to communicate ideas through speaking and writing. 1.1.L.1:Students will actively listen using agreed-upon discussion rules.

Teaching Materials

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