Descriptive Tools

This lesson focuses on participial phrases, which are phrases that begin with participles and provide descriptive information about nouns or pronouns. The lesson lasts two class periods. On the first day, students will learn what participial phrases are, look at examples of them, explore how writers use them, and think about the impact they have on writing. On the second day, students will review key information about participial phrases, apply them to their writing, and reflect on the significance of this concept to their writing. The lesson sequence concludes with students answering an exit question on the importance of participial phrases to strong writing. The lesson's objectives are: students will understand the concept of participial phrases, students will understand the importance of participial phrases to strong writing, and students will be able to use participial phrases in their writing and reflect on the importance of doing so.