Original PromptCan you give me a lesson to do with my 6th grade ELA students that has them show emotion in their writing?
This resource focuses on enhancing writing skills by teaching students to 'show' emotions instead of merely 'telling' them. It provides a clear distinction between these two approaches, emphasizing the importance of descriptive, sensory details that allow readers to experience emotions viscerally. The document includes examples of 'telling' statements and their 'showing' counterparts, alongside a bank of sensory words categorized by different emotions such as fear, joy, and anger. Guided practice exercises encourage students to transform telling sentences into vivid descriptions, while reflection sections prompt them to contemplate the effectiveness of their writing. The resource culminates in a creative writing challenge, where students must describe a character's reaction to a surprising letter using physical sensations without naming the emotion. Additional tasks are available for gifted students, including an exercise in irony.