Sensory writing

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Home : 2007 : September : 10

Sensory writing
By 1956BD

We write a descriptive essay on the oreo. First we study the five senses. Then I tell them we are going to write about the oreo using all five of our senses. I give each of them an oreo in a baggie to keep while we are writing.
The first day we smell it and as class make a list of adjectives that describe the smell. Usually that same day we write a list of words that describes what it looks like. The next day we braintstorm a list of words that describes how it feels in your hand.

The last day (day#3) we eat it and describe the taste, with a long list of descriptive words. Before we bite into them

I remind them that we also need to list the sounds the cookie makes as we eat it. Our fifth piece of chart paper describes the sounds of eating an oreo. Then they start writing. They must have a good beginning, middle and conclusion. They must include all five senses. After a peer and teacher edit we write the final copy on a round piece of paper. We cover it with a round drawing made to look like an oreo.

On the Nabisco web site you can find the oreo song and play it for your students. I always kick the assignment off with that. I also typed the words up so we could sing it together as a class. We talked about that the advertising writers got paid for making up this song. They thought that sounded like a cool job.

I help them edit their work and create a final copy to share with the class. We try to get at least one onomatopoeia word in there for sound, like crunch or snap. We also try to use a simile in the oreo essay.