Creative Writing for Kids & Teens: Sensory Detail Deep-Dive – Show Don't Tell Tips that Hook Readers Learn how to write sentences that crackle and linger or sparkle and snap in this Descriptive Writing BootCamp video. We'll dive into how to craft sensory details with action verbs that show instead of tell, drawing readers into the sights, sounds, smells, tastes, textures, and temperatures of your fictional world. Whether you’re writing action-packed adventure, blood-spattered horror, or a subtle and nuanced portrait of frenemies, getting a feel for strong verbs and developing an understanding of the power of precision will make your slasher script more gory, your thriller more gripping and your fantasy more magical. We'll walk through examples and revision tips to help make your fiction, memoir, script, TV series, poem, song lyric, or video game narrative pop. CHECK OUT COMICS & VIDEOS BY KIDS in writing workshops featuring this video (and the teaching resources below) as part of the curriculum: https://room2ruminations.home.blog/ COMPANION TEACHING RESOURCES If you’re an educator looking to teach descriptive writing skills, our companion resources below offer ready-to-use teaching tools like show-don’t-tell/descriptive writing graphic organizers to scaffold revision and mentor sentence studies that highlight elements of craft like point of view, figurative language, sensory detail, character, and conflict. Geared toward young writers who want to sharpen their writing chops, as well as reluctant writers who need a little extra engagement, these EDITABLE, DIFFERENTIATED & GAMIFIED revising & editing practice tools can help deepen your students' grasp of foundational skills for strong writing. Save time with these ready-to-use materials designed to support Grade 4+ writers (and their teachers!) in classroom or homeschool settings: FINDING FILTERS: Descriptive Writing Revising/Editing Practice Show-don't-tell Anchor Chart & Quizizz Game https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Descriptive-Writing-RevisingEditing-Practice-Show-dont-tell-Anchor-Chart-Game-7935927 Verb Word Bank & Descriptive Writing/Show-Don't-Tell/Part of Speech Anchor Chart https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Verb-Word-Bank-Descriptive-WritingShow-Dont-TellPart-of-Speech-Anchor-Chart-5181261 PART CHARTS: Revision Workshop Scaffold | Show-Don’t-Tell (Explode the Moment) Descriptive Writing Graphic Organizers & Sensory Detail Worksheets https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Descriptive-Writing-Graphic-Organizers-Explode-the-Moment-Show-Dont-Tell-8123139 SENSORY DETAIL DEEP-DIVE: Writing Sound | Descriptive Writing Anchor Chart & Game https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Descriptive-Writing-Anchor-ChartGame-Sensory-Details-Writing-Sound-8158181

Learn how to write sentences that crackle and linger or sparkle and snap in this Descriptive Writing BootCamp video. This sentence-level revision explainer will walk you through a powerful strategy for cutting repetition, sharpening sensory descriptions, and clarifying meaning. For writers in Grades 4 and up, this video shows the step-by-step transformation of a repetitive "telling” sentence—It was so foggy that there was fog on almost the whole forest—into a vivid description that “shows”: Fog billowed over the forest, and the redwoods vanished beneath a layer of fluff. Whether you’re writing action-packed adventure, blood-spattered horror, or a subtle and nuanced portrait of frenemies, getting a feel for strong verbs and developing an understanding of the power of precision will make your slasher script more gory, your thriller more gripping, and your fantasy more magical. We'll walk through examples and revision tips to help make your fiction, memoir, script, TV series, poem, song lyric, or video game narrative pop. Paired videos of a real-life foggy forest to inspire descriptive detail, this video features visuals that demonstrate the revision process along with “pause & discuss” moments for classroom interaction. Companion Anchor Chart & Quizizz Game Are you an educator interested in this video as an anchor chart & Quizizz game? You are? Guess what?! This exact thing is available right here: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Revising-Editing-Anchor-ChartGame-Zoom-In-Cut-Repetition-Add-Sensory-Details-8091985 Related Teaching Resources If you’re an educator using this video in your classroom, check out our companion resources below. They offer ready-to-use teaching tools like show-don’t-tell/descriptive writing graphic organizers to scaffold revision, games to reinforce writing skills, and mentor sentence studies that highlight elements of craft like point of view, figurative language, sensory detail, character, and conflict. Geared toward young authors who want to sharpen their writing chops, as well as reluctant writers who need a little extra engagement, these EDITABLE, DIFFERENTIATED & GAMIFIED revising & editing practice tools can help deepen your students' grasp of foundational skills for strong writing: Verb Word Bank & Descriptive Writing/Show-Don't-Tell/Part of Speech Anchor Chart https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Verb-Word-Bank-Descriptive-WritingShow-Dont-TellPart-of-Speech-Anchor-Chart-5181261 The Last Cuentista | Mentor Sentences, Descriptive Writing Graphic Organizer: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/The-Last-Cuentista-Mentor-Sentences-Descriptive-Writing-Graphic-Organizer-10043380 Writing Light: Descriptive Writing Graphic Organizer and Revising & Editing Practice Activity with Mentor Sentences from Jerry Spinelli’s Loser: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Writing-Light-Descriptive-Writing-Graphic-Organizer-Mentor-Sentences-from-Loser-8322569 Descriptive Writing Graphic Organizers | Explode the Moment | Show-Don’t-Tell Practice Tool: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Descriptive-Writing-Graphic-Organizers-Explode-the-Moment-Show-Dont-Tell-8123139

An explainer video for storytellers ages 9 and up. Preview a classroom anchor chart and gamified writing workshop resource for teaching concepts introduced in this video here: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Point-of-View-Printable-Anchor-Chart-CloseDistant-Third-Person-Point-of-View-8408944 Preview a companion resource, Point of View & Narrative Distance in Video Games here: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Point-of-View-Narrative-Distance-in-Video-Games-Slideshow-Anchor-Chart-8088796

Learn how to write sentences that crackle and smack or sparkle and snap in this Descriptive Writing BootCamp videocomic about how to use commas & verbs to cut extra words that slow down the action the way Cornelia Funke (The Thief Lord) & Jerry Spinelli (Loser) do in the teaching resource linked below. This video will teach you how to spot bumps like this one: My brother ate ice cream and while he was doing that he was also smearing it on his face. Then he dripped it on the floor. …and smooth them out like this… My brother ate ice cream, smearing it on his face and dripping it on the floor. The trick? This equation: VERB + COMMA + VERB+ing Combine multiple actions with commas and -ing ending verbs. In old-timey teacherspeak, this video will illustrate how to use present participles after verbs of movement, action, or position to indicate parallel activity or a cause-effect relationship. Whether you’re writing action-packed adventure, blood-spattered horror, or a subtle and nuanced portrait of frenemies, mastering tricks like the one you'll learn in this video will make your slasher script more gory, your thriller more gripping, and your fantasy more trippy. We'll walk through examples and revision tips to help make your fiction, memoir, script, TV series, poem, song lyric, or video game narrative pop. COMPANION ANCHOR CHART Are you an educator interested in this video as an anchor chart & Quizizz game? You are? Guess what?! This exact thing is available right here: In accessible and engaging language and comic-style visuals, this anchor chart illustrates how to cut repetition and smooth, bumpy writing by combining multiple actions with commas and -ing ending verbs. Also included: • A link to a JPG version of the anchor chart as a 12 x 18-inch classroom poster. • A link to the anchor chart presented as a lesson and game on QUIZIZZ. Purchase link: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Descriptive-Writing-RevisingEditing-Practice-Show-dont-tell-Anchor-Chart-Game-8091290 Reinforce the writing strategy introduced in this video with this teaching resource: COMPANION MENTOR SENTENCE STUDY/REVISING AND EDITING PRACTICE FEATURING THE THIEF LORD & LOSER Purchase link: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Mentor-Sentence-Study-Comma-Practice-Anchor-Charts-RevisingEditing-Practice-8101047 Mentor sentences from Cornelia Funke’s The Thief Lord and Jerry Spinelli’s Loser launch this editable comma practice mini-unit on how to use commas & verbs (gerunds) to smooth out bumpy syntax. A revising & editing toolkit for teaching clarity and cohesion strategies like participial phrases, gerunds, comma use, and clause reduction to cut repetition, this resource offers concrete, real-world-applicable strategies to help students spot sentences like this one: My brother ate ice cream and while he was doing that he was also smearing it on his face. Then he dripped it on the floor. …and smooth them out so they look like this: My brother ate ice cream, smearing it on his face and dripping it on the floor. This set of Advanced Sentence Revision Tools for Grades 4-8 includes the sections and features below. SKILL IN THE SPOTLIGHT Intro Section: One-paragraph intro to the strategy this resource explores. WATCH Section: A 1-minute explainer video that introduces the strategy and walks students through example applications. READ Section: Mentor sentences from The Thief Lord and Loser, along with excerpts from student writing samples that model approaches to applying the mentor author techniques under consideration. DISCUSS Section: A discussion prompt that asks students to identify, analyze, and apply the strategy. PLAY Section: • An anchor chart version of the intro video (this resource) • A Quizizz game that reinforces concepts introduced in the intro video and challenges students to leverage the strategies they’ve learned to revise example sentences. (this resource) An anchor chart that spells out, step-by-step, how to apply the strategy. • WRITE Section: Prompts to scaffold students as they experiment with the strategy in their own drafts or with example sentences provided. REFLECT Section: Prompts ask students to trade drafts with a classmate and offer peer feedback on each other’s work. FLEXIBLE FORMATTING: Edit any element here to fit your own needs. Skip or modify to customize and differentiate. Click here to access a printer-friendly version with space for students to write in.

Learn how to write magical or scientific powers that drive engaging stories in this creative writing explainer video for kids & teens. Whether you’re writing action-packed adventure, blood-spattered horror, or a subtle and nuanced portrait of frenemies, developing an understanding of the "power of powers" will make your slasher script more gory, your thriller more gripping, and your fantasy more magical. We'll walk through writing tips to help make your fiction, memoir, script, TV series, poem, song lyric, or video game narrative pop. CHECK OUT COMICS & VIDEOS BY KIDS in writing workshops featuring this video (and the teaching resources below) as part of the curriculum: https://room2ruminations.home.blog/ COMPANION TEACHING RESOURCES https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Genre-Fiction-Writing-Hyperdoc-Science-Fiction-Fantasy-Horror-Dystopia-9667784 https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Creative-Writing-Mini-unit-BUNDLE-The-Invention-of-Hugo-Cabret-as-Mentor-Text-8301863?st=92bda4c4d6f0114c095645efdbd9eef6

A sensory detail deep-dive for young authors and teachers designed to build descriptive writing skills, specifically around imagery that evokes sense of taste and smell. Learn how to write sentences that rot and stink or tempt and zing in this Descriptive Writing BootCamp video. We'll dive into how to craft sensory details with action verbs that show instead of tell, with a focus on describing the tastes and smells of your fictional world. Whether you’re writing action-packed adventure, blood-spattered horror, or a subtle and nuanced portrait of frenemies, getting a feel for strong verbs and developing an understanding of the power of precision will make your slasher script more gory, your thriller more gripping and your fantasy more magical. We'll walk through examples and revision tips to help make your fiction, memoir, script, TV series, poem, song lyric, or video game narrative pop. If you’re an educator looking to teach descriptive writing skills, our companion resources below offer ready-to-use teaching tools like show-don’t-tell/descriptive writing graphic organizers to scaffold revision and mentor sentence studies that highlight elements of craft like point of view, figurative language, sensory detail, character, and conflict. Geared toward young writers who want to sharpen their writing chops, as well as reluctant writers who need a little extra engagement, these EDITABLE, DIFFERENTIATED & GAMIFIED revising & editing practice tools can help deepen your students' grasp of foundational skills for strong writing. Save time with these ready-to-use materials designed to support Grade 4+ writers (and their teachers!) in classroom or homeschool settings: FINDING FILTERS: Descriptive Writing Revising/Editing Practice Show-don't-tell Anchor Chart & Quizizz Game https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Descriptive-Writing-RevisingEditing-Practice-Show-dont-tell-Anchor-Chart-Game-7935927 Verb Word Bank & Descriptive Writing/Show-Don't-Tell/Part of Speech Anchor Chart https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Verb-Word-Bank-Descriptive-WritingShow-Dont-TellPart-of-Speech-Anchor-Chart-5181261 PART CHARTS: Revision Workshop Scaffold | Show-Don’t-Tell (Explode the Moment) Descriptive Writing Graphic Organizers & Sensory Detail Worksheets https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Descriptive-Writing-Graphic-Organizers-Explode-the-Moment-Show-Dont-Tell-8123139 Imagery Writing Mentor Author Study featuring passages from work by Gloria Whelan, Thanhha Lai https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Descriptive-Writing-Graphic-Organizers-SmellTaste-Gloria-Whelan-Thanhha-Lai-8753907 Preview the entire resource here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9o8hjPr7bHY About the Resource Teach sentence-level mastery of writing fundamentals with this editable writing or revision workshop resource, featuring passages from Gloria Whelan's Goodbye, Vietnam and Thanhha Lai’s Inside Out & Back Again. This sensory detail deep-dive is designed to build descriptive writing skills, specifically around imagery evoking sense of taste and smell. This Mentor Author study for grades 4-8 includes: • A 5-minute intro explainer video linked in a Google slide to prevent YouTube distractions, embedded with discussion questions to consider as you watch. • Link to a Quizizz game that builds skills introduced in the video. • Mentor author excerpts. • Discussion questions to guide an exploration of effective ways to describe taste and smell, also available as a class game on Quizizz. • Graphic organizers and sentence frames and starters to scaffold student experimentation with mentor author strategies. • Concrete Adjective Word Bank and Motion Verb Word Bank to help power precision in sensory descriptions. • Links to student writing samples that model approaches to applying the mentor author techniques under consideration. • Digital, printable & flexible formatting: this is an editable Google doc you can easily alter to fit your needs and/or copy and paste into your learning platform of choice. Delete or modify to customize and differentiate. If you download as a PDF to print, each white box will appear in landscape orientation on a separate page.

Whether you’re writing action-packed adventure, blood-spattered horror, or a subtle and nuanced portrait of frenemies, formatting dialogue is key to crafting scenes that move. Learn how paragraphs signal who the speaker is in this 1-minute video. Companion Teaching Resource If you're an educator looking for ready-to-use teaching resources to use with this video, check out Dialogue: Storytelling Roles & Formatting Conventions: A Guide to Dialogue Tags, Beats & Punctuation. https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Dialogue-Writing-Practice-Punctuating-Dialogue-Slideshow-Kahoot-Tags-Beats-7671074 Guide students as they practice writing and punctuating dialog/dialogue with this editable Dialogue Writing, Editing & Revising Toolkit for grades 4-12. This Google slideshow & set of dialogue anchor charts includes: • Comic-style explainer sequences that cover the role of dialog in story-telling and offer easy-to-understand definitions and examples of several aspects of “dialog anatomy,” including punctuation and paragraphing, dialog tags, and dialog beats. • Videos that reinforce concepts introduced in the slides. • Editable dialogue editing & revising practice Kahoots. Find links in the speaker notes section of the slideshow. • Questions for discussion. •Sentence-smoothing Strategy: Comma + ing Infographic, Anchor Chart/Poster & Game •A link to slideshow content (including videos and Kahoot games) as an editable reference guide, including dialogue editing & revising checklists with common mistakes to avoid. • Editable formatting. Change any element of the slideshow to fit your own needs. Slides in each section appear in order of complexity. Delete or modify to customize and differentiate. Print individual pages of the reference guide as anchor charts.

Whether you’re writing action-packed adventure, blood-spattered horror, or a subtle and nuanced portrait of frenemies, writing and punctuating dialogue is key to crafting scenes that move. Learn how in this 30-second video lesson on where to put your quotes. Companion Teaching Resource If you're an educator looking for ready-to-use teaching resources to use with this video, check out Dialogue: Storytelling Roles & Formatting Conventions: A Guide to Dialogue Tags, Beats & Punctuation. https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Dialogue-Writing-Practice-Punctuating-Dialogue-Slideshow-Kahoot-Tags-Beats-7671074 Guide students as they practice writing and punctuating dialog/dialogue with this editable Dialogue Writing, Editing & Revising Toolkit for grades 4-12. This Google slideshow & set of dialogue anchor charts includes: • Comic-style explainer sequences that cover the role of dialog in story-telling and offer easy-to-understand definitions and examples of several aspects of “dialog anatomy,” including punctuation and paragraphing, dialog tags, and dialog beats. • Videos that reinforce concepts introduced in the slides. • Editable dialogue editing & revising practice Kahoots. Find links in the speaker notes section of the slideshow. • Questions for discussion. •Sentence-smoothing Strategy: Comma + ing Infographic, Anchor Chart/Poster & Game •A link to slideshow content (including videos and Kahoot games) as an editable reference guide, including dialogue editing & revising checklists with common mistakes to avoid. • Editable formatting. Change any element of the slideshow to fit your own needs. Slides in each section appear in order of complexity. Delete or modify to customize and differentiate. Print individual pages of the reference guide as anchor charts.