What is an Adjective?
Overview
Students will be able to learn about adjectives by watching a Schoolhouse Rock video, Unpack Your Adjectives, with its catchy tune, then see instructional videos on the definition of adjectives and how they are used. Finally, students will be able to check their knowledge of adjectives through games and online quizzes and apply their knowledge in their own writing.
Learning Objectives
Students will:
- Understand the definition of adjectives.
- Understand the use of adjectives in a sentence.
- Apply their knowledge in their own writing.
Vocabulary
Vocabulary Words:
- Adjective: An adjective is any member of a class of words that modify nouns and pronouns, primarily by describing a particular quality of the word they are modifying.
- Noun: A noun is a person, place, thing, state, quality or idea.
- Pronoun: A pronoun is a word used as a replacement or a substitute for nouns and noun phrases (he, she, it, etc.)
Pre-planning
To prepare for this lesson:
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Watch the video from Teaching Without Frills about adjectives: What is an Adjective?
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Watch the Schoolhouse Rock video Unpack Your Adjectives and “Frozen” spin-off song:
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Be familiar with the games students can play online: Drag the adjective to the picture game, and the Two-Player Car Race Game.
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Try the Quiz on education.com.
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Try the Parts of Speech game (Noun, Verb, Adjective sorting) 1st and 2nd grade.
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Create your own Word Cloud to demo to the students.
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Use Padlet to use for a Social Studies activity, if chosen.
Accommodations
See Accommodations Page and Charts on the 21things4students.net site in the Teacher Resources.
Steps
Directions for this activity:
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Introduction: Have students watch several videos that explain adjectives in an interesting way: What is an Adjective?, Schoolhouse Rock video Unpack Your Adjectives and “Frozen” spin-off song about adjectives.
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Activity: Allow them to practice their learning by playing several games.
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One person: Drag the Adjective to the Picture Game and Noun, Verb, Adjective Sorting Game
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Two-Player Game: Two-Player Car Race Game | Turtle Diary
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Multiplayer Game: Multiplayer Basketball Game TurtleDiary
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Assessment Options
Different options for assessing the students:
- Observations
- Check for understanding
- Quiz: Adjectives Quiz | Game | Education.com
- Create a Word Cloud at wordclouds.com using the word “Adjective” for the largest word (highest number) and filling in as many adjectives as possible in the text boxes. This may be a collaborative, group effort. You may print and make a poster or share on social media.
- Students can be given several prompts to answer in three-four sentences. When finished, ask them to add adjectives to make the writing more descriptive.
MITECS Competencies & ISTE STANDARDS
MITECS: Michigan adopted the "ISTE Standards for Students" called MITECS (Michigan Integrated Technology Competencies for Students) in 2018.
Empowered Learner
1c. Students use technology to seek feedback that informs and improves their practice and to demonstrate their learning in a variety of ways.
Creative Communicator
6c Students communicate complex ideas clearly and effectively by creating or using a variety of digital objects such as visualizations, models or simulations.
6d.Students publish or present content that customizes the message and medium for their intended audiences.
Devices and Resources
Device: PC, Chromebook, Mac, iPad
Browser: Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Edge, ALL
App, Extension, or Add-on:
Websites:
Drag the Adjective to the Picture
Multiplayer Basketball Game - TurtleDiary
CONTENT AREA RESOURCES
ELA
- Students listen to songs about adjectives that combine words and songs/speech.
- Students read directions for games and follow along to successfully pass levels and compete.
- Students create a Word Cloud showing their adjectives that they have remembered and created
- Given writing prompts, students respond in three-four sentences, exchange for peer review, use their adjective bank to add a description, and can publish if there is an opportunity.
- Adjectives are placed in alphabetical order in the word cloud activity.
Integrated Arts
Make a video about the word “genuine”, “caring”, or similar human attribute, showing that interaction.
Math
- Students use games to foster math skills, competing against time or another player.
- Word Cloud creation requires listing adjectives in order
Science
- Take an adjective field trip to describe nature: soft, hard, green, brown, etc.
- Write a descriptive paragraph about a science experiment done in class.
Social Studies
- Play a game to use POSITIVE descriptions about classmates - give a word bank to help. Students put a paper plate on their back and take turns writing a positive attribute about that person. If this can’t be done in person, try using Padlet.
- Enjoy food from around the world and use adjectives to describe each dish.
CREDITS
This task card was created by Caryn Parker, Gull Lake Virtual Partnership, January 2021.