Describe — What the Evidence Shows
Say only what you can see. Build the description one piece at a time.
The Describe arc gives students the language to describe evidence without over-claiming. Students study a labelled still and a short witness note, build one noun phrase at a time (a / the + adjective + noun), say what a person is wearing and what a person has, fix the exact place with next to, and finally say what is the same and what is different across two pieces of evidence.
Learning goal
By the end of the arc, students can write a noun phrase with one adjective, write is wearing / has sentences about a labelled still, say exactly where something is with next to, and write one same sentence with Both … and and one difference sentence with but — using only what the evidence shows.
Who it is for
Newcomer to early-intermediate ESL/ELD (grades 6–12). Works after the Identify arc, as a description unit before any narrative or argument writing, or as a re-teach block for students whose descriptions turn into guesses.
Progression
- DS-01 — one noun phrase: a / the + one adjective + noun.
- DS-02 — is wearing and has, then the place phrase next to.
- DS-03 — Both … and for the same, but for the difference.
What is included
On this site the arc is taught in full online: three student lesson pages, four matching practice sets, and the arc performance task with a student-facing rubric. Members can download this arc's printable files from My Vault: 26 files in all—slide decks with teacher notes, student packets, teacher guides with answer keys, and the arc assessment or performance task where the arc has one. Each file opens through a short-lived, member-verified link. The same arc is also sold as an editable pack on Teachers Pay Teachers.
Lessons in this arc
- DS-01 · Build the Description — Students read a labelled hallway still and separate what is visible from what is only a guess. They then build noun phrases one at a time, with the article first, one adjective next, and the noun last.
- DS-02 · Details That Matter — A second labelled still and a short witness note show clothing, a carried object, and a position. Students first choose between is wearing and has, and only after that add one place phrase to say exactly where the person is.
- DS-03 · Compare the Evidence — Students read two labelled evidence cards side by side. They say one detail that is the same with Both … and, one detail that is different with but, and one line about what the evidence does not tell them.