Show Don't Tell

Materials Needed: White paper, pencils (colored pencils or crayons optional), Louise Fitzhugh's Harriet the Spy, pp. 14-15.

Students learn the importance of detail by drawing a picture after being given little or no detail, and then drawing a picture after given rich detail.

Tell students to draw a picture of the person you describe: "A woman answered the door, she was very big." Repeat if necessary. Give them a few minutes to draw, then compare pictures and discuss what was easy or hard about this exercise. Discuss any questions they had about the woman.

Have them turn their papers over and listen to the description of Ole Golly's mother. Read again, and have them draw that character. You can point out the author's use of similes or comparisons. After they have had time to draw, have students share and discuss their questions and what was easier or harder about this picture.