Show Don't Tell

Move beyond flat statements and into vivid, sensory writing. Kids learn to rewrite "the pizza was good" into something you can taste, smell, and feel. This is where writing comes alive.

What To Do

1. Start with a flat statement: Write a simple sentence like "The pizza was good" or "The dog was big" or "The movie was scary."

2. Ask sensory questions: For each flat statement, ask: - What did it look like? - What did it smell like? - What did it taste like? - What did it feel like? - What did it sound like?

3. Add sensory details: Have your child add details that answer those questions. Instead of "good," they might say "cheesy and warm with crispy crust."

4. Show, don't tell: Rewrite the sentence with sensory details. Example: "The pizza was warm and cheesy, with a crispy crust that crunches when you bite into it."

5. Practice with different topics: Try several different flat statements and have your child rewrite them with sensory details.

6. Read aloud together: Read the original flat sentences and the new sensory sentences aloud. Discuss which version is more interesting and why.

Why This Works

This lesson teaches kids that writing is about creating an experience for the reader, not just stating facts. It also builds vocabulary and descriptive skills that transfer to all types of writing.

Parent Script

Setting up:

"Today we're going to make your writing more exciting. Instead of just telling the reader something, we're going to show them."

Guiding the process:

"The sentence says 'the pizza was good.' What do you think the pizza looked like?" "What did it smell like when you took a bite?" "What did it feel like in your mouth?" "Now let's put all those details together and write it."

After writing:

"Which sentence is more interesting? The first one or the second one?" "Why do you think that one is better?"

Common Mistakes

• Adding adjectives without adding sensory details. "The really big, very huge dog was huge" doesn't help. Need specific details.
• Making the sentence too long. A good "show don't tell" sentence is 2-3 sentences, not a paragraph.
• Forgetting to engage multiple senses. Try to use at least 2-3 senses.
• Being too vague. "It was nice" doesn't help. Be specific: "It was warm, fluffy, and smelled like fresh bread."

If Your Child Struggles

Try these adaptations:

1. For younger kids: Focus on just one sense at a time. "What did it look like?" Then "What did it smell like?" Add them together.

2. For kids who need more support: Give them a word bank of sensory words: crunchy, smooth, sweet, salty, spicy, warm, cold, loud, soft, bright, dark.

3. For kids who need more structure: Use a template: "It looked __. It smelled _. It felt ___."

4. For kids who need more engagement: Use actual objects (food, toys, pictures) to make it concrete.

5. For kids who lose interest quickly: Do just 2-3 sentences instead of a full paragraph.

Easy Version

For younger or less confident learners: - Use very simple topics (food, pets, animals, toys) - Focus on just 1-2 senses at a time - Give them a word bank of sensory words - Let them dictate to you and you write it down - Shorten the lesson to 10-15 minutes

For older or more advanced learners: - Write about more complex topics - Use all 5 senses - Practice writing a short paragraph with show-don't-tell - Discuss how different genres use different levels of description

Challenge Version

For deeper conceptual understanding: - Have your child write a full scene using only sensory details (no adjectives like "good" or "bad") - Analyze published writing: Find examples of show-don't-tell in books and discuss why they work - Write from different perspectives: Describe the same scene from two different characters' points of view - Revise and improve: Take a paragraph and rewrite it with more sensory details - Create a sensory word bank: Build a personal list of sensory words they can use

Offline Variation

If you don't want to write: - Do the activity orally: each person says a flat statement, the other person "shows" it - Use pictures instead of writing: draw what you described - Act it out: physically show what you're describing

Teaching Notes

Educational psychology insights: - This lesson builds descriptive writing skills that transfer to all types of writing - It engages sensory learning by asking kids to think about what things look, smell, taste, feel, and sound like - The practice-based approach helps kids internalize the pattern

Connection to curriculum: - This is a foundational writing skill that applies to all types of writing - It pairs nicely with lessons on creative writing, storytelling, or any descriptive writing - Great precursor to more advanced writing concepts

Maryville context: - This is a perfect kitchen-table lesson - Great for homework help or after-school writing practice - Can be extended into longer writing projects

Assessment: Success Criteria

Your child is getting this if they can: - ☐ Identify flat statements vs. sensory details - ☐ Add at least 2-3 sensory details to a flat statement - ☐ Explain why sensory details make writing better - ☐ Rewrite a flat statement with show-don't-tell - ☐ Use specific words instead of vague adjectives

Don't worry if they: - Make the sentence too long - Struggle with word choice at first - Need help identifying which senses to use

Materials

• Paper and pencil
• Optional: actual objects (food, toys, pictures) for inspiration
• Optional: word bank of sensory words

Extension Activities

• Sensory walk: Go on a walk and notice all the sensory details you experience
• Writing journal: Write one "show don't tell" sentence every day
• Book analysis: Find examples in books and discuss why they work
• Peer review: Have someone else read your writing and identify the sensory details