Lesson 10: Describe favorite holidays or celebrations

✍️ WRITING (40 Lessons) • 🟠 B. Personal Narratives

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Objective

I can write a short personal paragraph (5–6 sentences) that describes a favorite holiday or celebration with a clear topic, sensory details (sights, sounds, smells), time-order transitions, and a meaningful closing.

Materials

Tip: Brainstorm with a quick list of food, music, decorations, people, places, times before drafting.

Mini-lesson — Paint the celebration with words

  1. Start with the moment: name the holiday and where/with whom you celebrate.
  2. Add sensory details: what you see, hear, smell, taste, and feel.
  3. Use transitions to show time: first, next, then, after that, finally.
  4. Include a standout detail: a tradition, a dish, or a special activity.
  5. Close with meaning: how the celebration makes you feel or why it matters.

Guided Practice — Trace & plan

Trace key words, then plan a paragraph about your favorite celebration (birthday, New Year, school festival, cultural holiday):

  • Key words: topic, detail, first, then, finally, smell, music
  • Example outline:
    1. Topic: My favorite celebration is New Year’s Eve with my family.
    2. Detail: First we cook a big meal that smells sweet and spicy.
    3. Detail: Then music fills the house and we play games together.
    4. Detail: After that we count down and watch bright fireworks.
    5. Closing: Finally I feel hopeful because a new year is starting.
Tracing Pad
Tracing snapshot for print
Tip: Read your paragraph aloud. Did you include at least three sensory details?

Drag & Drop — Build Celebration Sentences

Drag chips into the slots to make clear, vivid sentences that could fit your celebration paragraph.

OnNewYearsEve ourkitchensmelledsweetandspicy.
Firstwehungbrightlightsaroundtheporch.
Nextdrumsthumpedandeveryoneclappedtothemusic.
Thenthesweetcakemeltedonmytonguelikewarmsugar.
Afterthatwesharedstoriesandlaughedtogether.
Finallywecounteddownandbrightfireworkslitthesky.
Becauseitwasafestivalcolorfulflagswavedoverthestreet.
Thesavorystewbubbledandtheroomfeltwarmandcozy.
Wetookafamilyphotobesidetheglowingtree.
Latertheparadefloatedpastwithmusicglitterandcheers.
Intheeveningcandlesflickeredsoftlyonthetable.
IntheendIfeltthankfultocelebratetogether.

Quick Check (15 questions)

1) Which sentence works best as a topic sentence?

2) Which is a sensory detail?

3) Best transition to begin events:

4) Which fits a celebration paragraph?

5) Strong closing:

6) Which sentence shows, not tells?

7) Which is a time-order word?

8) Which detail belongs?

9) What should the closing do?

10) Which sentence is off-topic?

11) Which word appeals to taste?

12) Which sentence uses a strong transition?

13) Best way to combine: “We ate dinner. We told stories.”

14) Which sentence is first person?

15) Which helps readers picture the parade?

Assessment (parent/teacher)

Exit ticket (student)

I will practice…

Lesson 11 →