On Hand: Chart paper or whiteboard and a marker.

Mini-Lesson: "What do you do when students begin to overload their writing with details?" teachers often ask. I find that what primary teachers are referring to when they say "too much description" is frequently an overabundance of adjectives.

            Adjectives are not necessarily details. At times the right adjective can provide the perfect picture: yellow rubber boots, for example, but words like pretty, good, excellent, and awesome create absolutely no picture in our minds at all. I've witnessed many a teacher conduct a word choice lesson that encourages students to retire words like good only to see sentences like these follow:

My soccer team is really, really, really awesome!!!!

            Model the elimination of vague adjectives (and adverbs) where you can. Project an initial attempt:

            My sweet grandmother bakes the most awesome cookies!

Remind students of "show, don't tell" and rewrite:

"Oh, I'm so glad you're here!" my grandmother says as I walk through her back door. I have no sooner sat down when she puts a plate of chocolate peanut butter cookies down in front of me. I can tell that the centers are gooey and the edges are crisp-just the way I like them. I pick one up and it's still warm.

            Discuss the difference between the first sentence and the following paragraph. Point out that awesome doesn't make our taste buds water, whereas words like gooey just might.

Extension: Post a list titled "Beware of These Adjectives" and record those that are too general.