✏️ WritingLevel 1Lesson 26
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Writing About a Picture

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What you will learn

  • 1Use three sentence starters to write about a picture
  • 2Apply describing words, action words, and a "because" opinion sentence to picture writing
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Mini Lesson

A picture is worth a thousand words — but today you only need five or six! When you write about a picture, you act like a detective. Look carefully, describe what you see, what is happening, and what you think about it.

Starter 1 — I can see …

  • Use "I can see" to name the main thing in the picture.
  • Add two describing words to make it vivid.
  • Example: I can see a tall green tree with bright flowers.

Starter 2 — In the picture …

  • Use "In the picture," with a comma after it, to describe the setting or an action.
  • Where is it? What is happening? Who is there?
  • Example: In the picture, two children are playing in the park.

Starter 3 — I think …

  • Use "I think" to give your opinion or make a guess about the picture.
  • Follow with "because" to explain your thinking.
  • Example: I think they are happy because they are laughing.

Look for four things in any picture

  • Who is in it? What are they doing?
  • Where are they? How do they feel?
  • Then use describing words to tell about what you find.

Words to know

I can see

A sentence starter used to name what is in a picture

e.g. I can see a tall tree.

In the picture

A sentence starter used to describe the setting or an action

e.g. In the picture, a dog is running.

I think

A sentence starter used to give an opinion — pair with because

e.g. I think they are happy because they are laughing.

Action word

A word that shows movement or activity in the picture

e.g. running, rolling, laughing

A framed picture with detective questionsA framed picture being examined with a magnifying glass. Thought bubbles around it ask Who, What, and Where.Picture DetectiveWho?What?Where?Look closely — ask Who? What? Where? How?
A framed picture examined with a magnifying glass and detective questions.
A sample picture paragraphA sample three-line paragraph written from a picture on ruled lines, with the I can see, In the picture, and I think starters and describing words highlighted.About the PictureI can see two happy children.In the picture, a ball is rolling.I think they are having fun because they are laughing.I can seeIn pictureI thinkactionThree starters build a full picture paragraph.
Sample paragraph — I can see, In the picture, and I think sentences highlighted.
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Ask yourself: "Did I say what I see, what is happening, and what I think? Did I use describing words?"

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