Skellig Lesson 2: Using the Senses - PowerPoint

In the second lesson of a series exploring David Almond's novel "Skellig", students delve into the art of descriptive writing. The objective is to understand how authors employ sensory details to craft vivid and effective descriptions that captivate readers. The lesson encourages students to think about the five senses—sight, sound, smell, touch, and taste—and how these can be used to paint a picture with words. To make the concept relatable, the class starts with an interactive exercise where students describe a classmate to a partner, who then guesses the person being described, focusing on their appearance, voice, habits, and preferences.

As the lesson progresses, students read up to the end of Chapter 3 of "Skellig", paying close attention to how Almond sets the scene, introduces characters, and builds suspense through detailed descriptions. They learn that effective description is not just about what is seen, but also what is heard, touched, smelled, and tasted, as well as the emotions evoked. A practical activity involves reading Almond's depiction of a garage and identifying examples of sensory description. Students then work in pairs to discuss Almond's descriptive techniques and create an illustration of the garage, guided solely by the textual descriptions provided in the book. The lesson concludes with a plenary where volunteers present their work and receive feedback, fostering a deeper understanding of descriptive writing and its impact on storytelling.