Show Don't Tell

Sarah pulled her collar up, tightened her scarf and shoved her hands deep into her pockets.

• Sarah is angry.

• Sarah is cold.

• Sarah is confused.

• Sarah is tired.

Tags

CCSS.RI.5.1

CCSS.RI.6.1

CCSS.RL.4.1

CCSS.RL.5.1

CCSS.RL.6.1

When posing for the photo, John he had to bend his knees to fit into the picture.

• John is lazy.

• John is tired.

• John is tall.

• John cares a lot about this picture.

Tags

CCSS.RI.5.1

CCSS.RI.6.1

CCSS.RL.4.1

CCSS.RL.5.1

CCSS.RL.6.1

Paul's face began flushing, his throat tightened, his voice rose and he slammed his fist on the table.

• Paul is nervous.

• Paul is exhausted.

• Paul is angry.

• Paul is furious.

Tags

CCSS.L.1.6

CCSS.L.3.6

CCSS.L.4.6

CCSS.RL.1.4

Suzie felt for the bench with a white cane.

• Suzie is blind.

• Suzie likes canes.

• Suzie wants to sit down.

• Suzie likes benches.

Sally wore coveralls carried a plunger and metal toolbox, and wrenches of various sizes hung from a leather belt around her waist. “Point me to the the tap,” she said.

• Sally likes tools.

• Sally is good at fixing things.

• Sally is a plumber.

• Sally likes to wear coveralls.

I barely touched my food, riveted by Tim. “Let me tell you another story,” he said.

• Tim is interesting.

• Tim is boring.

• Tim is shy.

• Tim is calm.

Sarah's brown, sleepy eyes hardened into red slits. Brandishing a decapitated lollipop and a cardboard sword, she cocked her plastic Viking helmet so that the points stuck out a little more than her curls. “You mean dragon! You’ll never make me nap!”

• Sarah is ready for a nap.

• Sarah is a good little girl.

• Sarah is determined not to go to sleep.

• Sarah is a child.

On the shelf in my bedroom is a first-place football trophy and a first-place chess trophy. Above my bed on one side is a gold medal in track and field and on the other side is a framed photo of me winning “Junior Chef of the Year.” Before you ask me to play cards, you should have a full wallet. If your son wants to play marbles with me, he should know I play for keeps. If you start crying while I’m playing cards with you, I won’t stop until you look me in the eye, and admits, “You won!”

• The character is good at lots of things.

• The character is very competitive.

• The character is not very nice.

• The character is mean to others.

Tags

CCSS.RL.11-12.3

CCSS.RL.7.3

CCSS.RL.8.3

CCSS.RL.9-10.3