Describing My World
The Spark
Concept
Vocabulary is the foundation of all language learning. At Foundation level, children extend their word knowledge by describing familiar things using attributes: colour, size, shape, and purpose. Strong vocabulary supports both comprehension and writing.
Activity
Hold up a common object (e.g. a red ball) and ask: Can you tell me about this? What colour is it? Is it big or small? What do you use it for? Model a full description: It is a small, red, round ball. We use it to play.
Check
Point to an object and ask: Can you describe this using at least two describing words? The child should use adjectives (colour, size, shape, texture) without prompting.
What Colour Is It? (Set A)
Circle the colour word that matches each object.
A banana is...
The sky is...
Grass is...
What Colour Is It? (Set B)
Circle the correct colour for each object.
A strawberry is...
Snow is...
An orange is...
Match Colours to Objects (Set A)
Draw a line from each colour to the object that matches.
Colour Labels (Set A)
Write the colour of each object.
A leaf is ______
The sun is ______
A fire truck is ______
Sort by Colour (Set A)
Sort each object into the correct colour column.
What Colour Is It? (Set C)
Circle the correct colour.
A pig is...
Chocolate is...
A lemon is...
A cloud is...
Match Colours to Objects (Set B)
Draw a line from each colour to the matching object.
Draw and Label Colours (Set A)
Draw each object. Write the colour word underneath.
Draw a red apple:
Draw a blue sky:
Big or Small? (Set A)
Circle the correct size word for each object.
An elephant is...
An ant is...
A house is...
A button is...
Sort: Big or Small?
Sort each object into the correct column.
Colour Labels (Set B)
Write the colour of each object.
A grape is ______
Milk is ______
A carrot is ______
The night sky is ______
Match Size Words to Objects
Draw a line from each size word to the object it best describes.
Choose the Best Describing Word (Set A)
Circle the describing word that best fits each object.
The elephant is very...
The sun is very...
The ice cream is...
Draw and Label (Set A)
Draw each object. Write its name AND one describing word (colour, size or shape).
Draw: a cup. Write a label with a describing word:
Draw: a book. Write a label with a describing word:
Tip: Describing Words Tell Us More
Describing words (we call them adjectives) tell us more about something. Instead of just saying 'ball', we can say 'red ball' or 'big ball' or 'bouncy ball'. The describing word paints a picture in the listener's mind!
Instead of 'dog', I can say: ______ dog
Instead of 'cat', I can say: ______ cat
Choose the Best Describing Word (Set B)
Circle the word that best describes each object.
The rock is...
The feather is...
The fire is...
The baby is...
Sort the Describing Words (Set A)
Sort each describing word into the correct column based on what it describes.
Match Describing Words to Objects (Set A)
Draw a line to match each describing word to the object it best describes.
Describe It! (Set A)
Choose an object from around your home. Draw it and write three describing words.
Draw your object here:
Write three describing words:
Vocabulary Spark: Describing You!
You are amazing and unique! Can you describe yourself using colour, size and texture words? What colour is your hair? Are your hands big or small?
My hair is ______
My eyes are ______
I am ______ (tall/short/big/small)
What Shape Is It? (Set A)
Circle the shape word that best describes each object.
A clock is...
A door is...
A slice of pizza is...
Sort by Shape
Sort each object by its shape.
Describe with Two Words (Set A)
Write TWO describing words for each object. Example: a big, red apple.
A ______, ______ dog
A ______, ______ ball
A ______, ______ flower
How Does It Feel? (Set A)
Circle the texture word that best describes each object.
A teddy bear feels...
Sandpaper feels...
Ice feels...
A silk ribbon feels...
Match Textures to Objects
Draw a line from each texture word to the object it best describes.
Sort Describing Words (Set B)
Sort each word into the correct column.
Describe with Two Words (Set B)
Write TWO describing words for each item.
A ______, ______ house
A ______, ______ tree
A ______, ______ cake
A ______, ______ car
Choose the Best Two Words
Which TWO describing words best describe the object?
A lemon is...
A cloud is...
A rock is...
Match Two-Word Descriptions to Objects
Draw a line from each description to the correct object.
Tip: Use Your Five Senses!
Good describers use their five senses! What can you SEE? (colour, size, shape) What can you FEEL? (texture) What can you HEAR? (sound) What can you SMELL? What can you TASTE? Use all your senses to describe things!
Describe an apple: I see ______. I feel ______. I taste ______.
Five Senses Description (Set A)
Use your senses to describe each object.
A banana: I see ______. I feel ______. I taste ______.
Rain: I see ______. I hear ______. I feel ______.
Sort: Which Sense?
Sort each describing word by which sense you use to notice it.
What Sound Does It Make?
Circle the word that best describes the sound.
A drum is...
A whisper is...
A bell is...
Rain is...
Draw and Describe (Set A)
Draw each object. Write three describing words for each.
Draw: a cat. Describing words:
Draw: the sun. Describing words:
Match Sounds to Objects
Draw a line to match each sound word to the object that makes that sound.
Describe with Three Words
Write THREE describing words for each object. Try to use colour, size AND texture.
A ______, ______, ______ teddy bear
A ______, ______, ______ watermelon
A ______, ______, ______ blanket
Which Word Does NOT Describe It?
Circle the word that does NOT describe the object.
Sun: bright, warm, cold
Snow: white, cold, dry
Kitten: soft, furry, hard
Sort: Happy or Sad Words?
Some describing words tell us about feelings. Sort these feeling words.
Describe a Feeling
Write a describing word for each feeling face.
A smiling face looks: ______
A crying face looks: ______
A surprised face looks: ______
An angry face looks: ______
Vocabulary Spark: The Describing Game!
Play the describing game with someone at home! Think of something in the room. Describe it using three describing words. Can they guess what it is? Write your clues here.
My three clues: ______, ______, ______
The object was: ______
Did they guess it? ______
Opposite Describing Words (Set A)
Circle the opposite of each describing word.
big
hot
soft
loud
Match Opposites (Set A)
Draw a line to match each describing word to its opposite.
Write the Opposite (Set A)
Write the opposite describing word.
tall → ______
wet → ______
old → ______
happy → ______
dark → ______
Sort: Opposites
Match each word to the correct opposite column.
Tip: Describing Words Make Your Writing Interesting!
Compare these two sentences: 'I have a dog.' vs 'I have a big, fluffy, brown dog.' Which one paints a better picture? The more describing words you use, the more your reader can see, hear and feel what you mean!
Make this sentence better: I have a cat. → I have a ______, ______ cat.
Make this sentence better: I ate food. → I ate ______, ______ food.
Describing Sentences (Set A)
Write a sentence about each object using at least TWO describing words.
The ______, ______ cat...
The ______, ______ tree...
The ______, ______ ball...
Which Description Is Better?
Circle the sentence that uses better describing words.
Which is better?
Which is better?
Which is better?
Match Descriptions to Objects (Set A)
Draw a line from each description to the correct object.
Five Senses Description (Set B)
Describe each object using your senses.
Popcorn: I see ______. I hear ______. I taste ______.
A puppy: I see ______. I hear ______. I feel ______.
Order Describing Words by Size
Put these size words in order from smallest to biggest.
Describe Two Objects (Set A)
Draw two objects and describe each one. How are they different?
Object 1 — draw and describe:
Object 2 — draw and describe:
They are different because: ___________________________
Compare: Which Word Fits?
Circle the word that correctly compares.
An elephant is _____ than a cat.
Ice is _____ than fire.
A cheetah is _____ than a snail.
A feather is _____ than a rock.
Match Comparisons
Draw a line to complete each comparison.
Write Comparisons
Complete each comparison using a describing word.
A mountain is ______ than a hill.
A whisper is ______ than a shout.
Sandpaper is ______ than silk.
Night is ______ than day.
Sort: Describing the Weather
Sort each word into the correct weather column.
Describe the Weather Today
Look outside. What is the weather like today? Use describing words.
Today the weather is: ___________________________
The sky looks: ___________________________
It feels: ___________________________
Which Describing Word Fits the Sentence?
Circle the describing word that best completes each sentence.
The ______ puppy wagged its tail.
The ______ ice cream melted fast.
The ______ boy climbed the tall tree.
The flowers smell ______.
Describing Sentences (Set B)
Write a full sentence about each object using at least THREE describing words.
My favourite toy: ___________________________
My bedroom: ___________________________
Match Descriptions to Objects (Set B)
Draw a line from each rich description to the correct object.
Vocabulary Spark: Mystery Object!
Think of an object but do not say its name. Write 5 describing words as clues. Give your clues to someone and see if they can guess the object!
Clue 1: ______
Clue 2: ______
Clue 3: ______
Clue 4: ______
Clue 5: ______
The object was: ______
The Describing Game
Use describing words in everyday activities at home.
- 1Play 'I am thinking of something': describe an object and take turns guessing.
- 2At dinner, describe each food item: The carrot is long, orange and crunchy.
- 3Read a picture book together and collect all the describing words on the pages.
- 4Go on a texture walk — touch things and describe them: rough, smooth, bumpy, soft.
Describe a Room
Look around the room you are in. Write 5 describing sentences about what you see.
1. ___________________________
2. ___________________________
3. ___________________________
4. ___________________________
5. ___________________________
Sort: Taste Words
Sort each taste word into the correct column.
What Does It Taste Like?
Circle the taste word that best describes each food.
A lemon tastes...
Chocolate tastes...
Chips taste...
Honey tastes...
Describe Your Favourite Food
Write about your favourite food using as many describing words as you can.
My favourite food is: ______
It looks: ______
It tastes: ______
It feels: ______
It smells: ______
Match Smell Words to Objects
Draw a line to match each smell word to the correct object.
Describe a Pet or Animal
Choose a pet or animal you know. Write a full description using all five senses.
My animal is: ______
It looks: ___________________________
It sounds: ___________________________
It feels: ___________________________
Full description sentence: ___________________________
Opposite Describing Words (Set B)
Circle the opposite of each describing word.
dry
rough
bright
young
heavy
Describe Two Things: How Are They the Same?
Choose two objects. Describe them both. How are they similar?
Object 1: ______ — it is ___________________________
Object 2: ______ — it is ___________________________
They are the same because: ___________________________
Sort: Words That Describe People
Sort each word: does it describe how someone LOOKS or how someone FEELS?
Describe a Family Member
Choose someone in your family. Write describing words about how they look and how they act.
I am describing: ______
They look: ___________________________
They are: ___________________________
Full sentence: ___________________________
Personality Describing Words
Circle the word that is a personality describing word (not about looks).
Which describes personality?
Which describes personality?
Which describes personality?
Match Personality Words to Actions
Draw a line to match each personality word to the action it describes.
Describe a Picture Scene
Look at a picture in a book or magazine. Write 5 describing sentences about what you see.
1. ___________________________
2. ___________________________
3. ___________________________
4. ___________________________
5. ___________________________
Tip: Describing Words Have Categories!
You have learnt many types of describing words: COLOUR words (red, blue), SIZE words (big, tiny), SHAPE words (round, flat), TEXTURE words (rough, smooth), TASTE words (sweet, sour), SOUND words (loud, quiet), FEELING words (happy, scared), and PERSONALITY words (brave, kind). A great describer uses words from many different categories!
Write one word from each category: colour ______, size ______, texture ______
Describe Your Favourite Place
Think of your favourite place. Describe it using words from many categories.
My favourite place is: ______
I see: ___________________________
I hear: ___________________________
I feel: ___________________________
Full description: ___________________________
Grand Describing Word Sort
Sort each describing word into the correct category.
Describing Word Challenge
Circle ALL the describing words in each sentence.
The big, brown dog is sleeping.
I ate a cold, sweet ice cream.
The tiny, grey mouse ran fast.
Describe Using All Five Senses
Choose any object. Write one describing sentence for each of the five senses.
Object: ______
I see: ___________________________
I hear: ___________________________
I feel: ___________________________
I smell: ___________________________
I taste: ___________________________
Vocabulary Spark: Describing Word Collection!
You are a word collector! Write as many describing words as you can in 3 minutes. Try to get words from every category: colour, size, shape, texture, taste, sound, feeling, personality.
My describing words:
I wrote _____ describing words!
Write a Description Paragraph
Choose an object, animal or place. Write a paragraph (3 to 4 sentences) describing it in detail.
I am describing: ______
My description:
Stronger Describing Words
Some describing words are stronger than others. Circle the STRONGER word.
Which is stronger?
Which is stronger?
Which is stronger?
Which is stronger?
Which is stronger?
Match Weak Words to Strong Words
Draw a line to match each everyday word to a stronger describing word.
Upgrade Your Words!
Replace each ordinary word with a stronger describing word.
nice → ______
bad → ______
good → ______
pretty → ______
scary → ______
Describe a Character
Make up a character for a story. Describe what they look like AND what their personality is like.
Character's name: ______
What they look like: ___________________________
What their personality is like: ___________________________
Sort: Everyday Words vs Stronger Words
Sort each word: is it an everyday word or a strong, interesting word?
Describe a Scene for a Story
Imagine a scene for a story (a forest, a beach, a castle). Describe it so the reader can picture it.
My scene is: ______
Description:
Which Sentence Has the Best Description?
Circle the sentence with the most vivid description.
Best description?
Best description?
Best description?
Describe Your Day
Describe your day so far using as many describing words as possible.
This morning was: ___________________________
The best part was: ___________________________
Tip: You Are a Word Artist!
Every describing word you use is like a colour in a painting. The more colours you use, the more beautiful the picture! You now know words for colour, size, shape, texture, taste, sound, feelings and personality. Keep collecting new describing words every day!
My favourite describing word is: ______
I like it because: ___________________________
Write a Describing Book Page
Draw an object and write a full describing paragraph about it — at least 4 sentences.
Draw your object:
My describing paragraph:
Grand Describing Match
Draw a line to match each rich description to the correct object.
Describe Using Similes
A simile compares using 'like' or 'as'. Example: The pillow is as soft as a cloud. Write your own similes.
The ice cream is as cold as ______
The sun is as bright as ______
The kitten is as soft as ______
Make up your own: ______ is as ______ as ______
Describe Something Without Saying Its Name
Choose an animal or object. Write a rich description WITHOUT saying its name. See if your parent can guess!
My description: ___________________________
It is a: ______
Did they guess it? ______
Grand Vocabulary Sort: All Categories
Sort each word into the correct category.
Vocabulary Assessment: How Many Describing Words?
Write as many describing words as you can in each category.
Colour words: ___________________________
Size words: ___________________________
Texture words: ___________________________
Feeling words: ___________________________
Total describing words I know: _____
My Describing Challenge
Write the most detailed description you can about your favourite toy, pet or object. Use at least 6 describing words.
My description:
Vocabulary Champion Challenge
You are a vocabulary champion! Try these activities to keep building your word collection.
- 1Start a family word wall — add a new describing word every day.
- 2Play the Mystery Object game at dinner: describe something for others to guess.
- 3Read a story together and highlight all the describing words.
- 4Describe the weather every morning using at least 3 describing words.
Describing Word Self-Assessment
Rate yourself on each type of describing word. Write one example of each.
Colour word I know well: ______
Size word I know well: ______
Texture word I know well: ______
Feeling word I know well: ______
I am best at describing: ___________________________
Vocabulary Spark: Your Very Own Word Museum!
Imagine you are making a Word Museum. Pick 5 of your best, most interesting describing words. Draw each one as if it were on display with a label. For example, 'ENORMOUS' could be written in huge letters!
Word 1: ______ (draw it big and beautiful)
Word 2: ______ (draw it big and beautiful)
My Word Museum has _____ wonderful words!