Grade by Grade
D. Composition: Expressing Ideas and Creating Texts · Writing for Every Purpose

Voice, Word Choice and Poems

D2.3 D2.1 A1.2About 35 minutes
Learning goals
  • I can show my thoughts, feelings and opinions in my writing so it sounds like me.
  • I can choose describing words that use my five senses.
  • I can swap a plain word for a stronger, more exact word.
  • I can write a senses poem and an acrostic poem.
  • I can make my sentences flow by starting them in different ways.

Words to know

voice
The way your writing sounds like you: your thoughts, feelings and personality.
descriptive words
Words that help the reader see, hear, smell, taste or feel something, like crunchy, sparkly, freezing.
strong verb
An exact action word, like raced instead of went.
simile
Comparing two things using like or as: as cold as ice.
poem
Writing that paints a picture or shares a feeling in few words. Poems are often written in short lines.
acrostic poem
A poem where the first letters of each line spell a word.

Make it sound like YOU

Two children write about the same snowy day:

  • "It snowed. I went outside. It was fun."
  • "Snow fell all night! I zoomed outside in my puffy purple snowsuit and flopped into the fluffiest snowbank ever. Best. Day. Ever."

Which one sounds like a real person talking? The second one has voice! You can hear the writer's excitement and personality.

Three ways to add voice

  1. Share your feelings and opinions: I was so nervous my knees shook. I think this is the best park in town.
  2. Use describing words with your five senses.
  3. Choose exact, strong words instead of plain ones.
Plain wordStronger words to try
wentraced, zoomed, tiptoed, stomped, wandered
saidshouted, whispered, giggled, asked, cried
gooddelicious, amazing, terrific, cozy, kind
bighuge, enormous, giant, tall
coldfreezing, icy, chilly, frosty
funexciting, silly, thrilling, awesome
Swap plain words for words that paint a clearer picture.
SenseDescribing words
👀 Seesparkly, bright, golden, tiny, striped
👂 Hearcrunch, buzz, splash, whoosh, quiet
👃 Smellsmoky, sweet, fresh, piney
👅 Tastesalty, sour, sweet, juicy
✋ Feel (touch)fuzzy, sticky, smooth, bumpy, freezing
Describing words for your five senses
Worked example

Let's add voice to a sentence

Plain sentence: "The dog went to the ball."

  1. Choose a stronger verb than went: raced.
  2. Add a describing word for the dog: fluffy.
  3. Add a describing word for the ball: squeaky red.
  4. Add a feeling or opinion: I laughed so hard!

"The fluffy dog raced to the squeaky red ball. I laughed so hard!"

Plain:Thedogwenttotheball.With voice:Thefluffydogracedtothesqueaky redball.describingstrong verbdescribingI laughed so hard!a feeling
Swapping went for raced, adding describing words and sharing a feeling gives the sentence voice.

Make your sentences flow

When every sentence starts the same way, writing sounds bumpy: I went to the park. I played on the slide. I saw a squirrel.

Try different beginnings and mix short and long sentences:

After lunch, I went to the park. The twisty slide was my first stop! Suddenly, a squirrel scampered right past my feet.

Read your writing out loud. If it sounds smooth, it flows!

Poems: lots of voice in a few words

Poems use describing words and feelings. They are written in short lines, and they don't have to rhyme. Here is a senses poem. Each line uses a different sense.

Snow Day

I see a white blanket on every rooftop.

I hear boots go crunch, crunch, crunch.

I smell hot cocoa steaming in my mug.

I taste snowflakes melting on my tongue.

I feel my cold cheeks tingle.

I love snow days!

Worked example

Let's write an acrostic poem

Write an acrostic poem for MAPLE. Each line starts with the next letter.

  1. Write the letters down the side: M, A, P, L, E.
  2. Think about maple trees: red leaves in fall, piles to jump in, maple syrup.
  3. Magic red leaves
  4. All over the yard
  5. Piles to jump in
  6. Laughing with my brother
  7. Every fall day

Each line begins with a letter from MAPLE and shares a picture or a feeling about maple trees.

MMagic red leavesAAll over the yardPPiles to jump inLLaughing with my brotherEEvery fall day
An acrostic poem for MAPLE. Read the big letters down the side to spell the topic.

Your voice matters

Everyone's voice is different, and that is great! Your writing can show who you are: the things you love, the way you talk, the languages your family speaks, and the things you notice. A word or phrase from another language you know can add voice too.

Just for fun

Why did the word went go to the gym?

It wanted to become zoomed!

Hands-on activity

Five senses snack poem

You need: a small snack (an orange, popcorn or an apple slice), paper and a pencil.

  1. Look at, listen to, smell, touch and taste your snack. (Popcorn crunches! An orange smells fresh!)
  2. Write one line for each sense: I see... I hear... I smell... I feel... I taste...
  3. Add a last line that shares your feeling or opinion.
  4. Read your poem aloud with expression. Ask your listener: "Which line helped you picture it best?"

Your turn

1

What does voice mean in writing?

2

Write a stronger word for said.

3

Which sense does crunchy leaves help you use?

4

Make this sentence more interesting: "The cat sat."

5

Does a poem have to rhyme?

6

Write the letters for an acrostic poem about SNOW and write the first line.

7

Find the simile: "The ice was as smooth as glass."

More practice: warm-up

1

Name the five senses.

2

Which word is stronger: ran or zoomed?

3

What is an acrostic poem?

4

Give a describing word for snow.

5

Is "I was so excited I couldn't sit still!" showing a feeling?

More practice: on your own

1

Swap the plain words: "It was a good day and I went to the big lake."

2

Write a line for a senses poem about a campfire using smell.

3

These sentences all start with I. Rewrite one with a different beginning: I ate lunch. I went outside. I played tag.

4

Finish this simile: "The puppy was as soft as ..."

5

Which shows more voice? (a) We had soup. (b) Grandma's chicken soup warmed me up from my nose to my toes!

Challenge

1

Write a 5-line senses poem about rain.

2

Write an acrostic poem for your first name (or for SUN). Each line should say something true about you (or the sun).

3

Rewrite this to add voice and make it flow: "I went to the beach. It was hot. I swam. It was fun."

Check your understanding

Quiz

1.

Which sentence has the most voice?

2.

Which is a strong verb to replace went?

3.

Which word describes a sound?

4.

In an acrostic poem for CAT, what letter starts the second line?

5.

Which is a simile?

6.

How can you make your sentences flow?

For parents and teachers

Big idea (D2.3): Grade 2 writers demonstrate a personal voice, using descriptive words to express their thoughts, feelings and opinions. This lesson also practises word choice, sentence variety and poetry as a form (D2.1), and helps children see how their own voice and identity belong in their writing (A1.2).

How to help at home:

  • Play "word swap" in conversation: "That was a good movie. Can you find a better word than good?"
  • Use the five senses on walks: "What do you hear? What do you smell?"
  • Read poems aloud together and celebrate any lines your child likes.
  • If your family speaks more than one language, welcome those words in your child's writing.

Common difficulties:

  • Thinking poems must rhyme. Rhyme can lead to nonsense words. Encourage meaning first.
  • Overloading adjectives ("the big huge giant enormous dog"). One or two exact words beat five.
  • Writing "fun" and "good" everywhere. Keep a list of stronger words on the fridge.