# Lesson 10: Describe favorite holidays or celebrations

✍️ WRITING (40 Lessons) • 🟠 B. Personal Narratives

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## Objective

I can write a short personal paragraph (5–6 sentences) that describes a favorite holiday or celebration with a clear topic, sensory details (sights, sounds, smells), time-order transitions, and a meaningful closing.

## Materials

- Pencil ✏️ and eraser
- Planning sheet or notebook
- Tracing Pad (below)

Tip: Brainstorm with a quick list of food, music, decorations, people, places, times before drafting.

## Mini-lesson — Paint the celebration with words

1. Start with the moment: name the holiday and where/with whom you celebrate.
2. Add sensory details: what you see, hear, smell, taste, and feel.
3. Use transitions to show time: first, next, then, after that, finally.
4. Include a standout detail: a tradition, a dish, or a special activity.
5. Close with meaning: how the celebration makes you feel or why it matters.

Video won’t be included when printing.

## Guided Practice — Trace & plan

Trace key words, then plan a paragraph about your favorite celebration (birthday, New Year, school festival, cultural holiday):

- Key words: topic, detail, first, then, finally, smell, music
- Example outline:
  1. Topic: My favorite celebration is New Year’s Eve with my family.
  2. Detail: First we cook a big meal that smells sweet and spicy.
  3. Detail: Then music fills the house and we play games together.
  4. Detail: After that we count down and watch bright fireworks.
  5. Closing: Finally I feel hopeful because a new year is starting.

Tracing Pad
Lines
Letter
Pen

## Drag & Drop — Build Celebration Sentences

Drag chips into the slots to make clear, vivid sentences that could fit your celebration paragraph.

On New Year s Eve our kitchen smelled sweet and spicy.
First we hung bright lights around the porch.
Next drums thumped and everyone clapped to the music.
Then the sweet cake melted on my tongue like warm sugar.
After that we shared stories and laughed together.
Finally we counted down and bright fireworks lit the sky.
Because it was a festival colorful flags waved over the street.
The savory stew bubbled and the room felt warm and cozy.
We took a family photo beside the glowing tree.
Later the parade floated past with music glitter and cheers.
In the evening candles flickered softly on the table.
In the end I felt thankful to celebrate together.

## Quick Check (15 questions)

#### 1) Which sentence works best as a topic sentence?

Holidays are days. My favorite celebration is New Year’s Eve with my family. We have food.

#### 2) Which is a sensory detail?

We eat dinner. Dinner is important. Warm cinnamon filled the kitchen.

#### 3) Best transition to begin events:

First Also Therefore

#### 4) Which fits a celebration paragraph?

The bus arrived late. We clapped as bright fireworks popped above us. I sharpened my pencil.

#### 5) Strong closing:

Then we went to sleep. It was okay. The celebration made me feel thankful for family.

#### 6) Which sentence shows, not tells?

Music thumped and our feet tapped on the floor. The music was good. We like music.

#### 7) Which is a time-order word?

delicious after quietly

#### 8) Which detail belongs?

We wore warm scarves while watching the parade. Penguins live in Antarctica. Math is after lunch.

#### 9) What should the closing do?

Add a new topic. Explain how you felt or why it mattered. List every food.

#### 10) Which sentence is off-topic?

We set the table with colorful plates. The living room smelled like buttery popcorn. My backpack is blue.

#### 11) Which word appeals to taste?

savory glittering echoing

#### 12) Which sentence uses a strong transition?

We opened gifts. After that, we opened gifts together. Gifts are fun.

#### 13) Best way to combine: “We ate dinner. We told stories.”

We ate dinner we told stories. We ate dinner and it was dinner. We ate dinner, and we told stories.

#### 14) Which sentence is first person?

I saved a sparkler to light at midnight. The child saves a sparkler. Sparklers were saved.

#### 15) Which helps readers picture the parade?

The parade is long. Colorful floats rolled by while trumpets blared. Parades exist in cities.

## Assessment (parent/teacher)

Clear topic sentence names the celebration At least 3 sensory details (sight/sound/smell/taste/touch) Uses time-order transitions Strong closing sentence with feeling or meaning

## Exit ticket (student)

😀 I can describe a celebration with vivid details 🙂 I need more practice adding sensory words 😅 Time-order words were tricky

#### I will practice…

Using first, next, then, finally Adding sounds, smells, textures Ending with a feeling or meaning
Lesson 11 →