Grade 3 students recently stepped into a storm — without ever leaving their classroom — as part of an immersive learning day designed to strengthen descriptive writing skills.

The interactive lesson led by grade 3 teachers Penny Mateer, Ashley Tyus, and Savannah Paxton. Mrs. Mateer explained that grade 3 students were invited to move beyond basic descriptions and instead “bring their writing to life” through a carefully designed rainy-day experience. The classroom was transformed into a storm-inspired environment, guiding students through activities that engaged all five senses.

The lesson began with a sensory exploration. Students rotated through stations featuring prompts connected to a storm setting, encouraging them to consider what they might see, hear, taste, touch and smell during a rainy day. The exercise emphasized precise word choice and vivid detail, helping students build a stronger foundation for descriptive language.

From there, instruction shifted to figurative language. Students deepened their understanding of similes, metaphors, onomatopoeia, personification and alliteration through close examination of mentor texts. By analyzing how authors intentionally use these techniques to create mood and imagery, grade 3 students identified examples and discussed how figurative language enhances storytelling.

Weather-themed math problems challenged students to apply problem-solving skills while reinforcing the storm motif, demonstrating how creativity and analytical thinking can work hand in hand.

According to Mrs. Mateer, the culminating activity connected everything together. Students were given a plain, straightforward weather report and asked to transform it into an engaging, descriptive broadcast. Incorporating sensory details and figurative language techniques, groups revised their scripts and recorded their own weather reports, practicing both expressive language and presentation skills.

Mrs. Mateer expressed that the goal of the experience was to create a memorable learning environment “that would help students internalize strong writing techniques and transfer them into their work with greater confidence and sophistication.”