This document outlines a lesson plan for using technology and real-life experiences to improve descriptive writing skills in an inner city 2nd grade classroom. It involves students watching a YouTube video of Usain Bolt winning gold in the 2012 Olympics to observe his race. Then, the students will have a real-life experience racing themselves outside to draw from sensory experiences. Finally, an in-class discussion will get students thinking about feelings and perspectives to integrate into their descriptive writing, guided by a writing checklist.

1. Integrating technology
for ELA improvement in
inner city schools
By: Heiry Perez

2. Outline
Using Video
Real Life experiences
Class discussion
 Writing Checklist

3. YouTube
“We do not attempt to compete with technology, we embrace it”.
YouTube videos can help children fully develop ideas
For this 2nd grade class I will use Usain Bolt’s Olympic 100m Gold medal race at
the 2012 London Olympics. This 13 minute YouTube video will help the
students purposefully observe and describe using adjectives and consequently
elongate sentences. Through the usage of visual prompts the students should
feel more confident and ready to write creative descriptions of what they
viewed.

4. Real Life Experiences
all about writing what you know…
 It is necessary to combine as many possible sensory
stimuli as possible
 It is valuable when attempting to write creatively for
students to have real life experiences from which to
draw information.
 When writing about athletes it becomes valuable to
experience at least a bit of what they are experiencing
for themselves. This allows students to connect at a
more emotional level with their writing.

5. Open for discussion…
 While the students are viewing the video and or actually
racing themselves they all will be reacting differently and it
is necessary to stop and have them practice a bit of
mindfulness by asking questions.
 When watching video
 What are the athletes feeling?
 What are they thinking about right before the race?
 What do you think they are hearing?
 Personal experience
 What are you feeling?
 What are you thinking about?
 How does it feel to be next to your fellow competitors?
 How can you relate to the professional races in the video?

6. Writing Checklist
After the students have been stimulated by the video,
outdoor race, and discussion they can begin their writing.
The students will each be provided with a descriptive
writing checklist of their own. They should use this to
integrate all components of descriptive writing. There will
be a process of revision and rewriting in order to present a
final draft