Lesson Plan: Teaching Nouns and Adjectives

It has never made sense to me as to why students have such a difficult time distinguishing between the parts of speech, especially distinguishing nouns from adjectives.

It is pretty straightforward in that nouns are people, places, things, or ideas while adjectives are those words that describe nouns. Many students have a difficult time understanding this concept, so this article offers a lesson plan that really puts this concept in perspective.

This teaching nouns lesson plan is suitable for any aged student, from first grade to twelfth grade. I understand that it is a little elementary for high school students, but this is one of those concepts that students really have a difficult time understanding.

First step, teachers, hand out the construction paper, glue, and scissors to make sure students have fun while learning. If students have fun, this activity is more likely to stick with them, and they might just learn the lesson you are teaching.

On a piece of construction paper, have students cut any shape--a circle, a flower, or whatever, and then, have students write their names in the middle of their shape.

On the same piece of paper, have students write words that describe them and their personality. It helps if you require students to come up with a specific number of describing words. For example, I require sophomores to use 30 words to describe themselves as this requires the students to really involve some higher order thinking skills and be creative to find words that they may not use every day.

Also, allow students to decorate their shape and allow them to make their project as representative of their individuality as possible.

Once students have satisfied your requirements, you should explain to them that those words that describe people, places, and things are called adjectives.

Generally, after completing this project, students understand the differences between nouns and adjectives, which is the purpose of the teaching adjectives and nouns lesson plan. But this project really lets students be creative, and in some cases, you will see that students have the opportunity to increase their vocabulary and use adjectives that they normally do not use.

Also, students will learn new adjectives from each other as you may not allow students sitting at the same table to use a word more than once. Teachers have the flexibility to place their own requirements and limitations on this project.