Courseversity

Describing pictures

Primary EducationGrade 1English & Language ArtsCV-PRI-G01-ELA-U10-L0345–60 min

You will learn

  • Name what they see in a picture.
  • Tell where things are using words like on, under and next to.
  • Tell what is happening.
  • Describe a picture in complete sentences.

Version 0.2 · expanded edition · built from cited public sources Content is based on the official frameworks and sources listed under Sources and standards. No official endorsement is claimed. Written in the style of common primary school assessments. No exam result is promised.

Student lesson

The lesson in 60 seconds

  1. Look at the picture.
  2. Say who and what.
  3. Say where.
  4. Say what is happening.

Words to know

describe
tell about
picture
a drawing or photo
position
where something is
happening
going on

1. Discover: The market picture

Ayo looks at a picture of a market. “I see a woman selling mangoes. A boy is next to her. There is a dog under the table. The sun is shining.”

Think: What can you see in a picture near you?

2. Understand: Describing a picture

Idea 1: Who and what

Say who and what you see: a woman, a boy, a dog, mangoes.

Idea 2: Where

Use position words: on, under, next to, behind, in front of.

Idea 3: What is happening

Say what is going on: The woman is selling mangoes.

Remember: To describe a picture, say who and what you see, where things are, and what is happening.

3. Worked examples

Example 1 (I show you): Who?

Who is selling mangoes?

  1. Look at the picture.
  2. Say it.

Answer: a woman

Example 2 (We do it together): Where?

Where is the dog?

  1. Look under the table.
  2. Say it.

Answer: under the table

Example 3 (You try): What is happening?

What is the woman doing?

Show the steps and answer
  1. Look at her.
  2. Say it.

Answer: selling mangoes

Did you know?

Photographers and artists often look at the same scene in many different ways.

Why this matters

Describing pictures helps you speak clearly and notice details.

4. Explore: Picture describers

Describe a picture to a partner.

  1. Look at a picture.
  2. Say what you see.
  3. Say where things are.
  4. Your partner draws it.
Think about it: what did you notice?

You can describe a picture so others can see it.

5. Practise

Say it in a sentence

Use these starters when you talk about the lesson. Say them out loud.

  • I see ___.
  • The ___ is next to/under/on the ___.
  • The ___ is ___ing.
  • It is ___.

Guided practice

Question 1. Who sells mangoes?

a woman

Question 2. Where is the dog?

under the table

Question 3. What is the woman doing?

selling mangoes

Independent practice

Level 1: Start

  1. The boy is ___ the woman.
  2. The dog is ___ the table.
  3. A position word: on, under or ___.
  4. To describe is to tell ___.
  5. What is shining?

Level 2: Grow

  1. Describe where a book is on a desk.
  2. Use under in a sentence.
  3. Use next to in a sentence.

Level 3: Stretch

  1. Describe a picture in three sentences.
  2. Why use position words?
  3. Ama says the dog is on the table. The picture shows it under. Is she right?

Answers are in the answer key below. Try first, then check.

6. Apply: English in everyday life

Describe a family photo to someone.

Show a sample answer

This is my sister next to my dad.

Another one. Draw a picture and describe where things are.

Show a sample answer

The bird is on the tree.

7. Common mistakes

Mistake: Forgetting position words.
Fix: Say where things are.
Another mistake: Saying things not in the picture.
Fix: Describe only what you see.

8. Lesson summary and revision card

I can…

  • I can say what I see.
  • I can use position words.
  • I can say what is happening.
  • I can describe in sentences.

9. Check and master

Answer all 14 questions. You will see feedback after each one.

1. To describe a picture is to tell what you ___.

2. The boy is ___ the woman.

3. The dog is ___ the table.

4. Which is a position word?

5. Which is a position word?

6. Who sells mangoes?

7. What is the woman doing?

8. What is shining?

9. Which is a good sentence about the picture?

10. Why use position words?

11. Ama says the dog is on the table. What is wrong?

12. Which describes what is happening?

Challenge 1. Which sentence has a position word?

Challenge 2. Which sentence best describes the picture?

Your result appears here after you answer every question.

10. Key takeaways

  • Say who and what you see.
  • Use position words.
  • Say what is happening.
  • Use complete sentences.

11. Next lesson

Next lesson: Gathering simple facts. Keep going with the next idea in this course.

Exam practice

These questions are written in the style of common school and international primary assessments. Try them on your own, without looking back. Then check your answers in the marking guide. The marks are shown in brackets.

  1. Name three position words. [3 marks]
  2. Where is the dog in the market picture? [1 mark]
  3. What is the woman doing? [1 mark]
  4. Describe a picture in two sentences. [2 marks]
  5. Explain how to describe a picture. [3 marks]

Total: 10 marks.

Marking guide and model answers
  1. three valid words [3]
  2. under the table [1]
  3. selling mangoes [1]
  4. who or what [1]; where or action [1]
  5. say who and what [1]; say where [1]; say what is happening [1]

Score guide: 9 to 10 = secure. 6 to 8 = nearly there, revise the parts you missed. Under 6 = work through the lesson again with a grown-up.

Printable worksheet

  1. The boy is ___ the woman.
  2. The dog is ___ the table.
  3. Name a position word.
  4. What is the woman doing?
  5. What is shining?
  6. True or false: we describe what we see.
  7. True or false: position words say where.
  8. Describe a picture in three sentences.
  9. Use under in a sentence.
  10. Use next to in a sentence.

Homework

Describe a picture or photo at home in three sentences.

Answer key and marking scheme

Question Expected response Marks
1. The boy is ___ the woman. next to 1
2. The dog is ___ the table. under 1
3. Name a position word. on, under, behind, next to 1
4. What is the woman doing? selling mangoes 1
5. What is shining? the sun 1
6. True or false: we describe what we see. true 1
7. True or false: position words say where. true 1
8. Describe a picture in three sentences. three sentences 1
9. Use under in a sentence. a valid sentence 1
10. Use next to in a sentence. a valid sentence 1
Total 10

Independent practice answers. Level 1: 1 next to; 2 under; 3 next to; 4 about; 5 the sun. Level 2: 1 on the desk; 2 The cat is under the bed.; 3 The cup is next to the plate.. Level 3: 1 three sentences; 2 to say where things are; 3 no, it is under.

Quiz answers: 1 B, 2 C, 3 A, 4 B, 5 C, 6 A, 7 B, 8 C, 9 A, 10 B, 11 C, 12 A, Challenge 1 B, Challenge 2 C.

Mastery and remediation

Objective Bronze (Developing) Silver (Proficient) Gold (Advanced)
O1 Name what they see in a picture Shows this with help from an adult or a picture Does this independently and explains how they know Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation
O2 Tell where things are using words like on, under and next to Shows this with help from an adult or a picture Does this independently and explains how they know Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation
O3 Tell what is happening Shows this with help from an adult or a picture Does this independently and explains how they know Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation
O4 Describe a picture in complete sentences Shows this with help from an adult or a picture Does this independently and explains how they know Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation

Courseversity badge thresholds (overall quiz score): Gold = 90–100%; Silver = 80–89.9%; Bronze = 70–79.9%. A badge is never a full record of progress.

If a learner struggles

  1. Find the misconception: Forgetting position words. Say where things are.
  2. Explain another way: use real objects, pictures or actions first, then words.
  3. Show a simpler example: Use position word cards.
  4. Guided practice: work through one example together and let the learner try the next one.
  5. Reassess: use the quiz again or the worksheet.
  6. Move on when the learner shows Silver-level evidence independently.

For parents and guardians

In this lesson your child describes pictures using sentences. You do not need to be an expert to help.

  • Talk about pictures together.
  • Use position words.
  • Praise detail.
  • Ask “how do you know?” after each answer, and listen.
  • Praise effort, not only right answers. Mistakes are how we learn.
  • Ten to fifteen minutes a day is better than one long session.

Teacher package

1–5. Objectives, prerequisites, materials, preparation, duration

Lesson objectives. Learners will: name what they see in a picture; tell where things are using words like on, under and next to; tell what is happening; describe a picture in complete sentences.

Prerequisite knowledge. Observing familiar objects.

Materials. Chart paper or board, pencils, picture or word cards, a reading book if available. Low-resource options: use chalk or charcoal on a board or wall, drawings in the sand, and objects from the classroom instead of printed materials.

Preparation. Write the key words and examples on the board or on cards before the lesson.

Suggested duration. 45–60 minutes. It can be split into two shorter sessions.

6–9. Teaching procedure, explanation notes, guided and independent activities

Introduction (5 min). Show a picture and ask what learners see.

Explanation (10 min). Teach who, where, what is happening.

Guided activity (10 min). Practise picture describers.

Independent activity (10 min). Learners share their descriptions.

Assessment and reflection (5 min). Ask each learner to say one thing they learned and how they know it.

Key questions. What do you see? Where? What is happening?

Teacher explanation notes. Move from the spoken word to pictures and then to print. Read aloud often, point to the words, and let learners hear and say before they read and write.

10–12. Differentiation, formative assessment, common misconceptions

Support. Use position word cards. Extension. Describe a picture for someone else to draw.

Formative assessment. Listen to learners read and explain, ask “how do you know?”, and check the independent work.

Misconceptions. Forgetting position words. Say where things are.

13–15. Assessment questions, answer keys, marking scheme

Use the quiz, the 10-mark exam practice and the worksheet on this page. All answers and marking guides are in the answer sections above. Re-check every answer before use.

16–19. Remediation, enrichment, homework, teacher reflection

Remediation. Use position word cards. Enrichment. Describe a picture so a friend can draw it. Homework. See above.

Teacher reflection. After teaching, record: which ideas learners understood; which misconceptions occurred; which activities worked; which learners need more practice; and what to improve next time.

Sources and standards

This lesson is based on the sources below, and no official endorsement is claimed. Reference starting points: Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts, Cambridge Primary and the IB Primary Years Programme. Where a standard code is named, it points to the official framework.

Official standards for this topic area. Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts (official site): Grade 1 » Writing; Grade 1 » Reading: Informational Text; Grade 1 » Speaking & Listening. These pages list the standards that cover this topic area; read them alongside the lesson.

Research used to shape this lesson. Common Core SL.1.4 and SL.1.5 (add drawings or other visual displays to descriptions when appropriate); Cambridge Primary English Stage 1 (speaking and listening). These sources informed the lesson.

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