Grade 1 English Desccribing Words – Size And Shape As Descriptive Words Notes

• Identify simple size words (big, small, tall, short, long, short) and shape words (round, square, flat).
• Use size and shape words to describe everyday classroom and household objects (e.g., big ball, small cup, round chapati).
• Place the describing word (adjective) before the noun: "big ball", "small pencil".
• Listen, speak and match pictures with the correct describing word.

Describing words (adjectives) tell us how something looks. For size and shape we use words like:

Rule: In English, the describing word usually goes before the noun. Example: big mat, round chapati.

Say: "This is a round chapati." "This is a big bag." Encourage learners to point and repeat.

1. Teacher demonstration: Show two objects (big and small). Ask: "Which is big? Which is small?" Children answer and repeat sentences.
2. Classroom hunt: Children find one small thing and one big thing in the classroom and say: "I found a small cup." "I found a big book."
3. Shape game: Give paper cut-outs (circle, square). Ask learners to sort into "round" and "square" piles.
4. Outdoor walk: Walk around school and point out long things (road, rope) and tall things (tree, pole). Children say sentences: "The tree is tall."
5. Pair work: One child describes an object (e.g., "small bag") and the partner guesses which object.
6. Drawing: Draw a big tree and a small tree. Label them: "big tree", "small tree".

Ask each child these three quick tasks:

1. Point to the big object and say: "This is big."
2. Point to the round object and say: "This is round."
3. Make a sentence with a card: (e.g., card shows a long pencil) Child says: "This is a long pencil."

• Use familiar local items: chapati, mango, mat, ball, kiondo (bag), school bag, tree, fence.
• Speak slowly and repeat. Ask children to repeat after you: "Big mango." "Small mango."
• Make the lesson lively with songs or clapping when children give correct answers.
• Use Kiswahili only for quick explanation if needed, but practise the English sentence: e.g., "This is a big mango." (Hii ni embe kubwa.)

1. Look at a ball — Say: "This is a _______ ball." (big / small)
2. Look at a leaflet — Say: "This is a _______ paper." (flat / round)
3. Look at a stick — Say: "This is a _______ stick." (long / short)

Teacher: Let learners answer orally, then write one sentence each in class.