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Creative Nonfiction

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Current selection: Year 5 (Australian curriculum)

Sensory Detail

Definition:

Describe sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and textures to immerse the reader.

Tips:

  • Use sensory detail deliberately across a full paragraph, not just one sentence.
  • Add specific details that support your main idea and remove details that do not help.
  • Check that each choice helps the reader understand your purpose more clearly.
  • Years 5-6 focus: include details from all five senses, not just what you see.
  • Years 5-6 extension: focus on specific, concrete details rather than general descriptions.

Strategies:

Paragraph Builder

Plan a topic sentence, two supporting details, and one revision that improves sensory detail.

Specific Detail Check

Replace vague words with clearer nouns, verbs, examples, or reasons that support the main idea.

Years 5-6 Adaptation: Sensory Memory Exercise

Close your eyes and vividly remember a scene, focusing on each of your five senses one at a time. Adjust the complexity and amount of detail for Years 5-6.

Examples:

Before:

Before (Years 5-6, clear paragraph focus): Plain: 'The food was good.'

After:

After (Years 5-6, clear paragraph focus): Sensory: 'The treacle tart melted on my tongue, sweet and sticky with golden syrup, while the butterbeer left a creamy, warming sensation in my chest.'

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