Home›Lesson Plans›World Languages›American Sign Language · Grade 7

ASL Describing Words

Seventh graders learn describing signs in ASL — BIG, SMALL, TALL, HAPPY, TIRED, EXCITED — and sort them into words that describe how something LOOKS and words that describe how someone FEELS.

Grade 7Describing Words50 minutes1 class periodACTFL / Visual LanguageExplicit teaching4 StandardsACTFL
Start the Lesson
Lesson at a Glance

Everything you need before the bell rings

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to…

  • ✓Sign describing words.
  • ✓Tell looks from feelings.
  • ✓Sort the signs.
  • ✓Describe things & people.
Essential Question

Describing words make your signing come alive! Which describe how things look, and which describe how someone feels?

0
Lesson Phases
0
Vocabulary Terms
0
Standards Aligned
0
Interactive Task
Sort It · Interactive

Looks or Feelings?

Project this and sort each sign into Looks (physical) or Feelings (emotions).

📏 Sort each — how it looks or how it feels?Try it
📏 Looks (physical)
😊 Feelings (emotions)
Tap a sign, then tap a box.
The Lesson · Visual-Language Flow (Warm-Up · Present · Practice · Sign · Reflect)

50 minutes, five moves

Tap any phase to open the teacher moves and student actions.

1

Warm-Up — Bring It Alive

5 min

Describing words make signing come alive — which describe looks, which feelings?

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Describe an object.
  • Ask how to sign it.
  • Set the goal.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Share.
  • Guess.
  • Get ready.
2

Present — Describing Words

12 min

Students learn.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Model each sign.
  • Note looks vs feelings.
  • Have students copy.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Watch.
  • Note it.
  • Copy.
3

Practice — Sort Them

13 min

Students practice.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Send students to Looks or Feelings?
  • Sort each one.
  • Sign along.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Sort.
  • Sign.
  • Explain.
4

Sign — Sign

12 min

Students sign.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Sign BIG and HAPPY.
  • Describe a person.
  • Sign to a partner.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Sign it.
  • Describe.
  • Sign.
5

Reflect — Reflect

6 min

Students close.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Sign a describing word.
  • Say looks or feelings.
  • Complete the exit ticket.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Sign one.
  • Say it.
  • Complete the exit ticket.
Standards Alignment

Built to the standards you report on

Aligned to the ACTFL World-Readiness Standards for Learning Languages (Novice-High).

ACTFL
Communication 1.2

Interpretive: understand describing signs.

ACTFL
Communication 1.1

Interpersonal: describe things.

ACTFL
Comparisons 4.1

Compare describing words.

ACTFL
Connections 3.1

Connect to description.

Differentiation

One lesson, every learner

Multilingual Learners

ELL / EMERGING READERS
  • Describing sign cards.
  • Model each sign.
  • Use a mirror.

Support & Access

IEP / 504
  • Start with BIG and HAPPY.
  • Sort one at a time.
  • Copy together.

Stretch & Extend

GIFTED / EARLY FINISHERS
  • Add FAST and SLOW.
  • Describe a classmate.
  • Add facial expression.
Materials

What to gather

  • 📽️Screen / board
  • 📏Describing sign cards
  • 💻Looks or Feelings?
  • 🪩A mirror (optional)
  • ✏️Notebooks
  • 🎫Exit-ticket slips
Vocabulary

Key terms — hover for a quick definition

adjectivea describing wordBIGflat hands spread apartSMALLflat hands close togetherTALLindex finger risesHAPPYhands brush up the chestTIREDhands droop at the shouldersEXCITEDmiddle fingers brush up the chestdescribeto tell what something is like
Evaluate

Exit Ticket

Preview the three formative checks. Tap “Sample answer” to see what mastery looks like — hide them before you print for students.

QUESTION 1
How do you sign BIG?
Spread your flat hands apart.
QUESTION 2
Is TIRED a “looks” or “feelings” word?
A feelings word.
QUESTION 3
How do you sign HAPPY?
Brush your hands up your chest, with a smile.

Reflect: describing words.

Have students sign BIG (looks) and HAPPY (feelings), matching their face. A printable ASL adjectives sheet is in the World Languages library.

Study · Flashcards

Study the key terms

Tap a card to flip it, then rate whether you knew it. Built from this lesson’s vocabulary.

🃏 ASL Describing WordsFlip
Card 1
Term
Tap to flip →
Meaning
0

Nice work!

Practice · Quiz

Check your understanding

A quick self-check with instant feedback, drawn from this lesson’s key terms.

📝 ASL Describing WordsQuiz
Score: 0
1 / 6
Question 1
0%

Nice work!

Practice · Worksheet

Printable worksheet

A print-and-go review sheet with a built-in answer key. Tap “Show answer key” to reveal answers, or print the clean version for students.

🖨️ ASL Describing WordsPrint
Name: ________________________
Date: ____________

Part A · Write the word that matches each meaning

Word bank: adjective, BIG, describe, EXCITED, HAPPY, SMALL, TALL, TIRED
  1. middle fingers brush up the chest
  2. flat hands close together
  3. hands brush up the chest
  4. a describing word
  5. hands droop at the shoulders
  6. to tell what something is like
  7. index finger rises
  8. flat hands spread apart

Part B · Show what you learned

  1. How do you sign BIG?
  2. Is TIRED a “looks” or “feelings” word?
  3. How do you sign HAPPY?
Answer key — Part A: 1) EXCITED · 2) SMALL · 3) HAPPY · 4) adjective · 5) TIRED · 6) describe · 7) TALL · 8) BIG
Part B: 1) Spread your flat hands apart. 2) A feelings word. 3) Brush your hands up your chest, with a smile.