Free printable · Kindergarten to Grade 5
Free describing visual card: six clues with sentence starters
A describing card gives a student a path through what to say about a thing: what group it is in, what it looks like, what it does, where you find it, its parts and what it is made of. Each clue has a sentence starter, and a worked example shows all six in order.
Make your own in seconds
Ask for a describing card with fewer clues, with pictures to describe, or for a different grade, and SCAFLI makes it.
Try asking for:
- “describing card for a picture”
- “describing words visual”
SCAFLI is in early access. The free PDF above needs no sign-up.
What it is
A visual support for describing words and sentences. Each of the six clues is a question and a sentence starter, and the printed set also has picture pages to describe.
How to use it
- Model one thing first, saying each clue out loud.
- Point to each clue as the student describes their own thing.
- Start with three clues, then add more when it gets easy.
Three quick tips
- Describe real objects in the room before pictures.
- Play a guessing game: describe it, and others guess.
- Keep the card on the table during the whole session.
Questions
- How many clues should a student use?
- Start with three, like group, looks and does, then add the rest as they get easier.
- Are there pictures to describe?
- Yes. The printed set includes picture pages to describe with the clues.
- Can I use it for writing?
- Yes. The sentence starters work for a short written description too.
A starting point for your own professional judgment. Use initials only on any page about a student.