Show, Don't Tell Polaroid Activity
Teach students to show, not tell — and watch their writing transform before your eyes.
This Show, Don't Tell Polaroid Activity is a creative and visually engaging printable writing resource for Australian primary school students in Years 3–6. Using the iconic polaroid photo frame as the visual hook, students practise the powerful writing technique of "showing" a feeling or moment through descriptive detail rather than simply "telling" the reader what happened. It's one of the most impactful lessons in a writing teacher's toolkit — and this activity makes it memorable.
Aligned to the Australian Curriculum English strand (Literacy — Creating Texts) and available as a no-prep instant download.
Why teachers love it:
- High-impact writing technique — one of the most transformative lessons for student writing quality
- Visually engaging format — the polaroid hook captures student interest immediately
- Display worthy — finished polaroid writing looks stunning on a classroom wall
- Zero prep — instant download, print and use
Perfect for:
- Years 3–6 Australian primary classrooms
- Creative writing and narrative writing lessons
- Australian Curriculum English — descriptive writing and figurative language
- Writing craft lessons and targeted writing skill development
What's included:
A printable Show, Don't Tell Polaroid Activity with writing templates. Students draft their "show, don't tell" writing inside the polaroid frames. Designed for individual student use on A4 paper.
Print and go — your writing lesson is sorted. 🖨️
SPECIFICATIONS
Our digital resources are primarily available in PDF format, optimised for A4 standard paper size. Details of what's included can be found in the product description above.
File Format:
This digital download is not editable.
All PDF files in this product have been flattened and are provided as non-editable files. This is to maintain design integrity and protect our intellectual property.
If you have any issues opening your PDF files, we suggest downloading the free Adobe Acrobat Reader.
Compatibility:
All files can be used on both Windows and Mac operating systems using a PDF reader such as Adobe Acrobat Reader (free download available from Adobe's website).
Printing:
PDFs are set to A4 size. When printing, select 'Fit to Page' or 'Actual Size' for the best results. We always recommend doing a test print on plain paper first.
Licence:
All files are for personal use only and may not be resold, redistributed, altered, or used for commercial purposes. Resources are licensed for use in a single classroom only. Please purchase additional licences if you intend to share with colleagues.
Need help? Our team is happy to assist — please contact us!
TECHNICAL SUPPORT
To open PDF files, you'll need a PDF reader installed on your device. We recommend the free Adobe Acrobat Reader. Once installed, simply double-click your downloaded PDF to open it.
OUR HAPPINESS GUARANTEE
We want you to love every Mrs Edgar purchase. If you're not completely satisfied, contact us within 30 days and we'll make it right. Please note: as this is a digital product, we are unable to offer refunds once the file has been downloaded — but if you experience any issues, we will always do our best to help.
FAQS
My download came as a ZIP file. How do I open it?
Double-click the ZIP file to extract it. On a Mac this happens automatically; on Windows you may need to right-click and select 'Extract All'.
Can I print this in colour or black and white?
Yes! Our resources are designed to work in both colour and black and white.
I can't find my download. Where is it?
Check your email (including your junk/spam folder) for an email from Mrs Edgar with your download link. You can also access your downloads by logging into your account at mrsedgar.com.au.
