Practical classroom activities for teaching narrative/descriptive writing exist which are based on approaches to teaching writing that research indicates improve the quality of student writing. Teachers need to do less lecturing to students about what they should be doing in their writing and more actively involve their students in the learning of skills and strategies. Writing activities should focus on developing strategies important to writing in the prewriting stage of the composing process and involve active/experiential learning. Activities such as "The Snake,""In the Act," and the "Voluptuary" focus on getting students to use many specific details, combine the sense, and use figurative language. Research is also very clear about "criteria-guided revision," instruction that focuses on scales, criteria, and specific questions which students can apply to their own or others' writing. There are a number of good reasons why teachers should use peer evaluation in teaching writing (including revision as a part of the writing process), but there are also problems with this approach (such as students having trouble being critical of their peers' writing). Criteria guided revision activities that use peer response groups work best just before students are given their final assignments. Teachers who use these types of activities will see the quality of their students' writing begin to improve. (Contains 43 references. An appendix presents numerous student activity sheets, student writing samples, and evaluation sheets.) (RS)