Picture in your mind a family member. Focus on every detail of the person’s features. Then, write a paragraph describing that person in detail. Exchange papers with a partner and try to picture in your mind the family member your partner describes. Discuss your mental pictures and identify elements that were omitted from your descriptions.
1. Follow along in the text as your teacher reads aloud the first six paragraphs. Picture in your mind the two different descriptions of the narrator’s grandfather. Describe how they differ. Then, imagine how the narrator looks as he sees his grandfather walking down the street. What kind of expression or body language might the narrator have?
2. Continue reading the remainder of the story on your own. As you read, focus on visualizing the action. Picture the characters, their expressions, and their actions based on the descriptions in the text.
If you are having difficulty forming a mental picture of a character or action, refocus your reading. Instead of focusing on the direct descriptions, read between the lines to identify the emotions and personalities of the characters. Think about how you would react if you felt the same way as a character. What body language would you use to show embarrassment or pride? Then, imagine one of the characters using the same body language.
Choose one scene or character from the story that stands out in your mind. Draw a picture or write a paragraph describing how you imagined that scene or character. When you are finished, share your representation with a partner. Compare and contrast the images you both created.