Writers often use figurative language and sensory details to produce images in readers’ minds. Think of a story or other literary work that makes you visualize a detailed image. Then, share that image with a small group and discuss what kinds of details and language the author used to create that image. Before you read the selection, familiarize yourself with similes, metaphors, and sensory details, sharing examples of each with your group members.
1. Follow along in the text as your teacher reads the first paragraph of the text. Identify the two similes and one metaphor included in the paragraph. Record the figurative language in the first column of a three-column chart. In the second column, write down the two things compared and their similarities. Then, in the third column, describe the image that the figurative language creates in your mind.
2. Continue reading the remainder of the story on your own. Stop periodically to record striking examples of figurative language in your chart and describe the visualization created by the language. As you read, focus on “seeing” the events in your mind’s eye.
If you have difficulty visualizing the action and images in the story, take a break from the reading and consider what the author is describing. Review the important points, the figurative language, and the sensory details in the story. Jot down the most striking of these in your chart and close your eyes as you try to imagine the descriptions. In your chart, record what you visualize.
With your groups, compare and contrast your charts. Share the most striking visualizations you had as you read the story. Discuss how the author’s use of sensory details and figurative language added to your visualization process.