Read the Geography Connection on page 469 and view the painting at the beginning of the story. How do you picture in your mind the North Carolina mountains? Close your eyes and call up a visual image of this setting. Share your visualization with a small group.
1. Close your eyes and picture the setting as your teacher reads aloud the first four paragraphs of the text. Which images do you find most striking? Briefly sketch one of the most striking images, or write a description of what you visualize as you hear the text read.
2. Continue reading the remainder of the story with a partner. Take turns reading aloud and listening with your eyes closed. Focus on visualizing the descriptions the author provides. Pay attention to the precise words, vivid adjectives, and sensory details the author includes. As you read and listen, consider how she wants you to picture the characters and the setting.
If you have difficulty visualizing the setting, the characters, or the action, reread the portion of the text with which you have difficulty. Jot down any descriptive words or phrases. Then, close your eyes and try to picture singular images, first the setting, and then the characters and action. Continue applying the Fix-Up Idea whenever you encounter difficulty visualizing the story.
Write a paragraph describing how you visualized the characters or the setting. Use sensory details, vivid adjectives, and precise words to capture your visualization. Share your paragraph with your reading partner and discuss the similarities and differences in your visualizations.