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POINT A:

The students have read tons of literature that includes imagery, but they do not know the formal definition of imagery, why writers use imagery, or how to write imagery themselves. This lesson will break down these pre-conceptions and will help each student apply good writing, including descriptive words, action verbs, and showing--not telling, in their own creations. Also, the students have just learned about simile and alliteration, which writers additionally use to form imagery. With this knowledge, we will get at an understanding of imagery and why it is used.

BELL RINGER:

There will be a picture of a nature scene on an overhead. CLICK HERE for example picture. The students will be asked a series of questions. CLICK HERE for example questions. After the discussion questions, the students should have a basic understanding that they are looking at an image, and there are distinct details in all images, such as color and scenes. The students will then look at a website on their own, so they can find the formal definition of imagery and look at examples. CLICK HERE for website with definition and examples. Imagery is used prominently by poets to help the reader create a mental image, or visualize something specific; it touches all the senses; it shows the reader and does not tell the reader. They will practice these applications by using the following link and choosing one picture to write about. They will write two to four sentences describing their picture by using words that show and don't tell, such as descriptive words, action verbs, and the use of simile and alliteration--as taught in the previous lessons. CLICK HERE for link of pictures that the students will use to create their own imagery. CLICK HERE for examples of descriptive words. After everyone is finished, students will be asked to read their descriptions.

OBJECTIVES--(SWBAT):

• Analyze the nature picture
• Know and understand imagery
• Read poetry (Disabled and Preludes) aloud
• Examine poetry (Disabled and Preludes) for imagery
• Practice writing imagery by creating their own descriptions
• Explain the concepts of imagery
• Incorporate their knowledge of simile to help them understand imagery
• Incorporate their knowledge of alliteration to help them understand imagery

INPUT:

1. After reading the descriptions from the students, we will move to a better understanding of imagery. This will be done by connecting their written words to the idea that poets also use imagery, or descriptions, to convey a specific image to the reader.
2. We will talk about how there is a great difference between showing the reader and telling the reader. What is the difference between: "Jimmy screamed for his friend to sit down" and "Jimmy told his friend to sit down"?
3. We will, then, examine Wilfred Owen's Disabled. We will look at manuscripts and archives at The Wilfred Owen Multimedia Digital Archive. CLICK HERE for site. The students can look around the site at their own leisure for a few minutes, but we will eventually come to an original manuscript. CLICK HERE for original manuscript. It is important for the students to see that even great, renowned poets use a rough draft. Not everything is perfect the first time.
4. CLICK HERE for Disabled. We will read the poem aloud and discuss it as a class, but mostly for its use of imagery. CLICK HERE for site relating to analysis of Disabled. We will look at this website in particular to help pick out specific images and their meanings.
5. Guided discussion will follow: How does the imagery in the poem relate to each of your senses? Does it strike an emotion within you? Which image did you find most appealing? Which do you think you'll remember most? Do you have a favorite image? Why do you think Owen wrote this poem? How does it relate to you personally? Do any of your descriptions follow Owen's pattern? What consecutive sounds help you to visualize his image? What do these sounds represent?
6. After discussing imagery in Disabled, I will ask the students if there are other ways authors create imagery. I will scaffold their answers by telling them they can see, smell, taste, and maybe even touch what is being said in the poem. We will again read the poem aloud, and we will interpret the imagery based on the five senses.
7. We will look at the alliteration and the use of simile.
8. To give more practice and review, we will also read part one of the poem Preludes by T.S. Eliot. This poem is filled with imagery--especially forming to all five senses. Part one will be read aloud. CLICK HERE for the poem.
9. The students can go to this website to view part one of the poem and to also read commentary. CLICK HERE for website.
10. Guided discussion will follow. How does this poem relate to the sense of smell? What do you visualize? Do you have experience with this? How about with sight? What does it mean to have winter settle down? How does Eliot use the sense of touch? Can you hear what is going on in the poem? If so, what do you hear? Do any of your examples follow Eliot's pattern? What alliteration do you see in this poem? How does it affect your understanding of the images? Do you see any similes in the poem? What are they used for? What do they mean?

PRACTICE/APPLICATION:

Now that the students have learned about imagery through two different poems, and have seen it working in poetry, it is time to practice what they've learned! We will do a few interactive activities to help the students practice writing their own descriptions with imagery. The students will go to this interactive website to learn and read poems containing imagery. CLICK HERE for the activity. They will do the interactive activity for imagery and we will read aloud the descriptions. The students are encouraged to think of their own setting for their image and not one that is given from the website. Next, they will visit this website to type in specific words that will give them an image. Through the picture, they will know if they used the correct descriptive words. CLICK HERE for website. Finally, the students will be able to create images through words already given. CLICK HERE for website. Once the practice is finished, I will ask the students to read their descriptions of imagery aloud. We will all learn from other descriptions--and we will all be able to help the student improve because we will either be able to form a mental image from the description or not.

CLOSURE:

The students will be asked a few questions to review what was taught in class. CLICK HERE for review. I will ask these questions and give the students enough wait time to fully answer. For one last look, I will ask reader response questions concerning the two poems. Which did you like better and why? Why did you prefer one over the other? What images stick out most in your mind? What did you learn today and how will it help you with your writing? Finally, to incorporate the other topics we learned in the prior days, I will ask about their knowledge of simile and alliteration and how/why this helps to create imagery.

POINT B:

Since the students have reviewed the importance of imagery and have come to understand the definition of imagery along with the purpose of imagery, their writing has also improved. They have created their own descriptions and imagery using action words, descriptive words, and words that show and don't tell. The purpose, then, is to get at better writing for communication through the use of poetry. Also, writers use certain elements to establish imagery. They now understand how to write these elements, how to write imagery, and the purpose of it.