Modeling to the Students: Direct instruction is the first step. It's easy to begin with a scene in the Odyssey that something EPIC happened, like Achilles and his men blinding Polyphemus. Read a piece of the text that is very vivid.
"Blood bubbled round the heated thing. The vapor singed off all the lids around the eye, and even the brows, as the ball burned and its roots crackled in the flame. As when a smith dips a great axe or adze into cold water, hissing loud, to temper it,--for that is strength to steel,--so hissed his eye about the olive stake. A hideous roar he raised; the rock resounded; we hurried away in terror. He wrenched the stake out of his eye, all dabbled with the blood, and flung it off in frenzy" (112).
Graphic, right? After reading this quote, explain how you would use visualization with the passage. I would say, "As I read the passage, I thought about how much it hurts to even get a piece of dust in your eye. I can only imagine what it must feel like to have a stick go through your eye, especially one that was hot!" Something along those lines. Share with the kids. Tell them what you saw. I would even take it a step farther and show them a picture, so they can get it in their heads, too. Show them something like this:
That will certainly get students' attention.
The next step is having students practice visualization. Read another passage, perhaps one about Circe turning the men into pigs. As you read, tell your students to close their eyes and imagine what the scene would look like. Tell them to make a movie in their head of what would happen. When you're done with the passage, ask students to share what they saw. It might be something like this:
The next step of the process is to have students share their visualizations. It is important for students to be collaborative and share different perspectives. Remind them that there may be different interpretations; everyone sees things differently. Have students compare and contrast images and why they might have came to different interpretations (good time for vocab). Praise students who have done well and encourage/help students who need more accurate displays of the text.
A fun step in this process is to encourage students to draw. Read them a passage and have them draw it out while you read.
"Meanwhile our staunch ship swiftly neared the Sirens' island; a fair wind swept her on. On a sudden the wind ceased; there came a breathless calm; Heaven hushed the waves. My comrades, rising, furled the sail, stowed it on board the hollow ship, then sitting at their oars whitened the water with the polished blades. But I with my sharp sword cut a great cake of wax into small bits, which I then kneaded in my sturdy hands. Soon the wax warmed, forced by the powerful pressure and by the rays of the exalted Sun, lord of all. Then one by one I stopped the ears of all my crew; and on the deck they bound me hand and foot, upright against the mast-block, round which they wound the rope; and sitting down they smote the foaming water with their oars. But when we were as far away as one can call and driving swiftly onward, our speeding ship, as it drew near, did not escape the Sirens, and thus they lifted up their penetrating voice..."
Have students draw while you read. You might be really impressed with what they come up with. Perhaps something like this:
Once you teach these steps, it's important to start using visualization in your classroom every day. Imagination is the key to innovation and creativity, which is important for students to learn in your classroom. Like I said yesterday, USE THIS TECHNOLOGY TO HELP! These books are some of the most exciting ones in the entire story. Students will love them! Use visualization to help them see that this isn't just some boring text; it's enlightening to us, even today.
Tomorrow is Books XIII-XVIII. This week has gone by fast, hasn't it? Get rested and ready for tomorrow! Yay!
Cassy
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