Page 55 - SpringBoard_ELA_Grade6_Flipbook

aCTIvITy 1.6
analyzing Narratives
LearNING STraTeGIeS:
Paraphrasing, Close Reading, Marking the Text, Graphic Organizer, Note-taking
Literary Terms
Figurative language
is language used in an imaginative way to express ideas that are not literally true. The most common examples of figurative language are metaphor
and simile. A simile compares two unlike things using words such as like or as. His music is like a fast trip on a roller coaster. A metaphor compares two unlike things without using the words like or as. Often a form of to be is used. Her music is a trip to the streets of Memphis.
About the Author
Gary Soto grew up in Fresno, California, and now lives in Berkeley, California. In high school, he discovered a love of reading and knew he wanted to be
a writer. Soto started writing while in college. He has written poems, short stories, and novels, which capture the vivid details of everyday life and which have won numerous awards and prizes. Of Mexican-American heritage, Soto speaks Spanish as well as English.
personal Narrat
vinyl: a plastic material
Learning Targets
• Analyze the author’s use of descriptive language in a personal narrative and its effect on the reader.
Descriptive Language
Writers use descriptive language, such as figurative language, vivid verbs, and sensory language, to add interest, detail, and voice to their writing. Review the definitions and examples of figurative language in the Literary Terms box.
Preview
In this activity, you will read a personal narrative and analyze the author’s use of descriptive language.
Setting a Purpose for Reading
• Read the personal narrative and underline any examples of figurative language such as simile and metaphor.
• Circle unknown words or phrases. Try to determine the meaning of the words by using context clues, word parts, or a dictionary.
my Notes
ive
The Jacket by Gary Soto
1 My clothes have failed me. I remember the green coat that I wore in fifth and sixth grades when you either danced like a champ or pressed yourself against a greasy wall, bitter as a penny toward the happy couples.
2 When I needed a new jacket and my mother asked what kind I wanted, I described something like bikers wear: black leather and silver studs, with enough belts to hold down a small town. We were in the kitchen, steam on the windows from her cooking. She listened so long while stirring dinner that I thought she understood for sure the kind I wanted. The next day when I got home from school, I discovered draped on
my bedpost a jacket the color of day-old guacamole. I threw my books on the bed and approached the jacket slowly, as if it were a stranger whose hand I had to shake. I touched the vinyl sleeve, the collar, and peeked at the mustard-colored lining.
28 SpringBoard® English Language Arts Grade 6
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