1.1 Read About a Sense of Place

1.1E Different Perspectives

One person's palace may be another person's prison. A sense of place is based on interactions with that place. Thinking of a certain place can bring about strong emotions. A sense-of-place poem strives to do the same. Words do more than just provide a description of a particular location, such as a childhood home, a park or an entire city, and makes the readers believe they have been there. The words create a mood.

In Harry Potter, Harry and Dudley have very different opinions of their shared home on Privet Drive. Harry found it horrible and Dudley, who was spoiled and treated like a prince, found it delightful.

Before reading about another place, let's add to our language toolbox. Author's can use tools like imagery, similes, and metaphor to bring life to their writing. Another tool is alliteration.  

Alliteration is using words that start with the same sound near one another in a phrase or sentence. Alliteration is like a pop of sound that grabs your attention. It creates a rhythm of sounds your ears tune in for - and it helps bring your writing alive for your reader.

Tongue twisters like the following are good examples of alliteration. For fun, practice saying these tongue twisters as quickly and as clearly as possible.

Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.

Roberta ran rings around the Roman ruins.

Four furious friends fought for the phone. (Notice how phone is underlined too. Alliteration is based on starting with the same sound – not the same letter.)

learning guide After watching the video below, go to your Learning Guide and complete the activity, Alliteration Alphabet Fun.

Do you remember what good readers do when they are exploring text?

You can try a close reading to see how a sense of place is based on interactions with that place. Not everyone has the same experience. As you read, first, try to get the "gist" of the text. Then you can dig in for details about how the author uses languages and to find evidence or specific details. This is about a real place and two real people. It is non-fiction text. 

 Start with your "first reading". As you read, think about which would make the best comic or graphic representation. 

  • First reading: 
    • Try to get the "gist" of the text - a sense of what it is about and a sense of how it may be read. 
    • Try to make a picture or visualize in your mind to help you understand what you are reading. 
    • Ask yourself questions. 
    • Stop and predict what you think will happen next. 
    • Look for big ideas! 
  • Second reading: This is usually a slower read, where you try to understand the text better. You may take notes beside the text, write down questions, notice imagery and literary devices, and make connections.
    • As you read, find and record examples of imagery (a vivid description that involves using the five senses), similes (comparisons using like or as), metaphors (comparisons without like or as), and alliteration. 
  • Third+ reading: This reading may be to answer specific questions, unravel clues, and infer for deeper understanding. You can be a sleuth by going back to the details in the text to find evidence or specific details. 
Go to your Learning Guide and complete the first, second, and third reading activities as you read "Two Contrasting Points of View".