Mud is a beautifully written book, perfect for growing students' writing language! Mary Lyn Ray uses vivid figurative language to describe the transition in seasons, from winter to spring. The word choice and sentence variety are incredible, and it's appropriate for all levels in elementary.
It's simple enough to be enjoyed by any kindergartener, and complex enough to be emulated by any fifth grader.
To begin the lesson, before you read a single page, introduce the idea of reading like writers. Writers choose their words carefully; they have a purpose for everything they do. As you read Mud together, you'll want to notice all of the beautiful language that Mary Lyn Ray uses to help the reader feel and visualize the changing of the seasons, resulting in mud.
This resource (freebie, yay!) will guide you through the four main steps you'll use to have students notice, name, explain, and try figurative language in their own writing.
They'll notice the language with you, help you build an anchor chart recording the figurative language you noticed, and participate in a discussion about why the author chose to use that language. These steps will work with ANY mentor text!
The figurative language used in the book includes onomatopoeia,
personification, simile, alliteration, and sensory details.
Lines such
as, "A cold, sweet smell rises from the ground, like sap in the snow,"
are beautiful and students will notice something special is happening!
Every line is interesting, which makes this a great book for discussing beautiful lines.
Building in opportunities for students to see the reading-writingconnection in action are an absolute must! This freebie includes a page to help students identify figurative language during their independent or home reading. Noticing is the first step to being a great writer and reader!
Grab the freebie on TPT!
Rafflecopter for Grade 3-5
March 18-March 25
Thank you for hopping by! Be sure to check out the rest of the great Growing Readers & Writers posts for freebies and fun!
