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Visuals are often used in a text to better explain the events or concepts being described. These visuals can be in the form of drawings or paintings, photographs, maps or charts. The following activity will help you think about selecting appropriate visuals for a text.
Review the following slideshow to learn about the rise to power and accomplishments of Alexander the Great. Some slides ask you to think about visuals that would help readers better understand the text.
Image credit: Andrew Dunn via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0.
Alexander inherited the throne to the kingdom known as Macedon in northern Greece. By his death at the age of 32, he had conquered all of the Greek peninsula, parts of the Middle East and into central Asia and India.
The photograph shown is a sculpture of Alexander. This simple image is presented along with the information because it gives the reader an idea of what Alexander looked like.
As a child, Alexander grew up as the heir to the throne of his father. He had the privilege of being educated and tutored by people such as the great Greek philosopher Aristotle.
Based on this information, what type of visual would help you understand Alexander’s early life?
The image shown here is a drawing showing Aristotle teaching Alexander. Although it might seem obvious, providing the reader with an image to go along with the text allows you to more clearly envision this important aspect of Alexander’s early life.
Image credit: J L G Ferris via Wikimedia Commons.
When Alexander’s father was killed, Alexander became king. He inherited a kingdom on the northern parts of the Greek Peninsula in the Mediterranean region. The biggest threat to Macedonian and Greek power was the Persian empire to the east.
What type of visual would support these points about Alexander’s empire?
The image shown here is a map that demonstrates the location of Macedon in Greece and the Mediterranean region. It also shows its neighbor Persia. This gives the reader a better image of the location of these kingdoms in the region and shows that they are next to one another.
Image credit: Marsyas & Hogweard (derivative work) via Wikimedia Commons, BY-SA 2.5.
Finally, when Alexander became emperor, he started a mission to expand his empire into the Middle East and Asia. He used his experience and skilled military to defeat many opponents, leading to his name as “Alexander the Great.”
What type of visual would support the nickname “Alexander the Great”?
The image shown here is a painting created by a Roman artist celebrating Alexander in battle against Persia. This visual gives an impression of why Alexander got his nickname “the Great” for his skill in leading the Macedonian army.
Image credit: Magrippa via Wikimedia Commons, GNU Free Documentation License.
Image credit: Andrew Dunn via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0.
Pairing an image with text often makes the information easier to visualize and understand.
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