Design for Learning

Instructor: Chelsea Bowden

Lesson Title: Figurative Language
Curriculum Area: ELA

Grade Level/Cooperating Teacher: 4th Grade/Watkins

Date: April 6th, 2016
Estimated Time: 30 Minutes

Standards Connection:
42.) Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word
meanings. [L.4.5]
a. Explain the meaning of simple similes and metaphors (e.g., as pretty as a picture) in
context. [L.4.5a]
Learning Objective(s):
Students will be able to identify two types of figurative language: similes and metaphors, by
completing a worksheet with 100% accuracy.
Learning Objective(s) stated in kid-friendly language:
Today boys and girls, we will be learning about two types of figurative language. By the end of
the lesson, you will be able to identify these two types of figurative language: similes and
metaphors. You will also complete a worksheet, which I will collect at the end of the lesson,
showing me your understanding of similes and metaphors with 100% accuracy.
Evaluation of Learning Objective(s):
Students will complete a worksheet where they will identify similes and metaphors with 100%
accuracy. The students will be provided a list of similes and metaphors and they must identify
which type of figurative language, simile or metaphor is being used. The teacher will collect this
worksheet as proof of meeting the learning objective.
Engagement:
The teacher will introduce the topic for the day and then present the students with a short video
clip on similes and metaphors. Today boys and girls, we will be learning about two types of
figurative language. By the end of the lesson, you will be able to identify these two types of
figurative language: similes and metaphors. You will also complete a worksheet, which I will
collect at the end of the lesson, showing me your understanding of similes and metaphors with
100% accuracy. Before we dive into similes and metaphors, I am going to show you a quick
video clip on similes and metaphors. The teacher shows the students the video clip and then
proceeds to the teaching. Friends, as you can see similes and metaphors are two types of
figurative language. There are other types of figurative languages that we will investigate
another day, but for todays lesson purpose we will focus specifically on similes and metaphors.
The teacher will move into the teaching. She will use a PowerPoint Presentation for her teaching
component.

Learning Design:
I. Teaching:
The teacher will use a PowerPoint to present the information on similes and metaphors. Boys
and girls, please open your notebooks and jot down notes as I talk through the PowerPoint
presentation. Students will retrieve their notebooks and the teacher will begin teaching.

Slide 1- Boys and girls, weve been learning about figurative language over the pass
couple of day, but can someone please raise their hand and tell the class and me what
figurative language is? Thank you for sharing. Figurative language is when you use a
word or phrase that does not have its normal everyday, literal meaning. Writers can use
figurative language to make their work more interesting or more dramatic than literal
language, which simply states facts. Can someone please raise their hand and tell me a
type of figurative language they have been learning about? Yes, correct. Similes,
metaphors, idioms, and personification are all examples of figurative language. There
are many other types of figurative language, but for todays lesson, we are going to
specifically focus on similes and metaphors. The teacher moves onto the next slide.

Slide 2- So, whats the difference between similes and metaphors? Lets see! Similes
compare two unlike things using like or as. While metaphors compare two unlike
things NOT using like or as. Can someone please raise their hand and think of an
example of a simile to share? Thank you for sharing. Now, can someone share an
example of a metaphor? Awesome job! The teacher will ask for more examples before
moving onto the next slide.

Slide 3- Boys and girls, I have an example of a simile I would like to share with you. The
teacher will read the example: My dog is as smelly as dirty socks. Can I have a friend
raise their hand and tell me why this is an example of a simile? Awesome! Thank you for
sharing. Our friend is correct, the dog is being compared to dirty socks using the word as
making it a simile. Do you understand? Great! The teacher moves to the next slide.

Slide 4- Boys and girls, on this slide I have an example of a metaphor: You are my
sunshine. Can I have someone volunteer to share why this is an example of a metaphor?
Thank you for sharing. This is a metaphor because it is comparing a person to the
sunshine without using like or as. Do we understand? Great. Lets continue. The teacher
moves on to the next slide where they students will raise their hand, when asked to
determine if the sentence is a simile or metaphor.

Slide 5- Friends, on the next couple of slides I have examples of similes and metaphors. I
am going to ask you to raise you hand if you think it is either a simile or metaphor, so
make sure you are listening and paying attention. You are the apple of my eye. Raise
your hand if this is a simile? Okay. Raise your hand if this is a metaphor? Alright hands
down. Lets see. Teacher reveals next slide, which has the answer.

Slide 6- It is a metaphor! Great Job! Can someone tell me why it is a metaphor? Thank
you. Its a metaphor because it is comparing two unlike things without using like or as.
Awesome job. The teacher moves to the next slide.

Slide 7- Sweet as a honeybee! Raise your hand if this is a simile? Okay. Raise your
hand if this is a metaphor? Alright hands down. Lets see. Teacher transitions to the next
slide.

Slide 8- It is a simile! Awesome job! Can someone tell me why it is a simile? Thank you.
Its a simile because it is comparing two unlike things using like or as. Awesome job. The
teacher moves to the next slide.

Slide 9- She is a walking dictionary. Raise your hand if this is a simile? Okay. Raise
your hand if this is a metaphor? Alright hands down. Lets see. Transition to next slide.

Slide 10- - It is a metaphor! Great Job! Can someone tell me why it is a metaphor?
Thank you. Its a metaphor because it is comparing two unlike things without using like
or as. Awesome job. The teacher moves to the next slide.

Slide 11- Roar like a lion! Raise your hand if this is a simile? Okay. Raise your hand if
this is a metaphor? Alright hands down. Lets see. Teacher transitions to the next slide.

Slide 12- It is a simile! Awesome job! Can someone tell me why it is a simile? Thank you.
Its a simile because it is comparing two unlike things using like or as. Awesome job. The
teacher moves to the next slide.

Slide 13- Great job everyone! Thats it for the PowerPoint! We are now going to move on
and allow you to all practice with similes and metaphors. The teacher closes the
PowerPoint Presentation and moves to the next phase of the lesson.

The teacher will end the teaching and transition to the students practicing with similes and
metaphors with a partner at their seats. Boys and girls, great job as we reviewed similes and
metaphors and as you participated in your responses. We are now going to move on and I am

going let you practice with similes and metaphors with your table partner. Sound good?
Awesome. Well please put away your materials and listen for my instructions please! Teacher and
students transition to opportunity for practice.
II. Opportunity for Practice:
Students will complete in partner pairs a t-chart worksheet where they will sort and glue down
simile and metaphor sentence strips under the correct headings. The teacher will provide the
students with the worksheet and envelope with the mixed sentence strips, which they will sort
correct under the headings simile and metaphor. Before the students glue down the sentence
strips on the t-chart, the students will raise their hand and the teacher will make sure it is correct
before they are glued down. Boys and girls, I am now going to be passing out some materials for
you and your partner to use to complete the next activity with similes and metaphors. Each pair
will get a piece of paper with a t-chart on it and a baggy of sentence strips. I would like the two
of you to work together to place each sentence under the correct heading, simile or metaphor.
The teacher will model for the students what she expects. Do we understand what we are doing?
Good. Before you glue down any of the sentence strips, please raise your hand and I will come
by and make sure they are correct before you glue them down. Okay? Great. The teacher passes
out the materials. Now, you should all have what you need and you may begin. Remember when
you think you have them on the right sides of the t-chart; let me look before you glue them down.
The teacher circulates the room and checks students work as they complete the assignment. If the
students finish quickly, they may read until they are given further instructions. Now that we are
all finished, I am going to come around and collect your sheets. The teacher walks around and
collects the sheets and moves on to instructions for the assessment.
III. Assessment:
The students will complete a worksheet individually, identifying similes and metaphors. The
teacher will pass out the worksheet to the students and they will work individually to complete
the assignment. This will be collected by the teacher for assessing the students understanding of
similes and metaphors. Boys and girls, I am going to pass out a worksheet that is to be
completed individually. I want you to identify whether the sentence is a simile or metaphor by
circling the word simile or metaphor next to the sentence. Is that clear? Okay good. You are to
complete this individually, without talking. I want to see how much you know, not your peers.
When you finish, please reading silently at your desk until everyone is finished. Do you
understand? Okay, great. Once I hand you a paper, you may begin. The teacher walks around
and passes out the worksheet to each student. While the students are working, she will be
circulating the room. She will allow the students times to complete the sheet before moving into
closure. Now that we have all completed the worksheet, would you please put it to the side and I
will walk around and collect it. The teacher walks around and collects the worksheet. Great job
everyone! Thank you for listening so well! The teacher moves into the closure of lesson.
IV. Closure:

Great job today boys and girls! You all did an excellent job listening and following directions.
Today, we learned a lot about similes and metaphors. Can someone please tell me what a simile
is? Thank you. Can someone please give me an example of a simile? Awesome! Now, can
someone please share what a metaphor is? Great. Thank you. Can I have a friend please tell me
an example of a metaphor? Superb! Boys and girls, similes and metaphors are important for us
to learn and know because when we read, writers and/or authors can sometimes include these
types of figurative language in their writings and it is important for us to be able to know and
decode them in a reading for full comprehension of the reading. You understand? Great. Well
that is it for today, you all did so well and Im very proud of you. End of the lesson, teacher
collects any final materials.
Materials and Resources:
Engagement Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uoSBVNUO2LU
PowerPoint Presentation
Practice Sheet T-Chart Simile/Metaphor
Baggy with Simile/Metaphor Sentence Strips
Glue
Assessment Worksheet
Figurative Language Choice Board
Differentiation Strategies (including plans for individual learners):
Extension- Students will be provided a choice board, where they can choose another activity to
participate in for deepen their understanding of figurative language.
Reteaching- Student(s) will be provided with other worksheets and one-on-one instruction for
deepening their knowledge of similes and metaphors.
Data Analysis: After reviewing the assessment sheet, students completed the assessment with
either a 100% or 90% only because of simple reading errors. I am very pleased with the
assessment the data it gave me on each student and their needs. For that particular lesson, I dont
believe I would need to go back and reteach similes and metaphors because the data shows the
students knowing what those types of figurative language are and how to identify them in a
sentence. I believe that this point it would be beneficial for the students to move on to other types
of figurative language and for me to incorporate deeper, more complex simile and metaphor
work. The students showed great understanding through their practice and assessment work and I
believe they fully grasp the concept of similes and metaphors.
Reflection: I felt that this was one of the best lessons I have taught to date. I felt the students
were engaged and my classroom management was good. The students were responsive to my

questioning and engaged the entire lesson. I used a PowerPoint presentation to teach and that was
new for me. I felt like this was great and the students really enjoyed this teaching method. The
students stopped and talked throughout the lesson and the conversations were great because they
were applicable to the learning objective. In the future I would only change a few things. For
example, I would use a more difficult assessment because the students new most, if not all of the
answers. Next, I would use a deeper, more complex practice with the students. I think the
students needed more of a challenge because many of the students are gifted and can easily
complete a task without assistance or struggle. Finally, I would use more classroom management
to instruction that students with cleaning, gluing, cutting, and simply movement throughout the
classroom. Many students would get up from their seat and walk to through away trash, rather
than waiting to be instructed to move. The students were very well behaved, but I would prefer in
the future that I instruct them when to move and the appropriate time for clean up. Overall, I am
very pleased with this lesson and can see myself referring to it in the future with slight
modifications.

Samford University
Design for Learning
Name:
Date:

Similes & Metaphors!

Directions: Next to the sentence, identify whether the sentence is a simile or
metaphor by circling the correct word. Good luck!

Sentence

1.

Her heart is like gold.

Circle: Simile or
Metaphor
Simile or Metaphor

2.

You are my sunshine.

Simile or Metaphor

3.

The world is a stage.

Simile or Metaphor

4.

He eats like a pig.

Simile or Metaphor

5.

Poor as dirt.

Simile or Metaphor

6.

Morgan has a heart of a lion.

Simile or Metaphor

7.

On his first day of school,

Henry was as cool as a
cucumber.
The apple is as sweet as pie.

Simile or Metaphor

It is as cold as Antarctica
outside.

Simile or Metaphor

8.
9.

10 Your room is a pig pen.

.

Simile or Metaphor

Simile or Metaphor

Sentence Strips!
Today Im feeling as fresh as a
daisy.

John runs as fast as lightning.

My best friend is as stubborn as a

mule.
After that meal, I feel as fat as a
pig!
Have you ever felt as happy as a
hippo?
Life is one long scary roller
coaster!
The kids at the school are all
brains.
Jack thinks he is the class clown!

I wish you werent always such a

chicken!
She is sunshine, brightening our
day.