Figurative Language

Lesson Components
What teacher and student behaviors are planned and expected
Context: Course name; grade level; length of lesson; description of setting, students, and
curriculum and any other important contextual characteristics
This lesson will be taught to three unleveled 6th grade Language Arts classes. One of these classes,
although ostensibly the same, has a higher percentage of special needs students 10 or 11 of the 20
students have IEPs. There is one SPED teacher who assists in the classroom during that block.
The students have had varying degrees of contact with figurative language in previous years. My CI
and I just started covering figurative language in our own classroom earlier in the week, and will
have had two or three lessons on figurative language prior to this one. The focus has been on learning
a few different types of figurative language; now, they will move towards creating their own
examples, and incorporating it into their writing. They will continue to work on figurative language
in the future.
Estimated length: 45 min to 1 hour
Virginia SOL(s):
6.7 The student will write narration, description, exposition, and persuasion.
6.7 b) Use a variety of prewriting strategies including graphic organizers to generate
and organize ideas.
Common Core State Standard(s):
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.6.5

Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings.
Objectives (KUD format):
Students will understand that figurative language makes writing stronger
Students will know several types of figurative language (simile, metaphor, hyperbole, alliteration,
personification, and onomatopoeia).
Students will know how to create their own examples of figurative language and incorporate it into
their writing
Students will be able to create their own examples of figurative language and incorporate it into their
writing
Assessments: Methods for evaluating each of the specific objectives listed above.
Diagnostic: Weve looked at figurative language in previous class periods. One activity required

Comments

students (as a collective) to verbally identify different types of figurative language that were being
used in a video (with accompanying lyrics).
The students will also individually identify figurative language techniques that are being used in a
poem. Some students will share their ideas with the class.
Formative: The students will guide me through a modeling exercise in which I will use a graphic
organizer to come up with examples of six types of figurative language.
I will circulate the room and assist students as they create their examples.
I will circulate the room and assist students as they write their poems
Summative: On Monday they will be in the computer lab, and will type up (and, if necessary,
complete) their poems. I will read all of the poems, and, as necessary, make suggestions for changes.
(I will also make notes about what the students are struggling with.)
Procedures: Detail student and teacher behavior. Identify possible student misconceptions.
Include:
I.

Welcome/greeting/announcements

I will greet the students as they enter. They will immediately start work on their usual Do Now.
(They have the same exact one every day log reading, make a double entry, read. Because the
lesson is on Friday, we will also watch the Week-In-Rap. During the video, I will pass out the Fig.
Lang. graphic organizers. All of this will take about 30 minutes.)
Morgan: Good morning, Benjamin! Good morning, Sahara! Are you looking forward to the weekend?
Do you have any plans?
II.

Hook/ bridge/ opening to lesson

If there are any students still lingering around the room, I will tell them to return to their seats. I will
then ask them to glue their graphic organizers into the writing section/third section of their
notebooks.
Morgan: Give me five! *waits a few seconds for students to quiet down and look at me * Everyone,
return to your seats. Today were going to be doing some more work with figurative language! This
time, youll be creating your own examples of figurative language. Do you all have a copy of this
sheet? *projects the graphic organizer onto the board, and waits to see if any students respond.*
Kathy: I dont have it.
Morgan: Okay, here you go. *hands her a copy of the organizer. Someone else says that they have
extras, and I take them.* Glue this sheet into the writing section of your notebook. The third section,
glue the sheet into the third section of your notebooks. *waits for students to glue in their sheets*
III.

Instructional steps

I will explain the (first part of the) days main lesson to the class, and model how to complete
the graphic organizer (with student guidance).

I always model new

activities/assignments
for the students.

Morgan: Were going to start off by filling out this figurative language graphic organizer that I have in
front of me. This is just an example, so make sure that you dont copy down what Im writing! Do not
copy down what Im writing! Okay, so, the first box is simile. What is a simile? Can someone tell us?
Yes, Jared?
Jared: It uses like, or as.
Morgan: What else does it do?
Jared:.. I dont know.
Morgan: Okay. Does someone want to help Jared out? A simile uses like, or as. What else does it
do? Sam.
Sam: It compares two things.
Morgan: Right! A simile is a comparison between two things, using the words like or as. She was
as hungry as a bear. The night was like black ink. What are some other examples of similes? Hali?
Hali: She was buzzing like a bee.
Morgan: Okay. Whats buzzing? Her head? Or is she talking like a bee?
Hali: Her head.
Morgan: Alright. Her head was buzzing like a bee. *I copy it down*.
*time passes*
Morgan: Can someone tell us what a metaphor is?
Frank: Its a comparison between two things.
Morgan: Does it use like or as?
Frank: No.
Morgan: Thats correct. A metaphor is a comparison between two things that doesnt use like or
as.
A simile would be, she was as fast as a cheetah when she ran. A metaphor would be, she was a
cheetah when she ran. Who has some other examples for me?
*we complete the organizer, one box at a time.*
I explain the poetry part of the assignment.
Morgan: You guys are now going to complete your own graphic organizers. But let me explain the
entire assignment before you start working! There are some other important details for you to get.
After youve filled out your sheets with at least one example for each box you will WRITE A
POEM that uses the awesome examples you came up with! If I were to write a poem, for example,
I might write,
Her head was buzzing like a bee
as she stood,
terrified,
in the middle of the stage
*I write a few lines of a poem, incorporating a couple of the students ideas*
Morgan: SO. First, youll fill out your graphic organizer. Remember, if you are confused about what
any of the terms mean, you can look at your notes, look at the projector *I put a copy of the figurative
language notes on the projector*, or you can ask someone for help. After youve finished, youll write
a poem, and use the examples youve come up with in your writing. At least one example of each type
of figurative language. Now, who can repeat the directions back to me? Tina?
Tina: We have to fill out the paper, and then write a poem.
Morgan: Right. And what are you doing for the poem?
Tina: We need to use the stuff we thought of. On our papers.
Morgan: Right, you need to use the examples of figurative language. How many do you need?
Tina:. Four?

I like having the

students incorporate
reading/literature
skills into their writing

Morgan: Not quite. Does anyone want to finish the directions for us? How many examples do you
need of figurative language?
Vivian: One of each type.
Morgan: Right, at least one of each type. Does anyone have any questions?
*students are quiet*
Morgan: Okay then! You can go ahead and get started!
*I circulate the room to assist students*
IV. Closing
If we have time, a couple students may choose to share their poems.
Morgan: We have a few minutes left before class if over? Does anyone want to share their poem?
Meredith?
Materials:
-

Figurative language graphic organizer.

computer and projector
paper, postie notes, pens/pencils
white board with eraser and markers
Their Three-Subject Notebooks (which live in the class)

Attention to Individual Student Needs: Detail specific actions/materials you will use to meet
individual needs in this lesson.
I will be able to assess individual student progress (as well as whole class comprehension) after
theyve typed up their poems on Monday
I will be able to respond to some individuals as they participate during the lesson.
I will respond to individual students during the bulk of the lesson, as I circulate the room.
(Most of the individualization will come when we do the second part of the lesson, on Friday. At that
time, students will individually pick a theme that they are interested in and do some writing that
incorporates it. In that activity they will have choice in the theme they pick, what to write about, and
what format (story/poem/etc.) to use. I will also circulate continuously during that lesson, checking
for understanding and addressing problems in comprehension.
Technology Use: Detail specific technology being used in the lesson with explanation for why
it is being used.
I will use an elmo/projector so that I can effectively model activities.