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Grade: Middle

#3216. Similes and Metaphors

Reading/Writing, level: Middle
Posted Sun Sep 12 09:41:52 PDT 2004 by R. Marriott (becca9341@aol.com).
Brick, NJ
Activity Time: One Class Period

GRADE 7: LANGUAGE ARTS
SIMILES AND METAPHORS

Rebecca Marriott
June 24, 2004


OBJECTIVES
1. Students will be able to (SWBAT) write similes and metaphors.
2. SWBAT find the similes in the poem "Willow and Ginkgo"
3. SWBAT determine the metaphor in "The Road Not Taken"
4. SWBAT determine the difference between a simile and a metaphor.

MATERIALS
1. Figurative Language handout
2. Identifying Similes and Metaphors handout
3. "Willow and Ginkgo" by Eve Merriam
4. "The Road Not Taken" by Robert Frost

PROCEDURE
Introduction

1. Begin class by writing on the board, "Life is like __________________"
2. As a class, begin filling in the blank
3. Ask the class, "Does anyone know what type of figurative language this is?"

Body
1. Together with the students, create a definition for a simile
2. "How can we change this to a metaphor? (Life is ______________)
3. Together as a class, come up with a definition for a metaphor
4. Ask the students, why do we use figurative language?
** helps the readers visualize what is happening in a story or a poem
5. Pass out the handout "Figurative Language"
6. Briefly discuss the items on the handout to review what had been done as a class
7. Distribute the two poems "Willow and Ginkgo" and "The Road Not Taken"
8. Read each poem out loud
9. Have students, in pairs, circle each simile they come to in "Willow and Ginkgo" and discuss the answers as a class
10. Have students read "The Road Not Taken" and discuss, in pairs, what they think the metaphor might be and discuss their answers as a class

Conclusion
1. Pass out the worksheet "Identifying Similes and Metaphors"
2. Have students complete the worksheet
3. Go over the answers as a class

ASSESSMENT
Student understanding of the lesson will be determined through observing the students during their activity working with the two poems. Also, evaluation of the similes and metaphors created by the students for homework will assess their understanding of the lesson.

HOMEWORK
1. Students will have to create 3 original examples of similes and 3 original examples of metaphors written on a separate piece of paper to be handed in.