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Lesson Plan

What's a Metaphor?

In this lesson, students complete worksheets and engage in peer discussions to learn more about metaphors. Young writers will love making their own creative metaphors.
Need extra help for EL students? Try the Making Sense of Metaphors pre-lesson.
Grade
Fifth Grade
Subject
Reading & Writing
English Learner
English Learner Content
View aligned standards
RL.5.4
Need extra help for EL students? Try the Making Sense of Metaphors pre-lesson.

Learning Objectives

Students will understand the concept of a metaphor and be able to construct their own metaphors.

The adjustment to the whole group lesson is a modification to differentiate for children who are English learners.
EL adjustments

Introduction

(5 minutes)
MetaphorWriting MetaphorsAnimal MetaphorsMetaphor Game
  • Poll the class using the following prompt: "What is a metaphor?"
  • Have students volunteer to share their thoughts.
  • Write a metaphor on the board like the following example: "Your room is a disaster area."
  • Tell students that metaphors are analogies that compare two unlike things by saying they're the same.
  • Have students identify the two things being compared and explain how they are similar.
  • Explain to students that in this lesson they will identify metaphors, explain how they are similar, and use them in a sentence.

Beginning

  • Provide additional examples of metaphors in English, or an example in students' home language (L1) if appropriate.
  • Allow ELs to look up the terms ("metaphor," "alike," "similarities," "compare," "analogy") with a home language resource. Give them the opportunity to talk with a partner about the terms in their home language.

Intermediate

  • Have ELs discuss what they know about metaphors with a partner and then share out as a whole group. Allow them to use L1 or L2.
  • Provide a word bank for students to use when discussing what they know about metaphors.
  • Use a gesture or visual to help students understand the term "metaphor."