A definitive resource for your figurative language unit includes several worksheets and activities to reinforce writing skills. It addresses poetic elements such as simile and metaphor, personification, hyperbole, and idioms, and...

Emphasize the difference between literal and figurative language, as well as how each adds to the plot, with a lesson on Zora Neale Hurston's Their Eyes Were Watching God. Readers study the images of the pear tree, the street lamp, and...

Zora Neale Hurston's beautiful language in Their Eyes Were Watching God is not only a pleasure to read, it helps to further the plot and character development. Once your class has finished Chapter 6 of the novel, have them discuss...

Focus on symbols from Amy Tan's The Joy Luck Club with a rich lesson plan. Young readers discuss the meaning of the section titles from the novel, including "The Twenty-Six Malignant Gates," and write a short essay about Tan's use of the...

Amy Tan uses vivid figurative language to deepen and enrich her writing. Use the fifth of ten lessons on The Joy Luck Club to demonstrate the impact of figurative language, particularly similes and metaphors, on plot and character. Young...

Whether or not Zora Neale Hurston's classic novel is a part of your course, this packet deserves a place in your curriculum library. Designed as a close reading exercise, the series of activities begins with the instructor modeling, with...

“It’s not about what it is, it’s about what it can become.” You’re never too old for Dr. Seuss and using The Sneetches and The Lorax is a great way to introduce readers to allegories, parables, and literary symbolism. The lessons...

While continuing to read the book Eagle Song, your class learns to cite specific details when answering questions and to use context clues when encountering unknown words. Learners begin by listening as the teacher reads aloud the first...

Sherlock Holmes had fantastic skills of observation. Your super sleuths will examine the pattern, rhythm, texture, and color of a painting to uncover the symbolism beneath. A great lesson, that incorporates observation, art analysis,...

Engage your class in a series of activities, each related to the use or analysis of symbols used to convey patriotic or national concepts. They identify different national symbols and explain their meanings, discussing the importance of...

Scholars demonstrate the ability to evaluate authors' use of literary elements such as metaphor, simile, personification, imagery, and onomatopoeia. They are provided with a checklist and must shop for poems that contain the poetry terms...

Introduce your upper-elementary students to printmaking. Class members view prints, select and research symbols in a piece, and create their own sets of prints using styrofoam trays. Pupils can wash off the paint on their trays to make...

As part of a 10-lesson unit study of Bless Me, Ultima, readers analyze three major symbols in Rudolfo Anaya's novel: Ultima's owl, the river, and the golden carp. The focus here is on how Antonio's response to these symbols develop his...

To Kill a Seagull? Huh? Robert E. Lee Ewell? Really? Atticus, as in Titus Pomponius Atticus? As part of a discussion of the symbols in To Kill A Mockingbird readers are asked to research the names of the characters in Harper Lee's novel...

The hawk is a recurring symbol in Robinson Jeffers' poetry. Ask your learners to consider this symbol in the poems "Hurt Hawks" and "Rock and Hawk." Pupils discuss these two poems and compare them to poems read earlier in this series....

Decipher the symbolism present in Ursula K. Le Guin's novel A Wizard of Earthsea through discussion and composition. Pupils first consider Le Guin's reversal of stereotypes and look at Ged as a hero. They then note down three symbols and...

Dig deep into any piece of poetry with a set of analysis questions. Ponder the content, form, and language of poetry and provide some question for critique. The first two pages include general questions, and the remainder of the document...

In Part 2 of a course on The Catcher in the Rye, the narrator examines J.D. Salinger's life and considers how the author's experiences during World War II may have influenced his portrayal of Holden Caulfield. How Salinger creates...

Support a class reading of the novel Song of the Trees by Mildred D. Taylor with this series of discussion questions. Covering a variety of topics from character and setting to historical accuracy and symbolism, these questions challenge...

Play a figurative language game! Starting with a review of terms, this presentation quickly launches into a quiz game with hyper-linked answers. Simply click an answer to find out if it's wrong or right. The option to try again is always...

Understanding and identifying repeated images are an important step in analyzing poetry. Using William Wordsworth's poem "Daffodils," eighth graders pay attention to symbolism and repetition. An informative video can guide your class...

Determining a theme or central idea is greatly emphasized in the Common Core standards. Target that skill though big metaphors and central symbols in Pam Muñoz Ryan's Esperanza Rising. Help your class reach the standard through...

Explore literary devices and figurative language using higher level examples. The 33 slides here define common types of figurative language (like simile, metaphor, personification, etc.), and then focus on specific examples in...

Comparative thinking is one way to build critical analysts. Budding artists discuss symbols and how they represent concepts, beliefs, or ideas. They compare the symbols found on an ancient Egyptian mummy case to those found in...