Metaphor Makers

Overview

In this lesson (3 of 6) students focus on figurative language—especially metaphors and similes—and how authors use it to shape meaning, mood, and reader understanding. Students connect their interpretations to self-care for learning by noticing how feelings, attention, and respectful talk help them take productive risks with ideas.

Learning intentions

• WALT identify figurative language (metaphors and similes) in short texts.
• WALT explain what a figurative phrase suggests about characters, feelings, or events.
• WALT discuss the author’s purpose for using figurative language.
• WALT use respectful talk moves to share, listen, and build on others’ ideas.

Success criteria

• I can point to a metaphor or simile and say what two things are being compared.
• I can explain what the figurative language makes me notice or feel (and give evidence from the text).
• I can describe an author’s purpose using a reason (e.g., to create imagery, emphasise a feeling, or make an idea memorable).
• I can contribute to discussions using respectful responses (e.g., “I agree because…”, “Can you explain…?”).

Curriculum links

• Health (Self-care): explore how emotional wellbeing supports learning by helping students stay engaged, reframe unhelpful thoughts, and respond constructively to challenges.
• Health (Self-care): build respectful classroom environments through communication that supports participation and wellbeing.
• Health and PE (Self-care): connect emotional regulation strategies to maintaining focus during group tasks and discussions.
• Communication purpose: interpret texts by using evidence and reasoning in discussion and reflection.

Lesson structure (45 minutes)

1. 0–5 min · Settling and mindset link. Teacher welcomes students and briefly revisits the unit goal: “Our learning journey includes how we handle thoughts and feelings while learning.” Students do a 30-second silent check-in: “Right now my learning feeling is…” (one word), then share with a partner: “What might help me if I get stuck?”

2. 5–10 min · Mini-lesson: Metaphor vs simile. Teacher displays two sentence examples and clearly models: a simile often uses “like” or “as,” while a metaphor states one thing is another to create imagery. Students turn-and-talk: “Which one is a simile and what word gives it away?”

3. 10–20 min · Text hunt (guided). Teacher distributes a short excerpt (teacher-prepared, Year 6 appropriate) and reads it aloud once for meaning, then a second time for noticing. Students work in pairs with a “Figurative Language Detective” sheet to underline metaphors and circle similes, writing one short note for each: “This compares ___ to ___.”

4. 20–30 min · Interpretation circles (small group discussion). Teacher forms 5 groups of 5 and assigns each group 2 figurative phrases. Students complete a discussion protocol:

• Person A reads the phrase and evidence (the exact words).
• Person B explains what it suggests about feelings, character, or events.
• Person C answers: “Why might the author use this?” Teacher circulates, prompting with sentence starters if needed: “I think the purpose is…” “This suggests…” “I notice that…”

5. 30–38 min · Whole-class share with respectful talk. Teacher calls on groups to share one phrase and one purpose idea. Students use a class “build and challenge” norm:

• Agree: “I agree because…”
• Add: “Another idea is…”
• Clarify: “Can you explain how you know from the text?” Teacher tracks ideas on the board under headings: “What it means” and “Possible author purpose.”

6. 38–45 min · Reflection exit ticket. Teacher gives an exit ticket with three prompts:

• “One figurative phrase I understood better today was…”
• “The author’s likely purpose was…”
• “When I found it tricky, I helped myself by…” (choose one: slow down, ask a question, use evidence, take a breath, reframe: “I can try again”). Students submit as the teacher checks quickly for misconceptions.

Resources

• Short teacher-selected excerpt(s) containing 4–6 metaphors/similes
• “Figurative Language Detective” worksheet (underline/circle + comparison notes)
• Group discussion protocol cards (Person A/B/C prompts and sentence starters)
• Whole-class chart paper or whiteboard headings: “What it means / Author purpose”
• Exit ticket slips
• Pens/pencils and highlighters
• Timer for discussion sections

Assessment

• Formative during text hunt: teacher checks pairs for correct identification (metaphor vs simile) and whether students name the comparison accurately.
• Formative during group discussion: teacher listens for evidence-based explanations (“from the exact words”) and clear purpose statements.
• Summative (light) via exit ticket: checks understanding of interpretation and author purpose, plus self-care reflection (how they helped themselves when stuck).

Differentiation

• Support for students needing scaffolds:
• Provide a word bank: “suggests,” “creates,” “highlights,” “makes me notice,” “to show,” “like/as.”
• Offer sentence stems for purpose: “The author uses this to… so that…”
• Pre-highlight one example (without removing challenge for others).
• Extension for students ready to go further:
• Ask for a “second purpose”: “What else might this figurative language achieve besides explaining feelings?”
• Invite students to suggest an alternative phrase and explain how meaning would change.
• EAL considerations:
• Allow oral first responses in pairs before writing; provide comparison starters: “___ is like/as ___.”
• Keep excerpts short and re-read aloud for clarity.
• SEN/learning support:
• Use smaller chunks: 2 phrases per group and extra time for discussion.
• Encourage use of the teacher circulation prompts and the “evidence” reminder card (“show me the words”).