Figurative Language Fun

Overview

In this 45-minute lesson, 6th graders will explore the use of figurative language—focusing on metaphors and similes—in literature, specifically using excerpts from A Wrinkle in Time. Students will identify, analyze, and create examples of figurative language to enhance their interpretive and creative reading and writing skills.

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Common Core Standards

• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.6.4
  Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of a specific word choice on meaning and tone.

• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.6.10
  By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and poetry, in the grades 6-8 text complexity band proficiently.

• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.6.5.A
  Interpret figures of speech (e.g., personification) in context.

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Learning Objectives

By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:

1. Define metaphors and similes with examples.
2. Identify metaphors and similes in selected passages from A Wrinkle in Time.
3. Explain how figurative language contributes to the meaning and tone of a text.
4. Create original metaphors and similes relevant to themes encountered in the story.

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Materials Needed

• Copies of selected excerpts from A Wrinkle in Time (aged-appropriate, highlighting passages with metaphors and similes)
• Chart paper/whiteboard and markers
• Figurative Language Graphic Organizer (teacher-prepared worksheet)
• Student notebooks or journals
• Sticky notes

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Lesson Timeline

1. Introduction & Engagement (7 minutes)

• Anticipatory Set: Begin with a short, animated visual or oral riddle that uses a metaphor or simile (e.g., "My heart is a drum that beats faster when I am excited").
• Ask students to share what they think that phrase means literally and figuratively to set context.
• Briefly define figurative language and introduce metaphors and similes with clear, engaging definitions.
• Use a quick analogy: “Similes use like or as to compare — Metaphors say something is something else.”

2. Guided Practice: Identifying Figurative Language (15 minutes)

• Distribute selected excerpts from A Wrinkle in Time.
• Explain the task: Students will work in pairs to find metaphors and similes in the text using their graphic organizers.
• Model with one or two examples on the board (e.g., “The wind was a howling wolf.” Students underline metaphor and write what it means).
• Circulate around the room to assist pairs and prompt deeper thinking with questions such as: “What image does this metaphor create?” or “How does this simile help you understand the character’s feelings?”
• After pairs finish, facilitate a brief whole-class discussion to share examples and interpretations.

3. Independent Creative Writing Activity (15 minutes)

• Prompt students to write two original sentences each: one metaphor and one simile.
• Encourage them to connect these to the themes of the book—e.g., time, space, or emotions experienced by Meg or Charles Wallace.
• To stimulate creativity, provide sentence starters:
  • Simile: “Time moved like ____.”
  • Metaphor: “Her courage was a _____.”
• Allow students to share their favorite example aloud in small groups or with a partner.

4. Wrap-Up and Formative Assessment (8 minutes)

• Use a “Exit Ticket” approach: Each student writes down one metaphor and one simile they found in the text and explains what each means in their own words.
• Collect exit tickets to assess individual understanding.
• Provide immediate verbal feedback highlighting creative insights and correcting misconceptions.

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Differentiation Strategies

• For ELLs or students with reading difficulties, pre-teach vocabulary related to figurative language using visuals.
• Use audio recordings of the excerpts for auditory support.
• Provide sentence frames and graphic organizer scaffolds.
• Challenge advanced students to find examples of personification or hyperbole if time allows.

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Extensions and Home Connection

• Assign students to find examples of metaphors and similes in their independent reading books or daily conversations and share them in the next class.
• Encourage families to discuss figurative language found in commercials, songs, or everyday speech to build real-world connections.

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Reflection for Teachers

• Note which metaphors and similes students grasped well and which confused them to inform re-teaching.
• Observe engagement during the creative writing and partner activities to adjust future lesson pacing.

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This detailed, interactive lesson ensures students experience figurative language not only by reading and identifying it but also by creating their own, all while anchoring the learning within familiar literary text, fostering deeper comprehension aligned with the Common Core.