Midnight Ride Figurative Language

Overview

Students read and interpret key parts of the poem “Paul Revere’s Ride” to understand the Midnight Ride of Paul Revere and how figurative language shapes meaning and mood. Students practice determining what figurative language means in context.

Learning intentions

• Students will be able to identify figurative language (especially similes and metaphors) used in the poem.
• Students will be able to explain what figurative language means in the context of the story.
• Students will be able to summarize key ideas about the Midnight Ride using details from the text.
• Students will be able to connect figurative language to themes such as urgency, courage, and determination.

Success criteria

• I can find examples of similes and metaphors in the poem and point to the exact lines.
• I can explain what each figurative example is comparing and what it tells us.
• I can use context clues to determine the meaning of a figurative phrase.
• I can summarize the Midnight Ride using important details from the poem.

Curriculum links

• Reading: Literature — Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative language such as metaphors and similes (RL.5.4).
• Language — Interpret figurative language, including similes and metaphors, in context (L.5.5a).
• Language — Demonstrate understanding of figurative language and nuances in word meanings (L.5.5).
• Reading: Literature — Determine a theme from details and summarize the text (RL.5.2).

Lesson structure (45 minutes)

1. 0–5 min · Hook (Act it out). Teacher displays two short sentences: “The night was a blanket” and “The night was still.” Students quickly tell which one sounds more descriptive and why.

2. 5–12 min · Background + First read. Teacher gives a brief, age-appropriate context: Paul Revere warns colonists about British plans, and he rides through the night to spread the message. Students follow along with a short selected passage of the poem as the teacher reads aloud.

3. 12–22 min · Mini-lesson: figurative language types. Teacher defines and models figurative language:

• Simile: compares using words like “like” or “as.”
• Metaphor: compares without “like” or “as.” Teacher shows one worked example from a passage:
• Example (simile): “so still / as something… ” (use the exact line from your selected text) — Students: “It means the night is very quiet, not actually a person/thing.” Then teacher emphasizes: “We interpret it using context—what is happening in the ride?” Students underline one sentence that feels “extra descriptive.”

4. 22–32 min · Guided practice: meaning in context. Teacher provides 3–4 pre-printed line slips from the poem (chosen at a level accessible to 5th grade) that include both similes and metaphors. Students work in pairs to complete a simple graphic organizer:

• Identify the figurative language (simile/metaphor).
• What is being compared?
• Meaning in plain words (what it helps us understand about the ride). Teacher circulates and prompts with sentence starters: “This compares ___ to ___, so it means ___.”

5. 32–40 min · Whole-class share + Midnight Ride summary. Teacher leads a discussion: each pair shares one example and their plain-words meaning. Teacher records student explanations next to the lines. Then, students write a 4–5 sentence summary of the Midnight Ride based on details from the poem and what figurative language reveals about urgency and courage.

6. 40–45 min · Exit ticket (check for understanding). Students answer:

• “Choose one figurative line from today and explain what it means in context.”
• “In 1 sentence, summarize the Midnight Ride using one detail.”

Resources

• Printed excerpt of “Paul Revere’s Ride” (teacher-chosen lines that include similes and/or metaphors)
• Pre-printed line slips for guided practice (3–4 examples)
• Graphic organizer: “Figurative Language → Comparison → Meaning in Plain Words”
• Highlighters or pencils for underlining
• Chart paper or board for collecting student explanations
• Student notebook pages for summary writing and exit ticket

Assessment

• Formative: Teacher listens during pair work and checks that students correctly label simile vs. metaphor and use context to explain meaning.
• Formative: Review the quality of plain-words explanations during whole-class share.
• Exit ticket: Accuracy of figurative meaning in context and a brief summary with a relevant detail.

Differentiation

• Support for struggling readers: Provide a word bank for common context clues (quiet, urgent, fast, glowing, shadows, danger, warning). Allow students to match figurative meaning cards to the line slips.
• Sentence starters for explanations: “This is a ___ because it compares using ___.” and “It means ___ about what Paul Revere is experiencing.”
• Challenge/extension within the lesson: Ask advanced students to choose a line and explain how the figurative language changes the reader’s feelings (mood) about the ride.
• EAL/SEN considerations: Use visuals on the board (examples of simile/metaphor), allow oral rehearsal before writing, and permit audio support during the first read if available.