Curated OER
Don Quixote
Students examine the use of metaphors in literature. In this literary devices activity, students read poems that feature extended metaphors and compare them to the metaphors used in Don Quixote. Students then try their hand at writing...
Curated OER
Recognizing Similes: Fast as a Whip
Students review basic knowledge of similes and engage with similes on a more abstract level. In this similes lesson, students define similes and identify examples. Students read and analyze the similes used in poetry by Derricotte,...
Curated OER
Environmental Art
Learners create their own environmental art after the teacher shows them a variety of example and has a discussion about it. They then write an initial personal definition of environmental art.
ReadWriteThink
Sonic Patterns: Exploring Poetic Techniques Through Close Reading
Robert Hayden's poem "Those Winter Sundays" serves as the anchor text in a five-part lesson that takes the mystery out of poetry analysis by modeling explicit strategies for pupils to employ to conduct a close reading of a poem. After...
Curated OER
Teaching Poetic Devices
Young scholars identify and analyze the poetic devices of alliteration, metaphors, onomatopoeia, personification, rhyme, and similes. They identify examples of each poetic device in songs, complete a worksheet, and teach the devices to...
Curated OER
Cell and Compound Nouns
Learners explore the definition and derivation of the popular usage of shorten compound nouns. Using worksheets and lecture materials, students provide meanings for the word "cell" when used in varying contexts. They also consider the...
Learning for Justice
Maya Angelou
Maya Angelou's poem, "Still I Rise", offers young scholars an opportunity to consider how poets use literary devices to create powerful messages. After a close reading and discussion of the poem, class members reflect on how they can...
Curated OER
Musical Poetry
Young scholars analyze lyrics of their favorite songs as examples of alliteration, metaphor, Onomatopoeia, personification, rhyme, and simile to determine the purpose of these devices in poetry. They use their analysis to create a...
Curated OER
The Language of Surprise
Aspiring writers complete and discuss fill-in-the-blank cliché expressions, define cliché as a form of predictable writing, take cliché expressions and turn them into new, unpredictable ones, read poetry that illustrates writer's use of...
Curated OER
Poetry Writing Unit: Writing a Film Poem
Film poems? To concluded a poetry unit, writers select one of their own poems and create a film that brings to life the sounds and images of their work. Included with the detailed unit plan are daily lessons, student examples, a list of...
Curated OER
Reading and Writing Poems About Place
Students explore images, metaphor and simile, personification, detail, inference, tone, meaning. They identify words, phrases, sentences they do and don't understand, and ask questions of themselves and others.
Curated OER
Identifying Figurative Language
Students explore Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury. In this figurative language lesson, students locate similes, metaphors, and examples of personification in their reading. Students write down the page numbers of each example for future...
Curated OER
Bling and Sound-Symbolic Words
Students explore the definition and derivation of the popular term "bling" and other sound-symbolic words. Using worksheets and lecture materials, students provide meanings for the word "bling" when used in varying contexts. They...
Curated OER
Writing Original Literary Texts - The World of Volcanoes
Students watch a video about an active volcano and use similes and metaphors to write an original poem. In this poetry and volcano lesson, students define similes and metaphors and brainstorm examples. Students watch a video about lava...
Curated OER
Flying Too Close to the Sun
High schoolers research the myth of Icarus and his father and discuss the associated metaphor. They view the work of a number of artists and create a painting depicting the myth.
Curated OER
"Black Boy"
Students read a series of sentences and decide what literary term is being shown. They also discuss a novel about prejudice.
Curated OER
Symbolic Poem
Students read and analyze several highly symbolic poems. They create their own symbolic poem, read it to the class, and discuss whether they can guess any hidden meanings.
Curated OER
The Use of Language in "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings"
Readers of I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings are asked to craft an essay in which they compare how Maya Angelou uses figurative language to depict herself and Mrs. Flowers.
Curated OER
Parrot in the Oven: Instructional Routine
After reading "The Bullet," a particularly intense chapter in Victor Martinez's Parrot in the Oven: Mi Vida, class members listen to the Spanish and the English versions of "Dimelo" by Enrique Iglesias. They then discuss how the song...
Curated OER
Rock & Roll through Literary Terms: An Upbeat Lyrical Adventure
Students participate in a variety of activities surrounding Rock & Roll music, lyrics, drama and visual art and how they all help demonstrate examples of literary terms. They use Rock & Roll as an effective aid to stimulate their...
Curated OER
A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens
Learners study and explore the portrayal and development of a major character in a novel from the novel, "A Christmas Carol," by Charles Dickens. They identify words and phrases that effectively describe the main character in this novel....
Curated OER
Literary Analysis - Young Goodman Brown
Why is literary analysis so important? Readers explore writing a literary analysis by reviewing literary elements such as character, metaphor, plot, setting, simile, personification, and style. They read "Young Goodman Brown" by...
Curated OER
Watering Can
Students problem-solve a technique to pass pass a one gallon water container around a circle without using any hands or arms and making sure that everyone in the circle has touched the container. After several attempts, they reflect of...
Peace Corps
Culture is Like an Iceberg
What influences the way you dress, or celebrate holidays, or connect with your friends? Explore the cultural traits that are not easily seen with an engaging discussion. Using the model of an iceberg, learners place features of culture...