Instructor: Ms.

Whitney Weiland

Grade and Subject: 8 th Grade ELA

Lesson Title: Metaphors and Similes

Date: November 11, 2014

1. LESSON CONTEXT AND RATIONALE

The student population of Sequoyah Middle School is 80% Hispanic with many
students being bilingual in both Spanish and English.
This lesson provides visual aids such as, the lecture on the board, handouts, and
exercises that have specific terms and concepts highlighted and pointed out.
The lesson creates a collaborative setting where students talk to one another to
answer questions and learn from one another. This allows ELL to have a more
meaningful way to learn Language Arts.
This lesson will teach students how to implement the use of figurative language in
their own writing, which ELL typically struggles in.
Students need to learn the basic components of writing in order to improve as
readers and writers because drawing students attention to the object is
important because they apply what theyve learned about the authors craft when
they write their own stories and students who know more about leads,
figurative language, point of view, imagery, surprise endings, voice, and
flashbacks write better stories than those who dont (Tompkins, 2013 p.131).

Culture and
Context

Lesson Rationale

Management

2.

This lesson is important because it allows students to improve their writing by

adding figurative language, like metaphors and similes, which is a component of
the Georgia State Common Core Standards.
The other topics being covered this week are idioms, allusions, onomatopoeia,
alliterations, and hyperboles.
All of the topics will help improve students writing and reading.
Teaching this lesson in a collaborative way creates a more active and fun
classroom environment on a topic that can easily be done by just teaching the
meaning of the terms and moving on to the next topic. Students are able to
discuss answers and think critically with one another.
The exercise allows them to move around and covers different learning styles.
The use of the ActivBoard will have the entire lesson details and class plan
presented visually for all the students to know what they are expected to
complete for each section.
The use of timer will be visually on the ActivBoard for students to know how long
they have to complete a task.
The use of the call bell to let students know when time is up and to turn there focus
and attention back on the teacher. It also is used to warn students when they are
getting to loud.
Desks are already in groups needed for the work period.
Students are given a number 1-4 that tells them which gallery poster to start at for
work period and who they will be working with.

STANDARDS & REQUIREMENTS

2. CCGSP or GPS
Standard(s)

Individual
Education Plan
Goal(s) and

ELACC8RI4: Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a
text, including figurative, connotative, and technical meanings; analyze the
impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone, including analogies or
allusions to other texts.
ELACC8SL1: Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-onone, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 8 topics and
texts, building on others ideas and expressing their own clearly.
ELACC8L3: Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing,
speaking, reading, or listening.
Unaware of those students who have an IEP and/or 504 plan (Will ask mentor
teacher before each class who has one to mentally prepare).
If I had one, the lesson provides visual aids, a set time to complete the
expectations from the lesson, questions and steps broken down into smaller

Instructor: Ms. Whitney Weiland

Grade and Subject: 8 th Grade ELA

Lesson Title: Metaphors and Similes

Date: November 11, 2014
units, and collaborative work that will allow students to learn from one another.
Benchmarks
All work required to be completed and the lesson format is visually displayed on
Modification(s)
/Accommodation (s) the ActivBoard.

Anchor chart on wall to show definitions and how to determine if it is a metaphor

or simile.
Teacher-led instruction allows students to be assessed while learning the material.
Collaborative work allows students of all learning levels and styles to learn from
one another and be successful.
Use of direct instruction through modeling, scaffolding, and explicit teaching.
Collaborative work through grouping, which allows discussions. Provided with
specific products to aid their learning process: handouts, graphic organizers,
visual aids, and music.

Differentiation

3. RESOURCES
Academic
Language

Language
Functions
Language
Vocabulary
Materials

Technology

The key language demand of this lesson is to teach what makes a metaphor and
a simile and to distinguish the how to determine the difference between the two.
Specific clue words are needed to do so. The lesson will provide individual
practice work, followed by teacher scaffolding how to determine the difference
by teaching the actual terms and answering the warm up questions together.
Throughout the lecture specific words are to be bolded or in a different color to
exemplify their importance like: metaphor, simile, figurative language, verbs,
adverbs.
For the activity during the work period, these terms will be on the anchor chart and
on the handout provided.
The language is being used to demonstrate what is a metaphor and what is a
simile.
Figurative Language, Metaphors, Similes, Adverbs, Verbs, Clue Words, Be
verbs
B.I.B.L.E.
Handout with input page and warm up/minilesson activity.
Posters with task cards on them.
Lesson and slides on ActivBoard.
Anchor chart on wall.
Plastic boxes with scissors, glue, colored pencils, and markers.
The use of the ActivBoard to visually display what is expected from the opening,
work period, and closing. The lecture will be presented and used as a tool for
my think aloud.
Students will be able to see what they are expected to learn and perform for this
class period. If they have a question, it can potentially be answered just by
looking at the board. This use of the ActivBoard for lessons is what they are
used to. My mentor teacher does the same routine every day. This use of
technology is what they are prepared to use as a tool in learning. This use of
routine and knowing what to expect is important in their understanding and
learning.
Timer on board to let students know how much time is given for each segment.
Music from Pandora to eliminate dull silence during reading and work time.

4. LESSON PROCEDURE
Enduring
Understanding

Students are to understand that sentences can move from simple to creative
through the use of metaphors and similes in writing.
To become a more advanced writer, students need to improve the basic skills of
writing through practice.

Instructor: Ms. Whitney Weiland

Grade and Subject: 8 th Grade ELA

Lesson Title: Metaphors and Similes

Date: November 11, 2014

Essential
Question(s)

Learning what makes up a metaphor and a simile, students will increase

comprehension of more complex writing like poetry.
What are similes? Metaphors?
How are they used to add engagement and meaning to writing?

Lesson Objective(s) Students will be able to distinguish what metaphors and similes are and what
Assessment Link
Introduction to
Lesson

Body of Lesson

Closure

makes them different.

Students will be able to create effective writing using metaphors or similes.
How does the planned assessment link to the objectives (and or activities)?
Students will label in their B.I.B.L.E. Metaphors and Similes or Figurative
Language. Input and output page will be handed out at this time. Give two
minutes for this.
Warm Up: Provide two examples on ActivBoard from Katy Perrys song Firework
that contain both metaphors and similes. Describe how these types of figurative
language are in pop culture today as a connection to students. Give two minutes
for this.
Minilesson: Students will look at their input page as a reference and to take further
notes. Teacher explains the differences between what makes a metaphor and a
simile. This will be done by giving the definition of both metaphors and similes
and explaining what makes them different.
Give three examples of a metaphor and simile and ask which one it is and what
they could mean. Discuss the qualities and characteristics of the two unlike
words.
Next, go through the thought process to determine if it is a metaphor or a simile
and the questions to ask throughout it. Give about 15-18 minutes for this entire
introduction.
Gallery Walk: Students will be divided into groups of 4. Four posters are on the
wall numbered and each has a task card on them to have them create their
own metaphors and similes to apply their knowledge of the topic.
Students will be given a sheet with the appropriate number of sentences they
need to create at each poster.
Groups will move from poster to poster. They will create their own metaphor or
simile individually. They will stay at each poster for five minutes. Call bell will let
them know when to switch to the next poster.
This gallery walk should take 20 minutes.
Exit Ticket: Students will be given an index card and be asked to write their best
metaphor and simile they created from the gallery walk on them.
Students are to turn in the exit ticket and worksheet from gallery walk when
leaving the classroom.
Give them five minutes till the end of the class period.

5. ASSESSMENT
Students will be able to distinguish the differences between metaphors and
Evaluation
similes and create their own sentences that contain metaphors and similes.
(Assessment Plan

After
the minilesson, students will be assessed based on their answers to the
for IEP Goals and/or
worksheet and their explanations to what the metaphor or simile means.
504 Plans)
The in class review will be a way to assess if they are understanding the concept
after the minilesson.
During the work period, I will be walking around seeing what they are creating as
metaphors and similes.
The exit ticket will be the final form of assessment to see if they fully know how to
create their own metaphor and simile while given specific tasks to complete.

Instructor: Ms. Whitney Weiland

Grade and Subject: 8 th Grade ELA

Lesson Title: Metaphors and Similes

Date: November 11, 2014

Students will also be extending their knowledge the next day by learning other
figurative language components and applying it to their writing.