Direct Instruction Lesson Plan Template

Grade Level/Subject: Fourth Grade

Central Focus: Figurative Language (Metaphor)
Reading
Essential Standard/Common Core Objective:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.4
Date submitted: March 18
Interpret words and phrases as they are used in a text, including
Date taught: March 23
determining technical, connotative, and figurative meanings, and
analyze how specific word choices shape meaning or tone.
Daily Lesson Objective:
Performance: Students will correctly answer the questions on the metaphor worksheet underlining the metaphor
and circling what is being compared and explain what the metaphor means.
Conditions: Students will work on the metaphor worksheet with their elbow buddy, or independently.
Criteria: Students will complete the worksheet with a partner or independently. Students must receive a 7 out of
10 points to meet the objective.
21st Century Skills:
Academic Language Demand (Language Function and Vocabulary):
Collaboration, social skills, critical
Synthesizing: Students will be describing the relationship between
thinking
the two things being compared to in the metaphors.
Classification: Students will be classifying what in the sentences is a
metaphor and what are the things in the metaphor that are being
compared.
Identification: Students will be indentifying what the metaphor is
and the two things that are being compared in the metaphor.
Explanation: Students will explain what each metaphor means.
Prior Knowledge: Students will have a general understanding of figurative language, including metaphors,
similes, and idioms.
Activity

1. Focus and Review

2. Statement of Objective
for Student
3. Teacher Input

Description of Activities and Setting

So Mrs. Smith tells me that you have been working with poetry and figurative
language for a few weeks now. Can someone tell me what figurative language
is? What are some examples of figurative language? *Each time they give a
different answer ask them if they can tell me what that figurative language is
or what it means.* Every day in your reading warm ups, what have you been
decoding? Idioms and yall have been doing such a great job at that!
Today we are going to learn more about metaphors and how to decode them.
A metaphor is a comparison without using like or as to compare the two
things.
Write the following on the board:
1. Henry was a pig at dinner.
2. Allison said that Haley had a heart of the lion.
Here is an example, and read the first sentence to the class. Hmm.. Henry
was a pig at dinner. I dont think that he was actually a pig. I think that the

Time

2 min

30 sec
5 min

4. Guided Practice

author was comparing Henry to a pig because pigs eat a lot, and pigs eat
everything. So Im going to underline Henry was a pig because that is what
the metaphor is in this sentence, and I am going to circle Henry and pig
because that is what is being compared in the metaphor.
Now lets look at the next one. Allison said that Haley had a heart of a lion.
Now I dont think that she actually has the heart of an actual lion, so maybe
she means to compare her heart to how big a lions heart is. *underline Haley
had a heart of a lion and circle Haley and lion*
I think the author was trying to say Haley was so loving that she must have a
heart as big and powerful as the heart of a lion.
Now that you have seen me do a couple, lets practice some together.
Write the following on the board:
1. My dad is a bear in the morning before he drinks his coffee!
2. The wind was an angry witch, howling across the night sky.
3. When it was her turn to dance, Mellissa was a graceful butterfly
flying across the stage.
Can someone raise their hand and read me the first sentence on the board?
Very good. Now lets think for a second Is this person saying that their dad
is actually a bear? *Pause for response* Good, we know that this persons dad
is not actually a bear; he is just being compared to a bear. Now will someone
come up to the board and underline the metaphor in this sentence for me.
Remember that the metaphor is usually not the whole sentence
Very good! Now will someone else come up and circle the two things that are
being compared in this metaphor. Great Job!
Finally can someone explain to me what this metaphor means? Awesome!
Now can someone read me the second one? Awesome, can anyone already
spot what he metaphor is in this sentence? Come up and underline it on the
board for me. Good Job! So the metaphor in this sentence is The wind was an
angry witch, who can come circle the two things that are being compared in
this metaphor for me? Awesome job, the wind is being compared to an angry
witch. Can someone raise their hand and explain to me what the metaphor
means here? Good job!
You guys got this! But lets try one more together before I set you loose to
work on your own.
Will someone raise their hand for me to read the last sentence on the board?
This one is a bit longer than the others, but I think we can handle it. Does
anyone already know where the metaphor is in this sentence? Very good, will
you come up and underline that for me? Now who can come circle the two
things that are being compared? Awesome!
Who can raise their hand and explain what this metaphor means? Very good!
Now with a show of thumbs how are we feeling about metaphors? I think you
guys are rocking at them!
*If students arent feeling confident do one more metaphor on the board with
them*
Stevens words were bullets that hit Greg right in he heart.

10min

Now that you all have a great understanding of metaphors I am going to set
you free, you have the choice to either work with your elbow buddy or by
yourself on the worksheet I am about to pass out. If you work with a partner I
5. Independent Practice
still want both of you to turn in a paper when you finish. Either under each
15 min
sentence or on the back I want you to write me sentence explaining what th
metaphor means. Remember to keep the volume at a whisper, and I will be
circulating if you have any questions.
Students will fill out the worksheet, they will be allowed to work with their partner or
independently. The worksheet consists of 10 questions where they will need to underline
6. Assessment Methods of the metaphor and then circle the two things in the metaphor that are being compared. The
all objectives/skills:
worksheet should demonstrate their ability to decode and understand metaphors. Each
question will be worth one point. Students should earn a total of at least 7 out of 10 possible
point in order to meet the objective.
During circulation, note if there are any questions that the majority or a lot of
students are missing. Once everyone has completed the worksheet go over
these questions with them. Ask the class the class the following questions:
7. Closure
Does anyone have any questions about metaphors?
3 min
Can someone raise their hand and give me the definition of a metaphor?
With a show of thumbs, do we all feel like we could better tackle poetry now
that we know how to understand metaphors?
96 percent of students achieved mastery according to the criteria. Students did very well
8. Assessment Results of
determining what was being accomplished. Most students did well determining what the
all objectives/skills:
metaphor meant. The one student that did not achieve mastery did not do well because they
did not determine what the metaphor meant.
Targeted Students Modifications/Accommodations:
Student/Small Group Modifications/Accommodations:
Two students will be seated closer to the front of the
Students that have behavioral issues will be sat away from each
classroom to better see the board.
other and in the room next to students that tend to be more
quiet and dont have a problem getting off task while working.
Students will be allowed to work with a partner or
independently.
Materials/Technology:
(Include any instructional materials (e.g., worksheets, assessments PowerPoint/Smart Board slides, etc.) needed to implement the lesson at the end of the lesson plan.)

References:
http://www.k12reader.com/worksheet/metaphors-compare-things/view/

Reflection on lesson:
I thought that this lesson went extremely well. Last year when I did my whole group lessons for science and social studies
I felt really nervous to get up in front of the students and the teacher, but this year I felt a lot more comfortable and
prepared. I think that I was able to handle classroom management more than I have in the past, which makes me feel a lot
better because in the past when lots of students would be talking at once I didnt really know how to handle it without
yelling at them so I think I would avoid it but this year I felt so comfortable and like an actual teacher and like my
students respected me and wanted to learn. During the guided practice I had almost the entire class participate which I
thought went very well! I only had one student that did not meet the objective, and the reason was that in the worksheet he
did not explain what each metaphor meant, he just circled and underlined the things in the metaphor. One thing that I did
not think went well was that the adjectives in the metaphors were confusing them and I didnt really know how to make
that more clear for them to understand. However my teacher gave me advice after to explain to them that these words
were just adjectives to add extra emphasis onto the metaphor. Also there was one question that confused a lot of students
because it had two metaphors in it. I had two students come to me asking about it and then I addressed it to the whole
class, but in the future if I have odd questions I think it will be better for me to address the whole class about these before
I set them free so they can see it coming and dont get to jumbled trying to understand. I also think that in the future I
would want students to circling and underlining on their own but then come together with a partner to work on what the
metaphor means to have different ideas to work with and better understand what they mean.