Effective 5E Lesson Plan for Figurative Devices

Lesson Plan for Literature – Figurative Devices

Julie Tagg| Think and Write for CSEC English| November 7, 2024

The 5E model includes Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, and Evaluate. This encourages active learning and critical thinking.

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The 5E model includes Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, and Evaluate. This encourages active learning and critical thinking.

Lesson Plan: Understanding Figurative Devices

Grade Level: 6 – 8
Subject: Language Arts
Duration: 60 minutes

Objective

Students will identify and create examples of figurative devices, including similes, metaphors, personification, hyperbole, and idioms.

By the end of the lesson, students will recognize these devices in texts and understand their impact on language and storytelling.

Materials

Lesson Outline

1. Engage (10 minutes)

Objective: Capture students’ interest and activate prior knowledge.

Activity: Start with a short, fun quiz where students guess the meaning of common idioms (e.g., “It’s raining cats and dogs”). Write several on the board and ask if anyone knows what they mean.
Discussion: Ask students if they know why we use phrases like these and what effect they have on the language we speak. Explain that we will learn about various figurative devices that make language more engaging.

2. Explore (15 minutes)

Objective: Allow students to investigate figurative language examples and start identifying devices.

Group Work: Divide the class into small groups. Give each group a short passage, poem, or song lyric that contains various figurative devices (simile, metaphor, personification, etc.).
Task: Ask each group to read their passage and identify non-literal phrases. Have them write these down and label them if they know the type of figurative device (you can provide a handout with definitions to help).
Share: Each group briefly shares one example they found and what they think it means.

3. Explain (10 minutes)

Objective: Provide direct instruction on figurative devices and clarify definitions.

Direct Instruction: Review the main figurative devices being studied (simile, metaphor, personification, hyperbole, and idiom). For each device, provide a definition, a few examples, and explanations.
Interactive Examples: After explaining each device, ask students for more examples and write them on the board. Encourage students to think of real-life examples or sentences.

4. Elaborate (15 minutes)

Objective: Give students a chance to create their examples. This will help students to deepen their understanding through practice.

Activity: Hand out worksheets with prompts for each figurative device. For example:
- Write a simile describing how fast someone runs.
- Create a metaphor comparing a difficult task to an object.
- Personify a household item or an animal.
- Write a hyperbolic statement about something you dislike doing.
Peer Review: Once students complete their sentences, have them pair up to share and discuss their examples. Encourage constructive feedback/ peer evaluation.

5. Evaluate (10 minutes)

Objective: Assess student understanding of figurative devices.

Exit Ticket: On a sticky note or exit slip, have each student write one sentence using any figurative device of their choice. They should identify the device they used and explain its intended meaning.
Reflection: Collect exit tickets to check for understanding and note any areas for review in future lessons.

Differentiation

For Advanced Learners: Challenge them to identify additional devices in a longer, complex text or to write a short paragraph incorporating multiple devices.
For English Language Learners (ELLs): Provide visuals for each figurative device (e.g., image of a roaring lion for “the car roared to life”) and emphasize relatable examples to clarify meanings.
For Struggling Students: Allow them to work with partners or in small groups on exercises, offering additional examples and explanations as needed.

Assessment

Formative: Observations during group activities, worksheet responses, and participation in discussions.
Summative: Evaluate students’ exit tickets for understanding and accurate use of figurative devices. Consider assigning a follow-up homework task where students find or create figurative devices in a favorite book, song, or poem.

Extensions

Writing Activity: Assign a creative writing piece (like a short poem or descriptive paragraph) where students must use at least three different figurative devices.
Reading Connection: Choose a text for the next class that uses figurative language heavily and let students highlight and identify devices within it.

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