Flavored with Flavored with Figurative Figurative LanguageLanguage

Bethany Elementary School

Third Grade

Activities to Familiarize Students with Figures of Speech

By Laura Beth FitzgeraldRockingham County Schools

He’s such a

bookworm! ‘Whooo’

went the owl as he flew

through the night on

silent wings…

All that reading is

making him as wise as an

owl!

Aligned with NCSCOS Aligned with NCSCOS Grades 3-5 Language Arts ObjectivesGrades 3-5 Language Arts Objectives

~ 1.03 Identify key words and discover their meanings and relationships through a variety of strategies.

~ 1.04 Increase reading and writing vocabulary through: wide reading. word study. knowledge of multiple meanings of words. examining the author's craft.

~ 2.04 Identify and interpret elements of fiction and nonfiction and support by referencing the text to determine the author's use of figurative language (e.g., simile, metaphor, personification, imagery…).

What does the Research What does the Research Say?Say?

Personification

MetaphorsSimiles Oxymoron

OnomatopoeiaIdiom

sHyperbole

Alliteratio

n

Puns

AccordingAccording to to research…research…

Figurative language goes beyond the literal meaning of words to create a fresh way of looking at an idea. Poetry and songs are rooted in figures of

speech.

English Language Learners (ELLs) may be working diligently to translate concepts literally, so figurative language such as "crocodile tears" or "sweet tooth" can be perplexing.

The English language is potentially overwhelming. About 70% of the words derive from Latin, French, or Greek, and about 22% from German. Furthermore, the language is large, with nearly one million meaningful lexemes, including words, idioms & other figures of speech, prefixes, roots, and suffixes.

According to the AFT, idiomatic and figurative language are significant components of Semantics, or knowledge of language structure. (Teaching Reading IS Rocket Science!).

In “A Child Becomes a Reader”, it states that by the end of third grade, students begin to use literary words and sentences in their writing, such as figurative language expressions.

The National Panel Report (2002) states that “data suggests that text comprehension is enhanced when readers actively relate the ideas represented in print to their own knowledge and experiences and construct mental representations in memory.”

Word-conscious students are primed to learn vocabulary. They are motivate and interested in language, & inquisitive about words, phrases, and

expressions.

Literacy StructuresLiteracy Structures

Figurative Language

Reading Writing Speaking

You burst my bubble!

Literal LanguageLiteral Language

Words or Phrases that mean exactly what they say!

POP!!

FigurativeFigurative Language LanguageWords or phrases that mean something different

than the literal, or actual, meaning of the words.

We’re having a surprise party for Lucy tomorrow at

school!

When Mary told about my

surprise party, she ‘burst my

bubble’!

Idiom Idiom A saying whose meaning A saying whose meaning

cannot be understood cannot be understood from the individual words from the individual words

in it.in it.

I’ve heard money doesn’t grow on

trees…but books?!?!

The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree in

our family!

Sleep tight! Don’t let Sleep tight! Don’t let the bedbugs bite!the bedbugs bite!

Research the origins and meanings of Idioms, using Scholastic’s Dictionary of

Idioms!

Love is in the Love is in the Air…Air…

Is in the Air, too!

Monkey See, Monkey Do!

Hear NO Evil…See NO Evil…Speak NO Evil!

Examples of Examples of Idioms…Idioms…

Break a leg!

It will cost me an arm and a leg!

The early bird catches

the worm!

You’re the apple of my eye!

Don’t cry over spilled

milk!

It’s raining cats and dogs!

Wake up and smell the coffee!

Idioms

Use Scholastic’s Dictionary of

Idioms!

AlliterationAlliterationPhrases that begin with the same sound, as in tongue

twisters!

She sells seashells by the seashore. How many seashells did

she sell?

I’m Terry

I’m Terry

the the

terrific

terrific

tongue tongue

twister twister

tycoon!tycoon!

Examples of Alliteration…1. How much wood could a

woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?

2. She sells seashells by the seashore. How many seashells did she sell?

3. Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers. How many pecks of pickled peppers did Peter Piper pick?

4. Fuzzy Wuzzy was a bear. Fuzzy Wuzzy had no hair!

5. Cindy's sister, Suzy, sits sideways on a slippery slope.

6. Big black bugs bleed blue blood.

Can you say

Can you say it three it three times really

times really fast?!?fast?!?

PersonificationPersonification Giving a personal quality to a

nonliving thing.

The wind whistled through the trees…

Examples of Examples of Personification…Personification…The stars danced playfully in the moonlit sky.

The run down house appeared depressed. The first rays of morning tiptoed through the meadow.

She did not realize that opportunity was knocking at her door. He did not realize that his last chance was walking out the door.

The bees played hide and seek with the flowers as they buzzed from one to another.

The wind howled its mighty objection. The snow swaddled the earth like a mother would her infant child.

The river swallowed the earth as the water continued to rise higher and higher.

Time flew and before we knew it, it was time for me to go home. The ocean waves lashed out at the boat and the storm continued to brew.

My computer throws a fit every time I try to use it. The thunder grumbled like an old man.

The flowers waltzed in the gentle breeze. Her life passed her by.

The sun glared down at me from sky. The moon winked at me through the clouds above.

The wind sang through the meadow. The car was suffering and was in need of some TLC. At precisely 6:30 am my alarm clock sprang to life.

The window panes were talking as the wind blew through them. The ocean danced in the moonlight.

The words appeared to leap off of the paper as she read the story. The phone awakened with a mighty ring.

A Bicycle Spoke A Bicycle Spoke Poems by Jack PrelutskyPoems by Jack Prelutsky

Excerpt from It's Raining Pigs and NoodlesCan you find the personification?

The buttons were frightened, the butter stood pat,

as socks offered punchto a top in a hat.

A cake pounded hardwhen a lock sang off-key,

a plum bobbed a bit,which the saw didn't see.

A bicycle spoke, and a clock stopped to hear.

The tulip blew kisses, the rose shed a tear. A package was rapt,

though the shoes weren’t swayed

The cashews went crazy, a knot was afraid.The chair took the floor,

for the knight wouldn't stand,

the benches were boredwhen the iron was banned.

The tires grew weary,the forks hit the hay,

the trees left the scene,as the cheese led the way.

Simile Simile A figure of speech that compares two unlike

things, using the words "like" or "as".

I’m as I’m as

busy as a busy as a

bee!bee!

“This is the one, Charlie Brown!

This little tree is as pretty as a picture!”

Examples of Examples of Similes…Similes…1. stinky as a skunk 14. tough as nails

2. climb like a monkey 15. rough as sandpaper3. fast as a cheetah 16. light as a feather

4. big as an elephant 17. slow as molasses5. quiet as a mouse 18. run like the

wind6. blind as a bat 19. float like a

butterfly7. fat as a pig 20. sting like a bee8. eyes like an eagle 21. pretty as a

picture9. curious as a cat 22. swim like a fish

10. smart as a whip 23. colorful as a rainbow

11. eat like a pig 24. slow as a turtle12. lazy as a lizard 25. hungry as a pig

13. red as a lobster

Metaphor:Metaphor:An expression that

compares two unlike things directly! Gobble,

Gobble, Gobble…

You are such a turkey!He is a

loose cannon! What a

nut!

Examples of Metaphors…Examples of Metaphors… He is a real night owl. That driver is such a road hog! The book is a journey... The football game was a battle. The storm was a disaster. Our classroom is a zoo! My bedroom is a pig sty! New York City is a concrete jungle! My brother is a bear when he is

tired! My sister is such a nut! My toes are ice cubes! My dad is such a gorilla!

Sounds like you have a frog in your

throat!

RIBBIT!

I’m as tired as a wet fish!

Splish, Splash…Splish, Splash…

Examples of Onomatopoeia…Examples of Onomatopoeia… SMOOOCH! SMACK!!!swishhh... tick-tock...hoooooo... WHOOOOO....splash! whewww...skreeeech!!! BOOOM!squeeeek! SCREEECH!meeowww... buzzzz...ring, ring... swish, swish...ding...dong... ROARRRR!!!clip, clop… zzzzzzz…BAMMM! weee-ewww...CRAAASH!! HONK! HONK!duntun... VROOM!ummmm... WHOO-WHOO...beep-beep... AAAAAAAHHH!!

HAHAHA!!!

OxymoronOxymoronA Contradiction in

terms.My

friends call me Shorty!

Examples of Examples of Oxymoron…Oxymoron…

open secret larger half clearly confused

act naturally alone together cold hot chocolatefound missing deafening silence civil

engineerseriously funny living dead Microsoft Worksmilitary intelligence tragic comedy jumbo shrimp Advanced BASIC unbiased opinion

virtual reality definite maybe pretty ugly original copies

same difference plastic glasses almost exactly constant variable even odds minor

crisis extinct life genuine imitation exact estimate

only choice freezer burn free loveworking holiday clearly confused

rolling stop

Figurative Language Figurative Language JeopardyJeopardy

Figurative Language\Figurative Language Jeopardy.ppt

In collaborative groups, this follow-up game can be used as a review or summative assessment.

Figurative Language Figurative Language ActivitiesActivities

Reading:Reading:1. Engage and motivate students with children’s literature that contains figures of speech (see

following list)!2. Challenge students to find figures of speech in their independent reading. 3. Find figures of speech in the poetry and comic strips!

Writing:Writing:4. Construct a “Flavored with Figurative Language” booklet that contains definitions, examples,

and illustrations.5. Keep a figurative language log of favorite expressions!6. Flavor narrative and expository writings with figurative language. 7. Make up your own figures of speech and illustrate. Make a comic strip!8. Try your hand at writing poems using different kinds of figurative language.

Speaking:Speaking:9. Challenge your friends and family to interpret your favorite figures of speech.10. See how many figurative language expressions are used in a day? A week? Keep a log!11. Learn to Sing the following figurative language song!

C:\Documents and Settings\bfitzgerald\My Documents\My Videos\RealPlayer Downloads\Video Figures of Speech Song Educational Video WatchKnow.flv

Figurative Language Figurative Language ResourcesResources* Figurative Language In a Jar – Metaphor, Simile, & Idiom Learning Cards

* Scholastic Dictionary of Idioms (Over 600 phrases, sayings, & expressions)* Daily Warm-Ups: Figurative Language (Level II)* Scholastic’s Idiom Tales series: (The Long Arm of the Law, Slam Dunk, Over the Moon, Every Cloud has a

Silver Lining, The Wild-Goose Chase, and Peas in a Pod)* In a Pickle and Other Funny Idioms by Marvin Terban* It Figures! Fun Figures of Speech by Marvin Terban* Skin Like Milk, Hair of Silk-What are Similes and Metaphors? by Brian P. Cleary * Crazy like a Fox: A Simile Story by Loreen Leedy* My Best Friend is as Sharp as a Pencil - and Other Funny Classroom Portraits by Hanoch Piven* My Dog is as Smelly as Dirty Socks – and Other Funny Family Portraits by Hanoch Piven* Quick as a Cricket by Audrey Wood* Adventures of Amelia Bedelia by Peggy Parish * Poems by Jack Prelutsky: A Pizza the Size of the Sun; It’s Raining Pigs & Noodles ; Something BIG Has Been Here; The New Kid on the Block

• http://www.orangeusd.k12.ca.us/yorba/figurative_language.htm• http://www.kidskonnect.com/subject-index/20-language-arts/343-figurative-

language.html• http://www.sturgeon.k12.mo.us/elementary/numphrey/subjectpages/languagearts/

figuresofspeech.html• http://languagearts.pppst.com/figurative.html• http://www.missspott.com/figurativelanguage.html• http://www.gamequarium.com/figurativelanguage.html• http://www.frostfriends.org/figurative.html• http://www.educationalrap.com/song/figurative-language.html• http://languagearts.mrdonn.org/figurative.html• http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/figurative-language-

teaching idioms-254.html• http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/figurative-language-

awards-ceremony-115.html?tab=5#tabs• http://42explore.com/figlang.htm• http://www.eduref.org/Virtual/Lessons/Language_Arts/Process_Skills/LPS0205.html• http://k6educators.about.com/cs/lessonplanskin/a/lessonplan46c.htm• http://www.learn-english-today.com/• http://www.usingenglish.com/reference/idioms/list.php• http://www.poetryteachers.com/poetclass/lessons/teachsimiles.html

Figurative Language Figurative Language Websites:Websites:

Questions & Questions & Comments…Comments…

The END!The END!bfitzgerald@rock.k12.nc.usbfitzgerald@rock.k12.nc.us