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Anna Matykowski
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Lesson Plan: Similes and
Language Learning Context This lesson plan
was designed for an eighth grade language arts class at Objectives/
Content Knowledge ·
After defining simile, students will learn how to identify similes in
two poems: “Distinct Flavors” and “My Ruin.”
Students will work individually and answer questions about the
similarities and differences between the two writers’ perspectives about
their bilingual experiences. ·
After sharing their answers in discussion, students will create
similes to express their own thoughts about their two languages. They will write three similes for each
language and share two of their favorite creations with the class. ·
Through poetry and personal expression, students will learn about the
emotional impacts of learning a new language and balancing two languages. Materials/
Preparation ·
Examples of similes from the students’ novels ·
Copies of poems
(English versions) ·
Copies
of poems (Spanish versions) ·
“Creating
Similes” worksheet Lesson Plan (55 minutes) Introduction: What
is Similar? (5 minutes) ·
On the overhead, show students a list of similes from
the novels that they are currently reading (Double Dutch, The Giver, Coraline, The Great Brain, and Speak). Ask them to identify the similarities
between the sentences. ·
After students discover the similarities, give a
formal definition of simile. Similes in Poetry (15 minutes) ·
Introduce the two poems by informing the class that
they were written by two teenagers who live in Minneapolis. Tell the students that these writers are
bilingual—they wrote their poems in English and Spanish. Ask the students to listen to the similes
and think about how the writers feel about English and Spanish. Ask each student to read a line of the poem
aloud. If time allows, ask students to
read the Spanish versions. ·
Handout the “Interpreting Similes” worksheet and ask
each student to jot down their answers to the three questions. ·
Ask individual students to share their answers during
the discussion. Draw a chart on the
board to compare and contrast the two poets’ perspectives. Write Similes about Language (15 minutes) ·
Students will write their own similes to describe
their native language and another language of their choice. They will record their similes on a
worksheet. Share Similes (7 minutes) ·
The teacher will explain expectations for
read-arounds, emphasizing respectful listening behavior. ·
Students will choose two similes (one from each
language category) to share with the class. Simile Scavenger Hunt (10 minutes) ·
Students will meet in their literature circle groups
and try to find five similes in the novels that they are reading. They will record their similes on a sheet
of paper that they will turn in at the end of class. Conclusion (3 minutes) ·
Students will reconvene in a large group. The teacher will ask the students to share
some of the similes that they found in the scavenger hunt. The teacher will alert the students that
they will be in charge of recording similes that they find in their future
reading assignments, and they will be responsible for reporting their
findings back to their literature circles. Methods of Evaluation The teacher will read the students’ similes
about language and their scavenger hunt examples to assess their comprehension
of this concept. In future
assignments, the teacher will continue to evaluate the students’ mastery of
this concept by checking the students’ literature circle worksheets. The Connector (one of the lit circle roles)
will be asked to find one simile and report it back to the group. The teacher will check these examples in
the future to assess whether or not the students need a review lesson about
similes. |
