Metaphors are word pictures, creating images in our brains that draw readers to consider how two seemingly unrelated items are alike. Poems by Langston Hughes, Margaret Atwood, and Naomi Shihad Nye provide learners with an opportunity to practice identifying and analyzing metaphors. Young poets then try their hand at creating metaphors for a list of topics.

Concepts

metaphors, figurative language, literary devices, genres, critical thinking, poetry, poetry analysis, langston hughes

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Additional Tags

genre, metaphor, english language arts

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Instructional Ideas

• Use with EDSITEment's simile lesson to ensure learners understand the difference
• Save copying costs and bookmark the webpages on classroom computers with internet

Classroom Considerations

• Class members should have a basic understanding of metaphors
• The lesson begins with simple metaphors and progresses to poems with more abstract metaphors
• Requires copies of the worksheet

Pros

• The carefully scaffolded, detailed plan includes discussion questions, two activities, an assessment, and suggested extensions

Cons

• None