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English lesson plan · 8th grade (Year 9 in England) · 60 minutes

Literal or figurative meaning?

Vocabulary

CCSS L.8.5CCSS L.7.5.AEngland: KS3 Reading (language)England: GCSE English Language Paper 1 Q2

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Literal or figurative meaning?.

  • I can answer questions on today's skill on my own, without help.
  • I can explain each step and say why it works.
  • I can check my answer and spot a mistake.

Before and after

Needs first: Idioms and proverbs; Similes and metaphors

Leads to: What does the symbol represent?; Naming language techniques (GCSE)

Materials: Word cards, A thesaurus or dictionary, A short text with the target words, Mini whiteboards, A short model text on the board, Printed student sheet (below).

Warm-up · 6 min

  • Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Idioms and proverbs; Similes and metaphors). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
  • Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
  1. What does this idiom or saying mean? "It's raining cats and dogs." (It's a little bit wet. / Pets don't like rain. / It's raining very heavily. / Animals are falling from the sky.) → It's raining very heavily.Prompt: An idiom doesn't mean exactly what the words say.
  2. Which kind of figurative language is this? The classroom was a zoo after lunch. (simile / metaphor / personification) → metaphorPrompt: Does it use 'like' or 'as' to compare?
  3. What does this metaphor mean? The road was a ribbon of moonlight. (It was very dangerous. / It was made of cloth. / It was blocked. / It shone and wound into the distance.) → It shone and wound into the distance.Prompt: A metaphor is not literally true.

Hook · 6 min

  • Show an interesting word in a sentence and ask what it might mean from the clues around it.
  • Share the objective: Literal or figurative meaning?. Read the success criteria together.

I do: model it · 12 min

  • Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
  • Example: Is the phrase in capitals used literally or figuratively? She has A HEART OF GOLD.
  • Step 1: Literal language means exactly what it says; figurative language uses words beyond their normal meaning for effect.
  • Step 2: It means she is very kind.
  • Step 3: So the answer is: figurative
  • Answer: figurative
  • Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.

We do: guided practice · 12 min

  • Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
  • Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.
  1. Is the phrase in capitals used literally or figuratively? He was DROWNING IN HOMEWORK. (literal / figurative) → figurativePrompt: Could this really, physically happen as written?
  2. What does the figurative phrase suggest? "Her plan backfired." What does this mean? (it was delayed / it had the opposite effect to what she intended / it caught fire / it worked perfectly) → it had the opposite effect to what she intendedPrompt: Picture the literal image. What feeling or idea does it create?

You do: independent practice · 17 min

  • Students work on the student sheet. Circulate and check the first two answers of every student early.
  • Students who finish: write a question of their own for a partner, with the answer.

The 8 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.

Exit ticket · 7 min

  • Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
  1. What does the figurative phrase suggest? "He has a chip on his shoulder." What does this suggest? (he is injured / he is very confident / he feels resentful about past unfairness / he spilled his food) → he feels resentful about past unfairnessPrompt: Picture the literal image. What feeling or idea does it create?
  2. Is the phrase in capitals used literally or figuratively? She has A HEART OF GOLD. (literal / figurative) → figurativePrompt: Could this really, physically happen as written?

Watch out for

  • Picking a "bigger" synonym that doesn't fit the meaning.
  • Ignoring the clues in the rest of the sentence.

Support and stretch

Support

  • Review first: Idioms and proverbs.
  • Use concrete materials: word cards.
  • Give the first step of each question, or a partly worked example to finish.
  • Pair with a confident partner for the guided practice.

Stretch

  • Move on to: What does the symbol represent?; Naming language techniques (GCSE).
  • Explain a common mistake in writing and how to fix it.
  • Write a word problem that uses today's skill, then solve a partner's.

Homework and more practice

Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/english/grade-8.

Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder

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Literal or figurative meaning?

Name

Date

Score/ 8

Who Has Seen the Wind? (Christina Rossetti, 1872)

Who has seen the wind? Neither I nor you: But when the leaves hang trembling, The wind is passing through. Who has seen the wind? Neither you nor I: But when the trees bow down their heads, The wind is passing by.

  1. Question 1

    Read "Who Has Seen the Wind? (Christina Rossetti, 1872)". "The trees bow down their heads" is an example of:

    • A. personification
    • B. simile
    • C. onomatopoeia
    • D. alliteration

  1. Question 2

    What does the figurative phrase suggest? "The idea snowballed." What does this mean?

    • A. it became cold
    • B. it melted
    • C. it grew rapidly
    • D. it was thrown away

  2. Question 3

    Is the phrase in capitals used literally or figuratively? We heard AN OWL hooting in the woods.

    • A. literal
    • B. figurative

  3. Question 4

    What does the figurative phrase suggest? "He was a fish out of water at the party." What does this suggest?

    • A. he was swimming
    • B. he was very hungry
    • C. he was the star
    • D. he felt awkward and out of place

  4. Question 5

    Is the phrase in capitals used literally or figuratively? After the walk in the snow, I had COLD FEET.

    • A. literal
    • B. figurative

  5. Question 6

    What does the figurative phrase suggest? "The project was the tip of the iceberg." What does this suggest?

    • A. it is a small visible part of a much bigger problem
    • B. it was finished
    • C. it was about icebergs
    • D. it was very cold

  6. Question 7

    What does the figurative phrase suggest? "She was on thin ice with her teacher." What does this suggest?

    • A. she was cold
    • B. she was very popular
    • C. she was close to being in trouble
    • D. she was ice-skating

  7. Question 8

    Is the phrase in capitals used literally or figuratively? She has A HEART OF GOLD.

    • A. literal
    • B. figurative

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Answer key: Literal or figurative meaning?

  1. 1. A. personification

  2. 2. C. it grew rapidly

  3. 3. A. literal

  4. 4. D. he felt awkward and out of place

  5. 5. A. literal

  6. 6. A. it is a small visible part of a much bigger problem

  7. 7. C. she was close to being in trouble

  8. 8. B. figurative