Similes


Lesson Plan of Similes

English Grade V

Students’ Learning Outcomes

·         Analyses and use some analogies and more similes in speech and writing.

Information for Teachers

·        A simile: a figure of speech involving the comparison of one thing with another thing of a different kind, used to make a description more emphatic or vivid (e.g., as brave as a lion, crazy like a fox). 
·         A simile (pronounced: SIM-uh-lee) is a figure of speech which is used to make our language more rich and beautiful.
·         We use similes to describe things by comparing them to other things which have some similar attribute or quality. For example, if I want to say someone is fast, I can say she is as fast as a horse/cheetah /tiger/panther.
·         Most of the similes use the words like or as e.g. as black as coal and happy like a bird in flight.
·         It is important that children understand that similes can be developed and they should try to come up with original and creative word play.
·         As writers they must understand that they should learn commonly used similes but can also come up with their own once in a while to remain original.

Material / Resources

Chalk/marker, photocopies of the poem, chart and marker for poem display.

Worm up activity

·         Write the following Simile Poem on the board/or write on a chart paper and decorate with pictures and read it aloud with expression.
v  Poor as a church mouse.
Strong as an ox,
Cute as a button,
Smart as a fox
Thin as a toothpick,
White as a ghost,
Fit as a fiddle,
Dumb as a post
Bald as an eagle,
Neat as a pin,
Proud as a peacock,
Ugly as sin
When people are talking
You know what they’ll say
As soon as they start to
Use a cliché
·         Introduce / reinforce similes. Tell how similes make our descriptions and writing more beautiful and rich.
·         Explain the use of like/as.
·         Give examples of things to explain how common traits are liked to each other: as fast as a horse/cheetah/tiger/panther.

Development

Activity 1

·         Write the following sentences on the board and ask the students to work in pairs and analyze these sentences whether they are similes or not.
·         Ask the students to write similes in front of those sentences which they think are similes.
1.       He’s as strong as an elephant.
2.       My brother is a dragon.
3.       Sad like tigers locked in cages.
4.       It’s as cold as ice.
5.       Especially my sister, who is a tall giraffe
6.       It’s as light as a feather.
7.       We are a busy family with many things to do.
8.       Happy like a bird in flight.
·         Monitor and help the students.
·         Once the students are done with this activity, ask the students randomly to tell the answers.
·         All the options are similes except option 2, 5. And 7.

Activity 2

·         Write the following words on the board and ask the students to copy in their notebooks.
·         Ask the students to come up with things that share the following attributes/qualities.
o   Is hard______(rock , stone)
_________________________
o   Feels soft ____(silk, flower petals)
__________________________
o   Is sweet  ______honey
__________________________
o   Feels rough _______sand
____________________________
o   Is heavy __________rock
___________________________
o   Sounds noisy _______cricket match
________________________________
o   Is light ________as a feather _a flower
________________________________
·         Ask them to come up with as many ideas as possible. Accept and appreciate creative ideas.
·         Don’t reject if there is some similarity.
·         Tell them to note down the similes in their notebooks.

Activity 3

·         Write the following sentences along with the word bank on the board.
·         Ask the students to copy and read the words in the words bank.
·         Tell them to read the sentences carefully and write appropriate words in the blank spaces.
             Light,           thin,        sharp,          blind,           wise 
1.       He’s really smart. He’s as _________________  as an owl
2.       Don’t touch that broken glass. It’s as   ________ as a razor.
3.       It doesn’t weigh much. It’s as ___________ as air.
4.       Without his glasses, he’s as ________ as a bat.
5.       She is so skinny. She’s as ________________ as a toothpick
·         Monitor and help the students.

Activity 4

·         Ask students, if someone is very active, what can you compare him or her to? Brainstorm possible options and then choose on one or two.

Sum up / Conclusion

·         Ask the student
o   What are similes?
o   How we make similes?
o   What words are mostly used to make similes?

Assessment

·         Write the correct options on the board and ask the students to do the self-correction.
·         Take rounds of the class and ask the students about their scores.
·         Give them the poem with blanks and ask them to fill it up.

Follow up

·         Ask the students to write three similes with like and three similes with as, of their own
o   As poor as a __________
o   As strong as an __________
o   As cute as a _____________
o   As thin as a ______________
o   As white as a ___________
o   As fit as a _____________
o   As dumb as a __________
o   As bald as an  __________
o   As neat as a ____________
o   As proud as a __________
o   As ugly as a ___________
·         Use fresh similes when you speak and you write, so your friends will think you are quite clever and bright.

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