Figurative Language in Poetry

Grade 3 · English

Semester 2 | Period 6 | Week 33

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Subject: English

Semester: 2

Period: 6

Week: 33


School Name:
Teacher’s Name:
Subject: English Language
Grade Level: Grade 3
Date: Week 33
Lesson Duration: 45 minutes
Week & Period: Week 33, Period 6
Topic: Figurative Language in Poetry
Sub-topic: Simile, metaphor, personification, hyperbole, onomatopoeia, symbolism
Learning Objectives
By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:
Identify and explain figurative language in poems
Read narrative poems with fluency, mood, imagery, and expression
Apply context clues to understand meaning of new words

Previous Knowledge
Students already know how to identify rhyme and mood in poems

Instructional Materials
English Language textbook for Grade 3

Lesson Development – ABC Model
A – Anticipation (Warm-up / Starter)
Time: 5–10 minutes
Teacher reads a short poem aloud. Learners listen for special expressions that sound different from ordinary speech.

B – Building Knowledge (Main Lesson Body)

Time: 25–30 minutes

  1. Definitions and Detailed Explanations (10 minutes)

🔹 What is Figurative Language?

Figurative language is a way writers use words to create pictures or express ideas in interesting, imaginative ways. It makes writing more vivid and helps readers see, hear, or feel what the writer means.

🔹 Types of Figurative Language with Definitions and Examples:

Figurative Device

Definition

Example

Explanation

Simile

A comparison using like or as

The boy is as fast as lightning.

Compares boy's speed to lightning using “as.”

Metaphor

A direct comparison, saying one thing is another

The boy is lightning.

Says boy is lightning to show speed without "like" or "as."

Personification

Giving human qualities to animals or things

The wind whispered.

The wind is described as if it can whisper like a person.

Hyperbole

An exaggeration for effect

I’m so hungry I could eat a horse.

Overstates hunger to show extreme hunger.

Onomatopoeia

Words that imitate sounds

buzz, bang, splash

Words sound like the noises they describe.

Symbolism

Using one thing to stand for something else

Dove = peace

A dove represents peace, not just a bird.

 

  1. Teacher Modeling with Sample Poem (7 minutes)

Sample Poem:

The buzzing bees danced in the warm sun,
The wind whispered secrets through the trees,
The night was as dark as a black cloak,
My heart races like a speeding train.

Teacher’s Guided Analysis:

  • Buzzing – Onomatopoeia (buzz = sound of bees)
  • Whispered – Personification (wind can’t really whisper)
  • As dark as a black cloak – Simile (using "as")
  • My heart races like a speeding train – Simile (comparison with "like")

Underline or highlight these examples on the poem shown to the class.

 

  1. Vocabulary Focus (5 minutes)
  • Rectangle – a shape with four right angles
  • Triangle – a shape with three sides
  • Revise – to look over and improve writing or work

Ask learners to relate these words to any new learning or stories they’ve heard, or create sentences using these words.

 

  1. Learners’ Activities (10–12 minutes)

✅ Activity A: Group Poem Recitation

  • Learners form small groups and practice reading the poem aloud with expression, focusing on how figurative language creates mood and images.

✅ Activity B: Underline Figurative Language

  • Each learner gets a copy of the poem to underline examples of simile, metaphor, personification, hyperbole, onomatopoeia, and symbolism.

✅ Activity C: Explain Meaning in Own Words

  • In pairs, learners explain what each figurative phrase means and how it helps the poem come alive.

✅ Activity D: Draw Imagery

  • Draw a picture showing one of the images from the poem (e.g., bees dancing, wind whispering).

✅ Activity E: Word Origin Task (Extension)

  • Explore roots of vocabulary words such as “revise” (re- meaning “again” + vise meaning “see”) to understand word parts.

 

  1. Assessment Checks
  • Identification:
    Learners correctly identify and underline different types of figurative language in poems.
  • Explanation:
    Provide oral or written explanations showing understanding of figurative meanings.
  • Use of Context Clues:
    Check ability to infer meanings of new vocabulary words like revise by context.

 

  1. Notes (Expanded & Detailed)
  • Figurative language enriches writing by making it more colorful and vivid.
  • It helps readers picture ideas and feel emotions.
  • Teaching figurative devices builds reading comprehension and creative writing skills.
  • Encourage learners to look for figurative language in poems, stories, and everyday speech.
  • Use visuals and drawing to reinforce understanding for visual learners.
  • Integrate vocabulary learning through word origin and meaning to boost language skills.
  • For struggling learners, use matching exercises or sentence completion focusing on figurative language types.

C – Consolidation (Conclusion & Assessment)
Time: 5–10 minutes
Summary: Teacher revises figurative devices and learners share examples they created.

Evaluation Method (Expanded):
Exit slip/quiz: Learners write one simile and one metaphor

Assignment (Expanded):
Write a short 4-line poem with at least one figurative device

Follow-up Activity:
Group imagery drawing competition from poems read in class

Differentiation / Inclusive Strategies
Give simple similes to weaker learners
Challenge advanced learners to combine more than one figurative device in a poem

Teacher’s Reflection (After Class)
What worked well? ___________________________________________
What needs improvement? ____________________________________
Students’ engagement level: ☑ High ☑ Medium ☑ Low