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Subject: English
Semester: 1
Period: 3
Week: 16
School Name:
Teacher’s Name:
Subject: English Language
Grade Level: Grade 6
Date: Week 16
Lesson Duration: 45 minutes
Week & Period: Week 16, Period 3
Topic: Figurative Language in Poetry
Sub-topic: Simile, Metaphor, Personification, Hyperbole
Learning Objectives
By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:
Define and identify figurative language
Interpret similes, metaphors, personification, and hyperbole in poems
Compose simple poems using figurative language
Present poems orally with expression
Previous Knowledge
Students already know basic poetry structure, rhyme, and imagery
Instructional Materials
English Language textbook for Grade 6, poems (e.g., “IF” by Rudyard Kipling), markers, chart paper
Lesson Development – ABC Model
A – Anticipation (Warm-up / Starter)
Time: 5–10 minutes
Read sentences with similes or metaphors and ask learners to interpret meaning
B – Building Knowledge (Main Lesson Body)
Time: 25–30 minutes
👩🏽🏫 Teacher Explanation & Demonstration (10–12 minutes)
🔍 What is Figurative Language?
Figurative language uses imaginative words and expressions to:
- Make writing more vivid and interesting
- Help the reader visualize and feel what the writer is describing
- Go beyond literal meaning to create stronger images or emotions
📚 Common Types of Figurative Language
- Simile
- A comparison using “like” or “as”
- Makes descriptions more vivid by relating something to something else
Example:
Her eyes sparkled like stars.
(Her bright eyes are compared to stars using “like”)
- Metaphor
- A direct comparison between two unrelated things
- States that one thing is another
Example:
Time is a thief.
(Time is compared to a thief because it “steals” moments from us.)
- Personification
- Gives human qualities to animals, objects, or ideas
Example:
The wind whispered through the trees.
(Wind cannot whisper, but this gives it life and emotion.)
- Hyperbole
- An exaggeration used for emphasis or dramatic effect
Example:
I’ve told you a million times to clean your room!
(You probably didn’t say it a million times, but the speaker wants to show they said it often.)
📖 Guided Poem Analysis: “If” by Rudyard Kipling (Excerpt)
If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you...
- Ask learners to find any figurative expressions in the poem
- Guide them to see how the poem uses personification of abstract ideas (e.g., Triumph and Disaster are treated as impostors)
- Discuss how figurative language supports the poem’s theme of resilience and wisdom
🧠 Why Is Figurative Language Important in Poetry?
- Makes poems more emotional, visual, and engaging
- Helps readers to feel rather than just read
- Allows poets to say more with fewer words
👩🏾🎓 Learners’ Activities (Expanded – 13–15 minutes)
✍️ 1. Identify Figurative Devices in Sample Poems (5 minutes)
- Distribute short poem excerpts (from “If”, “The Eagle” by Tennyson, or student-level texts)
- In pairs or groups, learners underline or highlight examples of:
- Similes
- Metaphors
- Personification
- Hyperbole
- Share findings with the class, explaining each device and its effect
✒️ 2. Write a Short Poem Using Figurative Language (7 minutes)
- Learners write a 4-line or 6-line original poem
- Must include at least one figurative device from the lesson
- Topic suggestions:
- A stormy day
- A fast runner
- A tree in the wind
- A loving mother
- A busy marketplace
Example (Model Poem):
The sun was a golden coin in the sky,
The clouds marched like soldiers passing by.
The wind sang songs through every tree,
A dance of nature wild and free.
Devices used: Metaphor (sun was a coin), Simile (clouds marched like soldiers), Personification (wind sang songs)
📢 3. Oral Presentation and Peer Feedback (3–5 minutes)
- Volunteers or groups read their poems aloud
- Classmates or partners provide feedback:
- Was the figurative language clear?
- What emotions or images did it create?
- What device was most effective?
✅ Assessment Checks
✔️ Formative Observation Checklist
|
Skill |
Yes/No |
|
Correctly identified at least two figurative devices |
✅ / ❌ |
|
Applied figurative language accurately in original poem |
✅ / ❌ |
|
Demonstrated understanding of meaning in devices |
✅ / ❌ |
|
Presented poem clearly with expression |
✅ / ❌ |
|
Gave constructive peer feedback |
✅ / ❌ |
📝 Written Work Review Criteria
- Presence of figurative device(s): at least one is clearly used
- Creativity: original ideas and descriptive language
- Clarity: poem is understandable and meaningful
- Structure: lines follow a poetic form (rhythm or rhyme optional but encouraged)
- Language: strong, vivid word choices
🗒️ Notes (Expanded & Detailed)
🔹 Additional Figurative Devices (for Enrichment)
- Alliteration: repetition of beginning consonant sounds (Peter Piper picked...)
- Onomatopoeia: words that imitate sounds (buzz, hiss, bang)
- Oxymoron: two opposite words used together (bittersweet, deafening silence)
🔹 Teaching Tips
- Encourage learners to visualize what they read
- Remind them that not all poetry must rhyme, but rhythm and vivid language are essential
- Use graphic organizers (like a chart) for identifying devices
- Reinforce that figurative language should enhance meaning, not confuse it
🔹 Common Challenges to Address
|
Challenge |
Strategy |
|
Learners confuse simile and metaphor |
Provide side-by-side comparisons |
|
Learners overuse hyperbole |
Encourage balance; explain exaggeration |
|
Learners create literal, not figurative, lines |
Model with clear figurative examples |
|
Learners struggle with expressing abstract ideas |
Use real-life examples (e.g., “love,” “fear”) |
C – Consolidation (Conclusion & Assessment)
Time: 5–10 minutes
Summary: Learners can identify, interpret, and apply figurative language in poetry
Evaluation Method (Expanded):
Exit slip/quiz: Identify figurative devices in a short poem and explain meaning
Teacher will collect slips and provide oral feedback
Assignment (Expanded):
Write a four-line poem using at least one simile and one metaphor
Follow-up Activity:
Peer reading and discussion of figurative language in poems
Differentiation / Inclusive Strategies
Provide examples, allow collaborative writing, offer oral presentation options
Teacher’s Reflection (After Class)
What worked well? ___________________________________________
What needs improvement? ____________________________________
Students’ engagement level: ☑ High ☑ Medium ☑ Low