Students will study figurative language and discuss how it is used in specific passages. Students will be:
- Determine which specific passages use figurative language, such as personification, alliteration, hyperbole, imagery, metaphor, simile, and symbolism.
- Examine the impact of metaphorical language in specific passages.
- Start a list of carefully selected instances of figurative language use, categorized by type and with a brief analysis of each example's efficacy.

- How do literary and informational texts become meaningful to strategic readers?
- What is the true meaning of this text?
- What kind of responses and thought processes are elicited by text interaction?
- What is the purpose of learning new words?
- What methods and tools do readers employ to decipher unfamiliar vocabulary?
- How do students expand and improve their vocabulary?

- Alliteration: The repetition of initial consonant sounds in neighboring words. 
- Connotation: The ideas or emotions associated with a word. 
- Denotation: The literal or dictionary meaning of a word. 
- Figurative Language: Language that cannot be taken literally because it was written to create a special effect or feeling. 
- Hyperbole: An exaggeration or overstatement (e.g., I was so embarrassed I could have died.). 
- Idiomatic Language: An expression peculiar to itself grammatically or that cannot be understood if taken literally (e.g., Let’s get on the ball.). 
- Imagery: A word or group of words in a literary work that appeals to one or more of the senses. 
- Metaphor: A comparison of two unlike things without using like or as. 
- Mood: The prevailing emotions of a work or the author in his or her creation of the work. The mood of a work is not always what might be expected based on its subject matter. 
- Personification: An object or abstract idea given human qualities or human form (e.g., Flowers danced about the lawn.). 
- Simile: A comparison of two unlike things, using like or as (e.g., She eats like a bird.). 
- Symbolism: A device in literature in which an object represents an idea.

- “The Pedestrian” by Ray Bradbury http://englischlehrer.de/texts/pedestrian.php
- “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/173536 
- “The Eagle” by Alfred, Lord Tennyson (or any other brief, vivid poem or paragraph with a clear purpose or mood) http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/174589 
Teachers may substitute other texts to provide a range of reading and level of text complexity. 
- a set of images of a variety of symbols (peace symbol, dove with olive branch, U.S. flag, cupid with arrow, Statue of Liberty, wild horses galloping)
- student copies of the Figurative Language Review (L-7-4-1_Literary Devices Review)
- pictures of a variety of scenes, one for each group, that students will use as inspiration for writing descriptive paragraphs

- This lesson aims to increase students' understanding of figurative language and teach them to evaluate how writers employ it to produce engaging reading material. Utilize the subsequent methods to evaluate students' progress: 
+ As the groups work on identifying the figurative language in "The Pedestrian," move among them to provide assistance as needed and to spot those who may benefit from extra support. 
+ Examining the examples that students turn in allows you to quickly identify the students who don't understand the assignment's format or figurative language. If there seems to be a general lack of understanding regarding the assignment, spend some time going over another example with the class and answering any questions. If not, review and reinforce the concepts and procedure with individuals or small groups of people. For extra practice, use the extension activities. 
+ Observing students in groups as they work on "The Eagle" and their own group description of a scene provides another chance to see what each student excels and fails at. As you watch students create and evaluate their own work as well as the work of other groups, you will have the chance to see if they are able to identify, employ, and recognize the effectiveness of figurative language.
+ Another way to assess whether you need to do more with the class on symbolism before moving on, or whether issues are specific to a small group of students, is to watch their discussion of symbolism in "The Road Not Taken."

Explicit instruction, scaffolding, modeling, and active engagement 
W: Go over the figurative language that will be examined and discussed, give students some active practice using it, and inform them that they will gather examples of figurative language and explain why it works. 
H: Assign students to collaborate in groups, share their ideas, and write original descriptions using metaphorical language. 
E: Teach students to comprehend and effectively use figurative language by having them work cooperatively in groups, discussing the outcomes of their work, and analyzing the work of others. 
R: Provide students with the chance to match their ideas with those of their group and the class as a whole, as well as to compare their ideas with those of other groups.
E: Ask students to provide classmates with at least one of their own figurative language explanations or examples.
T: Assist students at all levels in comprehending and applying figurative language through a range of texts and peer interaction at their conceptual level.
O: After reviewing prior knowledge and providing personal input, the lesson moves on to teaching and modeling the effective use of figurative language, as well as applying the lessons both individually and in groups.

Focus Question: How can figurative language be used to enhance the reading experience?

On the board or interactive whiteboard, write these two sentences:

A tempest was approaching. (Vernacular language)
Dark clouds split apart as brilliant lightning flashed through them, and thunder roared through the valley, breaking the stillness. (Lexical metaphor)
Ask students to point out the distinctions they see in the two sentences. (One tells rather than shows; the other makes greater use of alliteration, strong verbs, specific nouns, and detail.)

Point out the use of imagery and remind students that an image is a picture expressed in words. Say, "One kind of figurative language that writers use to give their scenes more realism for readers is imagery. Strong imagery always engages at least one of our five senses. The description could be literal, figurative, or occasionally a combination of the two." Examine the distinction between connotation and denotation. 
(Connotation is the ideas or feelings we associate with a word; denotation is the literal or exact meaning of a word.) Describe how the meanings of words like "forked," "rumbled," and "shattering" add to the potency of the imagery in the previous sentence.

To illustrate the difference between literal and figurative language, use the following examples:

Literal language expresses only what it says.
For instance, Frank crossed the road to go to the library. (This is meant literally.)

Figurative language is imaginative language; when we hear or read it, we are encouraged to use our own imaginations.
For instance, as the dentist put together the instruments to extract my tooth, I died a thousand deaths. (Obviously, I didn't actually pass away a thousand times. The phrase "a thousand deaths" suggests intense terror, while the phrase "put together the instruments" suggests the dentist's efficiency and lack of feeling.)

This child has the lightness of a feather. (A child is not that light, but the comparison highlights how remarkably light the child appears to be. Feathers are associated with airiness and lightness.)

Part 1

Provide students with the Figurative Language Review (L-7-4-1_Literary Devices Review) and go over the many forms of figurative language that are frequently employed. Next, assign "The Pedestrian" (or another suitable text) to groups of three or four people to read aloud or to write on the interactive whiteboard or board. Say, "Identify the figurative language used in the opening of this story as a group exercise. On your paper, highlight specific instances and utilize the margins to note the kind of metaphorical language that was employed in each one." Students ought to be able to recognize the following examples of figurative language:

Silence is a city/metaphor
a foggy November evening/imagery
heaving concrete walkway/imagery
extended moonlit pavements/ imagery
patterns of icy air in front of him resembling cigar smoke/imagery, simile
Walking past houses with darkened windows is like walking through a cemetery.../imagery, metaphor
As the groups are working, move among them to provide assistance when needed and spot anyone who might want more support. Next, assign each group to present a paragraph that uses figurative language and provides an explanation of their decision-making process.

Pose a question: "Why do you think the author might have included these specific types of figurative language? What do you suppose he was attempting to accomplish?" (to convey a depressing, lonely atmosphere; to highlight Mr. Leonard Mead's sense of isolation from the city; to illustrate how technology may eventually lead to people becoming asocial and isolated)

Ask students to gather instances of figurative language that they believe to be especially powerful, note the examples, the author and source, and a sentence or two that describes the kind of figurative language used and why it works. Set an example for the structure that students should adhere to.

“To enter out into that silence that was the city at eight o’clock of a misty evening in November, . . .”
Ray Bradbury's "The Pedestrian"

This example illustrates the breadth and depth of the silence by drawing a metaphor between the city at night and "that silence." The character seems to be able to "enter" the silence because it is so great. The visual depicts the scene's appearance and atmosphere.

Part 2

Ask students to expand on their list of examples of figurative language by adding the definition of symbol (the use of an object, a person, or an action to represent more than its literal meaning). Next, post a series of symbolic images on the board or interactive whiteboard, one by one. Talk about each one's meaning that goes beyond its precise definition. (People's opinions regarding the meaning of a symbol won't always coincide.)

Read Robert Frost's "The Road Not Taken" aloud. Assign students to groups and ask them to identify and discuss the author's use of figurative language. Remind them to back up their opinions with facts. Then assign one group to address the class with its ideas.

Invite the other groups to contribute to the first group's presentation or to pose questions. Help students understand that the poem can be interpreted from two perspectives: that of a hiker choosing a physical path or that of a person choosing a metaphorical life path. Mention how "the journey through life" and "the road of life" are well-known symbols in modern culture. Describe how a writer may employ a symbol that is widely known or one that is exclusive to that specific work.

Part 3

Ask students to present the figurative language samples they gathered. Show a few on the interactive whiteboard or board, and have students identify the kind of figurative language used and talk about how effective it is.

After assigning them to read "The Eagle" or a comparable suitable text, have the students discuss it in groups while once more labeling the figurative language (personification, alliteration, imagery, and simile) they encounter and determining whether it works or not. While the groups are working, move among them, offering assistance and observing specific needs.

Ask, "What is the intention behind the poem's use of figurative language?" (to emphasize the eagle's commanding presence)

Give each group a picture of a scene. Instruct students to use at least four of the figurative language types from their list to describe the scene, as well as to achieve a specific mood or goal, in a paragraph. Once the students have finished writing the paragraph, ask them to list the various figurative language devices they used, along with the examples and intended effects, on a separate sheet. Students should assess the meanings associated with the words they selected and determine whether or not those meanings appropriately convey their intentions as authors.

Assign students to groups and have them exchange descriptions, keeping the sheet where they have listed their metaphorical language. Ask each group to read the most recent paragraph and make a list of the different figurative language types that are used, noting the examples used as well as the mood or goal they serve. Subsequently, every group will receive constructive criticism regarding their description along with a definitive assessment of how well and accurately they employed metaphorical language.

Extension:

For those students who require extra learning opportunities, the following assignments can be completed:
Instruct students to picture-producing popcorn. Ask them to describe the popcorn's flavor, texture, appearance, sound, and smell. Assist them in realizing the significance of meaning in the words they select.
Give students a quick multiple-choice test to help them identify the issue, and then ask them to focus on it. Give them multiple similes to finish, for instance, if they are struggling with them (the night was as ____ as ____).
Ask students to name a food and then describe it. Encourage them to consider the meanings of words and the senses of taste, smell, touch, and sight. Get people to guess what food you are describing.
Ask students to compose a paragraph summarizing the morning. Ask them to use personification, metaphor, and simile. Remember to make sure all five senses are satisfied in your students' descriptions.
Students who are willing to delve deeper can analyze how the eagle's perspective influenced the imagery in Tennyson's poem.