Similes

"The Talking Eggs" by Robert San Souci is used to introduce and illustrate an author's use of language to paint a picture in the reader's mind. Students will draw a picture to show what this author meant, create similes to describe themselves, and finally use a simile in their next story in Writer's Workshop.

A lesson plan for grades 1–3 English Language Arts

By jennifer lettieri

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Related topics

• Learn more about English language arts.

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Learning outcomes

Students will:

• draw a picture to show what the author meant by a particular simile.
• create similes to describe themselves.
• use a simile on their next story in Writer’s Workshop.

Teacher planning

Time required for lesson

1 Hours

Materials/resources

• “The Talking Eggs” by Robert San Souci
• 6 quotes from the story that contain similes to give students as a handout (see supplemental handouts)
• “I’m As…” sheet (see supplemental resources)
• plain & lined paper, crayons, pencils, etc.

Technology resources

None

Pre-activities

Introduction:
Tap students prior knowledge of fairy tales, specifically the element of repeated language. Reinforce that in all types of writing, writers use language in special ways. Reinforce that writers use words to paint a picture in the head of a reader.

Pre-Reading:
Set purpose for reading: Listen to this fairy tale and listen for how the author uses language to paint a picture in your head.

Activities

Reading:

• 1. Ask students to summarize story to check for comprehension.
  2. Redirect students to their purpose for reading (to listen for how the author used language to paint a picture in their minds).
• 1. Tell students that the work that they will be learning about similes. Define simile for students as such:
     
     Using words such as “Like” or “As” to compare things or people we wouldn’t normally compare them to, in order to create an image in the mind of a reader.
  2. Introduce quotations from story written on a worksheet (quotes attached). Talk about the first one with the whole class. Ask students what the author meant. Talk about how the author used language to paint that picture. Tell students that they now can draw that picture that the author drew in their head. Explain to students how to work in cooperative groups to complete the same task on the remainder of quotes.
  3. Share students’ answers and pictures.
• 1. Brainstorm on the board, words for things that are: quiet, large, loud, lazy, slow, small quiet, busy.
  2. Distribute and explain how to work on the “I’m As” sheet to describe themselves.
  3. Share students’ work.
• 1. Tell students that the work that they have done today has name to it-- similes. Define simile for students as such:
     
     Using words such as “Like” or “As” to compare things or people we wouldn’t normally compare them to, in order to create an image in the mind of a reader.
  2. Tell students that in Writer’s Workshop, they will each get to choose a way to use at least one simile in their current/next story.

Closure:

• Reinforce new vocabulary. Ask students to define in their own words “simile” (sample 3+ students).
• Ask students for examples of a simile.

Assessment

• Did students draw a picture that shows a reasonable explanation of what the author of “The Talking Eggs” meant?
• Did students choose words (similes) that reasonably described him/herself?
• Did students use a simile appropriately in his/her next story in Writer’s Workshop?

Supplemental information

Other books that use similes:
Quick As A Cricket, by Audrey Wood
Jafta, Jafta’s Mother and Jafta’s Father - all by Hugh Lewin

Simile Quotes

Use these quotes to format a handout for students to draw a picture next to each quote:

1. “They lived on a farm so poor; it looked LIKE the tail end of bad luck.”
2. “Blanche was sweet and kind sharp AS forty crickets.”
3. “…they were alike AS two peas in a pod.”
4. “A cow with two heads, and horns LIKE corkscrews, peered over a fence…”
5. “These chickens didn’t cluck, but whistled LIKE mockingbirds.”
6. “The old woman…took off her head. She set it on her knees LIKE a pumpkin.”

“I’m AS…” Sheet

Create a handout for students to complete simile starters; here are some ideas:

• I’m as tall as…
• I’m as fast as…
• I’m as slow as…
• I’m as tiny as…
• I’m as strong as…
• I’m as flexible as…
• I’m as hungry as…
• I’m as short as…
• I’m as lazy as…
• I’m as bright as…

Attachment:

Simile Quotes

Related websites

None

Comments

I usually use this lesson during my unit on Fairy Tales. This is not necessary; however, there is reference in this lesson to students’ prior knowledge of “repeated language” in Fairy Tales. So if you’re not doing fairy tales, tell or show your students that in fairy tales we often see repeated language.