Beacon Lesson Plan Library
In a Pickle
Janice Jowers
Okaloosa County Schools
Description
The students listen to a story that uses homonyms and figurative language throughout the text. They illustrate the literal and figurative meanings of some figures of speech.
Objectives
The student uses a variety of strategies to determine meaning and increase vocabulary (for example, homonyms, homophones, prefixes, suffixes, word-origins, multiple meanings, antonyms, synonyms, word relationships).
Materials
- The story "A Little Pigeon Toad," by Fred Gwynne, Little Simon, 1990, ISBN 0671694448
- A sheet of paper with the figurative speech key words written on them for each child (See Associated Files).
- A sheet of paper for children to draw their responses.
- Art supplies for the children to use to illustrate their responses
Preparations
1. Obtain the story, "A Little Pigeon Toad" by Fred Gwynne, Little Simon, 1990.
2. Preview the selection to familiarize yourself with the story the homonyms and the figures of speech.
3. Download and make enough copies of the sheets with the figurative language key phrases (see Associated File) for each child to have a copy.
4. Obtain enough sheets of paper for every child to have a sheet on which to draw their illustrations.
Procedures
1. Review the concept of figurative language. Explain how some phrases in a story that use idioms or homonyms can create a picture different from the literal meanings of the words.
2. Read the story "A Little Pigeon Toad" by Fred Gwynne, Little Simon, 1990, aloud to the students.
3. Discuss the homonyms and the literal and figurative meanings of the phrases and illustrations in the story. Explain how the use of these homonyms in this story also creates a different picture as idioms do.
4. Distribute the sheets with the figurative language key phrases (see Associated Files).
5. Distribute the sheets for the students’ picture responses.
6. The students read the figurative language key phrases and choose one they would like to illustrate.
7. They divide the paper in half.
8. On the top of the paper they write the phrase they are going to illustrate.
9. On one half they draw the literal meaning of the phrase. On the other half they draw the figurative meaning of the phrase.
10. On the back of the student response sheet, have the students write their phrase in a sentence.
Assessments
The teacher should formatively assess the pictures the children have drawn in response to the figurative language key phrases. These pictures should illustrate what the phrase would look like if taken literally and figuratively. They should demonstrate the difference between the two.
Look at the sentences the students have written on the back of the response sheets to assess their level of understanding of the use of figurative language in text. The GLE states that the students use a variety of strategies to determine meaning and increase vocabulary.
Extensions
This lesson can be extended by having the students cut their pictures apart into puzzle pieces. The pieces can then be distributed to other students for them to assemble and state the figurative language phrase that was being
illustrated.
The pieces could also be put into envelopes and placed in activity centers, for the children to assemble and state the figurative language phrase during station activity time.
Web Links
Web supplement for In a Pickle HomonymsWeb supplement for In a Pickle Geocities
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