Lesson: Figurative language

Year: 5 | Subject: English | Time Allocation: 100%

Class/Set: ____________ Date/Term: ____________

LO (WALT): To identify and examine the effect of figurative language in a text.

Success Criteria (WILF):

1. I can identify similes, metaphors, personification, hyperbole, idioms, and onomatopoeia.
2. I can explain how these techniques create a specific image or atmosphere for the reader.

1. Starter (15%)

• Activity: 'Figurative Flash' retrieval practice.
• Action: Display six sentences on the board, each containing one of the focus techniques (e.g., "The thunder grumbled in anger," "The classroom was a zoo," "Bang!").
• Challenge: Students must match the sentence to the correct term (Simile, Metaphor, Personification, Hyperbole, Idiom, Onomatopoeia) on mini-whiteboards.
• Review: Quickly check answers and address any immediate confusion between similes and metaphors.

2. Main Activity (70%)

Teacher Input:

• Model: Present a WAGOLL (What A Good One Looks Like) descriptive paragraph about a stormy coastline.
• Examine: Highlight a metaphor ("The sea was a hungry beast") and contrast it with a simile ("The waves were as tall as houses").
• Explain: Discuss personification ("The wind howled in frustration") and hyperbole ("The rain was so heavy I thought we would have to swim home").
• Demonstrate: Identify an idiom ("It was raining cats and dogs") and onomatopoeia ("Crash!", "Wallop!").
• Discuss: Ask pupils to describe the 'image' created by the personification. How does the wind feeling 'frustrated' change the mood of the piece?

Student Task:

• Distribute: 'The Midnight Forest' text extract to all students.
• Task A (Identification): Students underline and label at least one example of each of the six figurative language techniques found within the text.
• Task B (Analysis): In exercise books, students select two different techniques and explain their effect. For example: "The author uses the onomatopoeia 'rustle' to make the forest sound eerie and quiet."
• Support: Provide a 'Figurative Language Toolkit' (glossary) with definitions and examples for students working towards the objective.
• Extension: Students rewrite a literal sentence from the text (e.g., "It was very dark") using at least two different figurative techniques.

3. Plenary (15%)

• Check: 'Hinge Question' – "Which technique gives human qualities to non-human objects?" a) ☐ Simile b) ☐ Hyperbole c) ☐ Personification d) ☐ Metaphor

• Consolidate: Invite students to share their rewritten extension sentences. The class must identify which techniques were used.

4. Resources

• WAGOLL descriptive paragraph (The Stormy Coast).
• 'The Midnight Forest' text extract.
• Figurative Language Toolkit (Definitions and examples).
• Mini-whiteboards and pens.
• Highlighters.

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⚠ TEACHER’S GUIDANCE

💡 Pedagogical Insights

• Oracy Focus: Before students begin writing in Task B, encourage a 'Think-Pair-Share' session. Year 5 students often find it easier to articulate the 'effect' of a metaphor orally before committing it to paper.
• Addressing Misconceptions: Students frequently confuse 'idioms' with 'metaphors'. Explain that an idiom is a culturally specific expression where the meaning cannot be deduced from the individual words, whereas a metaphor is a direct comparison created by the author for a specific literary effect.
• Scaffolding: For SEND/Lower Ability students, provide the text with the figurative language already highlighted in different colours. Their task is to use the 'Toolkit' to identify which colour corresponds to which technique.

✅ Answer Key & Solutions

• Starter Activity Answer Key:

1. "Thunder grumbled" = Personification
2. "Classroom was a zoo" = Metaphor
3. "Bang!" = Onomatopoeia
4. "Like an old man" = Simile
5. "Million times" = Hyperbole
6. "Piece of cake" = Idiom

• Task A Answer Key (The Midnight Forest):

• Simile: "The moon was like a silver coin."

• Metaphor: "The trees were silent giants."

• Personification: "The twigs snapped underfoot, screaming in pain."

• Hyperbole: "I was so scared my heart nearly jumped out of my chest."

• Idiom: "I decided to keep my chin up."

• Onomatopoeia: "Crunch, crunch, crunch."

• Task B Answer Key:

• Metaphor Answer: "The trees were silent giants" makes the trees seem huge, imposing, and perhaps a bit scary or watchful.

• Personification Answer: "Twigs... screaming" creates a sense of guilt or fear in the character, making the setting feel alive and hostile.

• Plenary Hinge Question Answer: c) ☐ Personification