English · Year 3

Active learning ideas

Similes and Metaphors

Active learning helps students grasp similes and metaphors because figurative language is best understood through doing. When students create, perform, and compare examples themselves, they move from passive recognition to confident, intentional use. These activities build muscle memory for crafting comparisons that resonate with readers and listeners.

• ACARA Content Descriptions
• AC9E3LT04
• AC9E3LA08

• 20–40 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 4 activities

Activity 01

• Inside-Outside Circle
• 20 min · Pairs

Pairs: Simile Creation Relay

Partners take turns describing an object with a simile starter like 'The dog is like...'; the other completes it and adds a new one. Switch roles after five rounds, then select favourites to share. Record in journals for later use.

Explain how a simile helps us understand a character's traits more clearly.

Facilitation Tip

During the Simile Creation Relay, stand at the front with a timer visible so students practice concise, precise language under pressure.

What to look for

Provide students with a short poem. Ask them to find one simile and one metaphor, write them down, and explain in one sentence what each comparison helps them understand about the poem's subject.

• Remember
• Understand
• Apply
• Relationship Skills
• Self-Management

Activity 02

• Inside-Outside Circle
• 30 min · Small Groups

Small Groups: Metaphor Charades

Groups brainstorm metaphors for emotions or animals, then act them out silently while others guess and justify the comparison. Discuss why the metaphor fits better than a literal description. Vote on the most vivid example.

Justify why a poet might use a metaphor instead of a literal description.

Facilitation Tip

For Metaphor Charades, prepare a stack of metaphor cards for each group so roles are clear and timekeeping is consistent.

What to look for

Show students a picture of a common object, like a fluffy cloud or a busy street. Ask them to write one simile and one metaphor to describe it on a mini-whiteboard. Review responses for understanding of comparison structure.

• Remember
• Understand
• Apply
• Relationship Skills
• Self-Management

Activity 03

• Inside-Outside Circle
• 40 min · Whole Class

Whole Class: Poetry Performance Chain

Each student contributes one simile or metaphor to a class poem about a scene. Read aloud in chain, pausing for peer feedback on clarity and imagery. Revise and perform the final version.

Construct original similes and metaphors to describe everyday objects.

Facilitation Tip

In Poetry Performance Chain, use a soft chime to signal turns so the flow stays calm and inclusive.

What to look for

Pose the question: 'If you wanted to describe a very fast runner, would you say 'He ran like the wind' or 'He was the wind'? Explain why one choice might create a stronger picture for your audience.'

• Remember
• Understand
• Apply
• Relationship Skills
• Self-Management

Activity 04

• Inside-Outside Circle
• 25 min · Individual

Individual: Object Metaphor Sketches

Students pick a classroom object, write two metaphors, and sketch the comparison. Pair up briefly to explain choices, then display for class gallery walk.

Explain how a simile helps us understand a character's traits more clearly.

What to look for

Provide students with a short poem. Ask them to find one simile and one metaphor, write them down, and explain in one sentence what each comparison helps them understand about the poem's subject.

• Remember
• Understand
• Apply
• Relationship Skills
• Self-Management

A few notes on teaching this unit

Teach similes and metaphors through repeated, low-stakes practice rather than direct explanation alone. Research shows students solidify understanding when they convert statements back and forth between forms and defend their choices. Avoid overwhelming students with too many examples at once; focus on quality and reflection after each attempt.

Students will confidently distinguish between similes and metaphors, justify their choices with clear reasoning, and apply both tools to describe objects and characters vividly. Success looks like students revising their language to strengthen imagery, explaining their thinking aloud, and using comparisons naturally in their own work.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During Simile Creation Relay, watch for students who treat similes and metaphors as interchangeable. After each pair shares, ask the class to identify whether the comparison uses 'like' or 'as' and whether it states one thing is another.

  Use the relay’s second round to model converting a simile to a metaphor by removing 'like' or 'as' and adjusting the verb. Have students practice this switch in pairs immediately after their first turn.

• During Metaphor Charades, watch for students who say the metaphor is 'just pretend' and not useful. Pause the game to ask groups to discuss why the metaphor helped them guess correctly.

  After each round, facilitate a quick discussion where students explain which metaphor made the object or action easiest to imagine and why.

• During Poetry Performance Chain, watch for students who assume figurative language only belongs in poems. After the chain ends, ask the class to identify places in everyday speech or stories where similes and metaphors could be used instead of literal descriptions.

  Prompt students to brainstorm a list of common places (sports commentary, advertisements, jokes) where these comparisons appear naturally, then add their own examples to the board.

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Methods used in this brief

• Inside-Outside Circle