English · Year 5

Active learning ideas

Figurative Language in Narrative

Active learning works because figurative language requires students to manipulate words and ideas in hands-on ways. When students swap similes, perform personified scenes, or build vivid settings, they move from passive recognition to active creation, which cements understanding more deeply than worksheets alone.

• ACARA Content Descriptions
• AC9E5LA07
• AC9E5LT02

• 25–40 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 4 activities

Activity 01

• Gallery Walk
• 25 min · Pairs

Pairs: Simile Swap

Partners list five emotions and create original similes for each. They swap papers, suggest one enhancement per simile, and explain the impact. Pairs share revised favourites with the class.

How does a well-chosen simile deepen the reader's understanding of a character's emotion?

Facilitation Tip

During Simile Swap, circulate and listen for pairs debating whether a comparison ‘fits’ the emotion or scene they’re aiming for, stepping in only when they seem stuck.

What to look for

Provide students with a short narrative paragraph containing both literal and figurative descriptions. Ask them to highlight all examples of similes and personification, and underline any literal statements. Discuss their findings as a class.

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Create
• Relationship Skills
• Social Awareness

Activity 02

• Gallery Walk
• 40 min · Small Groups

Small Groups: Personification Performances

Groups select a scene from a story and personify three elements, such as angry waves or curious shadows. They rehearse and perform the scene, then discuss how it alters the atmosphere. Class votes on most effective examples.

Analyze the impact of personification on the atmosphere of a scene.

Facilitation Tip

For Personification Performances, provide props or sound cues that encourage students to exaggerate gestures or voices to bring non-human elements to life.

What to look for

Give each student a card with a simple sentence (e.g., 'The dog was happy.'). Ask them to rewrite the sentence twice: once using a simile and once using personification, to make it more descriptive and engaging.

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Create
• Relationship Skills
• Social Awareness

Activity 03

• Gallery Walk
• 30 min · Whole Class

Whole Class: Metaphor Mapping

Display a narrative excerpt. As a class, identify metaphors on chart paper, map their literal and figurative meanings, and note emotional effects. Students contribute examples from their reading.

Differentiate between literal and figurative meanings in narrative descriptions.

Facilitation Tip

When running Metaphor Mapping, model how to trace lines between abstract ideas and concrete images, then ask students to justify their own connections in pairs before sharing with the class.

What to look for

Students write a short paragraph describing a setting. They then swap paragraphs with a partner. Each student reads their partner's work and identifies one example of figurative language, explaining what it describes and how it impacts the reader's understanding. They offer one suggestion for improvement.

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Create
• Relationship Skills
• Social Awareness

Activity 04

• Gallery Walk
• 35 min · Individual

Individual: Figurative Scene Builder

Students rewrite a plain descriptive paragraph using two similes, one metaphor, and one personification. They self-assess for vividness and share one example anonymously for peer feedback.

How does a well-chosen simile deepen the reader's understanding of a character's emotion?

Facilitation Tip

In Figurative Scene Builder, give students sentence stems like ‘The old house seemed to…’ to spark ideas, and limit time to 10 minutes to keep focus sharp.

What to look for

Provide students with a short narrative paragraph containing both literal and figurative descriptions. Ask them to highlight all examples of similes and personification, and underline any literal statements. Discuss their findings as a class.

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Create
• Relationship Skills
• Social Awareness

A few notes on teaching this unit

Teach figurative language by making it tangible and personal. Start with short, relatable examples students can visualize immediately. Avoid overwhelming them with too many types at once; focus on one per lesson and connect it to a clear purpose. Research suggests that when students create figurative language themselves, they retain it better than when they only identify it, so prioritize production over recognition.

Successful learning looks like students confidently distinguishing between literal and figurative language while crafting their own examples with purpose. They should explain how figurative choices enhance mood, character, or setting in their writing, and support their peers' attempts with constructive feedback.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During Simile Swap, watch for students treating similes and metaphors as interchangeable.

  As pairs swap similes, ask them to underline words like ‘like’ or ‘as’ in each example they receive, then explain why the metaphor version would sound different if it replaced the simile.

• During Personification Performances, students may assume only animals or people can be personified.

  Hand groups a list of objects (e.g., clock, rain, bridge) and ask them to brainstorm human traits before performing. Afterward, discuss which objects felt most surprising when personified.

• During Metaphor Mapping, some students may think metaphors are always obvious or literal.

  Ask students to mark metaphors with a star and then paraphrase what they really mean, comparing their interpretation with a partner to clarify abstract comparisons.

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Methods used in this brief

• Gallery Walk