Language Arts · Grade 7

Active learning ideas

Metaphor and Symbolism

Active learning helps students grasp metaphor and symbolism because these concepts demand interpretation rather than memorization. When students manipulate objects, discuss ideas, and create their own examples, they move beyond surface-level understanding to see how abstract ideas take shape in concrete forms.

• Ontario Curriculum Expectations
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.7.4

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

Activity 01

• Inquiry Circle
• 40 min · Small Groups

Inquiry Circle: The Symbolism Suitcase

Groups are given a 'suitcase' of physical objects (e.g., a compass, a wilted flower, a key). They must brainstorm at least three abstract ideas each object could represent in a story and present their 'symbolic map' to the class.

Explain how an extended metaphor clarifies a difficult concept for the reader.

Facilitation Tip

During the Symbolism Suitcase, circulate and ask groups to explain why they chose specific objects before revealing their abstract ideas.

What to look for

Provide students with a short poem excerpt containing a clear symbol. Ask them to identify the symbol, state what abstract idea it represents, and write one sentence explaining their reasoning.

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Management
• Self-Awareness

Activity 02

• Think-Pair-Share
• 20 min · Pairs

Think-Pair-Share: Metaphor Makeover

Students take a boring, literal sentence (e.g., 'He was very angry') and work with a partner to turn it into a powerful metaphor (e.g., 'His anger was a dormant volcano, ready to coat the room in ash').

Differentiate between a symbol and a simple description in a poem.

Facilitation Tip

For the Metaphor Makeover, provide sentence stems like 'This metaphor shows ____ because ____' to guide students' explanations.

What to look for

Present two poems that use the same object (e.g., a road) but with different symbolic meanings. Ask students: 'How does the poet's word choice and context influence the symbolic meaning of the road in each poem? Which interpretation do you find more compelling and why?'

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Awareness
• Relationship Skills

Activity 03

• Gallery Walk
• 30 min · Whole Class

Gallery Walk: Visual Metaphors

Display famous paintings or photographs. Students circulate and identify one element in the image that they think is a symbol, explaining what it represents and why the artist might have included it.

Analyze how a single object can carry different symbolic meanings across different poems.

Facilitation Tip

During the Gallery Walk, place a timer at each station to keep students moving and ensure they engage with every visual metaphor.

What to look for

Display an image of a common symbol (e.g., a broken chain, a rising sun). Ask students to write down two different abstract ideas it could represent and briefly explain one of those connections.

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

A few notes on teaching this unit

Teach this topic by modeling your own thinking aloud as you decode symbols and metaphors in short texts. Avoid giving definitive answers about what symbols mean; instead, guide students to weigh evidence from the text. Research shows that students benefit from comparing multiple interpretations, so structure activities that require justification rather than agreement.

By the end of these activities, students will confidently explain how extended metaphors and symbols function in texts, support their interpretations with evidence, and recognize how context shapes meaning. They will also begin to critique the effectiveness of a writer’s or artist’s use of these devices.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During the Symbolism Suitcase, watch for students who assume an object’s meaning is fixed.

  Prompt groups to compare their interpretations of the same object and ask, 'What in the text made you think of that idea?' to highlight the role of context.

• During the Literal vs. Figurative Challenge, watch for students who dismiss metaphors as unnecessary.

  Have them rewrite the same idea literally and figuratively, then count the words and discuss which version conveys the meaning more vividly.

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Methods used in this brief

• Inquiry Circle
• Think-Pair-Share
• Gallery Walk