Understanding Metaphor

Active learning works because students need to physically manipulate objects and ideas to grasp abstract concepts like metaphor. When Year 6 learners collaborate to decode symbols or revise metaphors, they move from passive recognition to active interpretation, which builds the critical thinking required for secondary English.

• Year 6
• English
• 3 activities
• 20 min–40 min

Learning Objectives

1. Analyze how specific objects or images are used metaphorically to represent abstract emotions or experiences in poetry.
2. Compare and contrast literal descriptions with metaphorical ones within provided poetic excerpts.
3. Create original metaphors to convey complex feelings or ideas, demonstrating an understanding of abstract representation.
4. Explain the intended effect of a chosen metaphor on the reader's understanding of a poem's theme.

Inquiry Circle

⏱ 40 min·Small Groups

Inquiry Circle: The Symbol Suitcase

Bring in a suitcase of random objects (a key, a mirror, a wilted flower, a compass). In groups, students brainstorm what each object could symbolize in a story (e.g., a key = a secret or a new beginning) and present their 'symbolic map' to the class.

Prepare & details

Analyze how a simple object can represent a universal human emotion.

Facilitation Tip: During The Symbol Suitcase, circulate and ask groups to justify their symbol choices by referencing the text’s mood or theme.

Setup: Groups at tables with access to source materials

Materials: Source material collection, Inquiry cycle worksheet, Question generation protocol, Findings presentation template

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

Think-Pair-Share

⏱ 20 min·Pairs

Think-Pair-Share: Metaphor Makeover

Give students a list of literal sentences (e.g., 'He was very angry'). Pairs work to turn these into metaphors (e.g., 'He was a volcano ready to erupt'). They then discuss which metaphor is most effective and why.

Prepare & details

Differentiate between a literal description and a metaphorical one.

Facilitation Tip: For Metaphor Makeover, give students two minutes to compare their revised metaphor to the original with a partner before sharing with the class.

Setup: Standard classroom seating; students turn to a neighbor

Materials: Discussion prompt (projected or printed), Optional: recording sheet for pairs

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

Gallery Walk

⏱ 30 min·Small Groups

Gallery Walk: Visual Metaphors

Display famous paintings or photographs. Students move around the room, writing 'metaphorical captions' for the images on sticky notes, focusing on what the elements of the picture might represent emotionally rather than just what they are.

Prepare & details

Construct a metaphor to convey a specific feeling or idea.

Facilitation Tip: In Visual Metaphors, provide sentence stems like 'This image shows ____ because ____' to guide students’ written explanations.

Setup: Wall space or tables arranged around room perimeter

Materials: Large paper/poster boards, Markers, Sticky notes for feedback

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

Teaching This Topic

Start by modeling how to unpack a metaphor step-by-step, thinking aloud as you interpret its literal and figurative layers. Avoid over-explaining; instead, let students grapple and revise their ideas through discussion. Research shows that repeated exposure to metaphors in varied contexts builds flexibility in interpreting them.

What to Expect

Successful learning looks like students confidently distinguishing metaphors from similes, explaining why authors choose figurative language, and applying these ideas to new texts. They should articulate the emotional effect of metaphors and adapt language for specific purposes.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

During Collaborative Investigation: The Symbol Suitcase, watch for students who pick symbols based on personal preference without connecting to the text.

What to Teach Instead

Prompt groups to reread the assigned text line by line and ask, 'What emotion or theme does this line suggest? Now, find an object that captures that idea.' Have them write their reasoning on a sticky note attached to the suitcase item.

Common Misconception

During Think-Pair-Share: Metaphor Makeover, watch for students who change the metaphor’s structure but keep the same abstract idea.

What to Teach Instead

Before revising, ask students to identify the abstract idea in the original metaphor (e.g., 'loneliness') and then brainstorm new metaphors that express that same idea in a fresh way. Share examples of strong vs. weak revisions as a class.

Assessment Ideas

Exit Ticket

After The Symbol Suitcase, give each student a sticky note to write: 1. The symbol they chose, 2. One text reference that supports it, 3. How the symbol connects to a broader theme. Collect these to check for accuracy and thoughtfulness.

Discussion Prompt

During Metaphor Makeover, after pairs share their revised metaphors, ask the class: 'Which revised metaphor creates the strongest emotional effect? Why does the change in language make it more powerful?' Listen for references to concreteness, emotion, or imagery.

Quick Check

During Visual Metaphors, as students walk the gallery, provide a half-sheet with the prompt: 'Choose one image and write a metaphor that describes the feeling it evokes. Then, explain why that metaphor fits.' Collect these to assess their ability to transfer visual symbols to verbal metaphors.

Extensions & Scaffolding

• Challenge: Ask students to rewrite a metaphor to convey the opposite emotion (e.g., turn 'a heart is a locked safe' into a metaphor for openness).
• Scaffolding: Provide sentence frames like 'The ___ symbolizes ___ when ___ because ____.'
• Deeper exploration: Have students research cultural symbols (e.g., white in Western vs. Eastern cultures) and compare their meanings in different contexts.

Key Vocabulary

Metaphor	A figure of speech where a word or phrase is applied to an object or action to which it is not literally applicable, suggesting a resemblance without using 'like' or 'as'.
Abstract Imagery	Language that describes concepts or feelings that cannot be perceived by the five senses, often represented through concrete objects or actions.
Connotation	The emotional or cultural association that a word or phrase carries, beyond its literal meaning, which poets use to enhance metaphor.
Symbolism	The use of symbols, which are objects or ideas, to represent something else, often a deeper or more complex meaning.