English · Year 7

Active learning ideas

The Power of Metaphor and Simile

Active learning works for this topic because metaphor and simile rely on students making connections between abstract ideas and concrete images. When students create, compare, and analyze comparisons in real time, they move beyond memorization to genuine understanding. Collaborative tasks let them test their interpretations with peers, which builds confidence in interpreting figurative language.

• National Curriculum Attainment Targets
• KS3: English - Figurative Language
• KS3: English - Reading Poetry

• 15–35 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 3 activities

Activity 01

• Inquiry Circle
• 35 min · Small Groups

Inquiry Circle: Metaphor Mapping

Groups are given a poem with an extended metaphor. They must draw the 'literal' image on one side of a large sheet and the 'abstract' meaning on the other, drawing lines to connect specific words to their deeper meanings.

Explain how an extended metaphor changes our understanding of a simple object.

Facilitation Tip

During Metaphor Mapping, circulate while students work and ask probing questions like, 'What quality do these two images share that makes this comparison work?' to push deeper thinking.

What to look for

Provide students with a short poem containing a clear extended metaphor. Ask them to identify the tenor and vehicle of the metaphor and write one sentence explaining how the vehicle changes their understanding of the tenor.

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

Activity 02

• Think-Pair-Share
• 15 min · Pairs

Think-Pair-Share: The Unconventional Comparison

Students are given an abstract emotion (e.g., jealousy) and a random object (e.g., a rusty nail). They must work in pairs to create a metaphor connecting the two, explaining their reasoning to the class.

Justify why a poet might choose an unconventional comparison to describe a feeling.

Facilitation Tip

For The Unconventional Comparison, explicitly model how to unpack the comparison by asking students to explain which parts of the image are most important for the comparison.

What to look for

Pose the question: 'Why might a poet choose to compare sadness to a 'heavy cloak' instead of a 'rainy day'?' Facilitate a class discussion where students justify the poet's choice of imagery based on the specific qualities each comparison evokes.

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

Activity 03

• Gallery Walk
• 25 min · Individual

Gallery Walk: Visual Poems

Students create a single-image representation of a metaphor from a poem they have studied. Peers walk around and try to guess which line of poetry the image represents based on the visual cues.

Analyze how imagery bridges the gap between the poet's experience and the reader's imagination.

Facilitation Tip

During the Gallery Walk, set a timer and ask each group to prepare a 30-second explanation of their visual poem's extended metaphor before rotating.

What to look for

Present students with pairs of sentences, one using a simile and one using a metaphor to describe the same object. Ask students to label each as either simile or metaphor and briefly explain the difference in their effect on the reader.

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

A few notes on teaching this unit

Teachers should start with concrete examples students already know, like 'time is money,' before moving to literary texts. Avoid over-explaining metaphors; instead, ask students to interpret them first and then refine their ideas through discussion. Research shows that students learn figurative language best when they create their own comparisons first, then analyze how others use them.

Successful learning looks like students confidently distinguishing between similes and metaphors, explaining how imagery conveys abstract concepts, and justifying their choices with specific evidence. They should also demonstrate curiosity about why writers choose certain comparisons over others. The goal is to shift from spotting comparisons to understanding their purpose.

---

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During Collaborative Investigation: Metaphor Mapping, watch for students dismissing metaphors as 'just lies' without recognizing the shared quality between the two unlike things.

  During Collaborative Investigation: Metaphor Mapping, redirect students by asking them to highlight the specific quality that connects the two images in their map, such as 'What does a bird and freedom have in common that makes this a useful comparison?'.

• During Think-Pair-Share: The Unconventional Comparison, watch for students assuming metaphors are only used in poetry.

  During Think-Pair-Share: The Unconventional Comparison, have students share examples from everyday language first, then challenge them to find a metaphor in a song lyric or news headline to prove their point.

---

Methods used in this brief

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