Metaphor and Symbolism

Active learning works because metaphor and symbolism require students to move from passive decoding to active interpretation. When students physically hunt for symbols or craft their own metaphors, they engage with abstract ideas in concrete, memorable ways. This hands-on approach builds the confidence needed to tackle more complex texts in later years.

• 6th Class
• Voices and Visions: Advanced Literacy for 6th Class
• 3 activities
• 15 min–30 min

Learning Objectives

1. Analyze a poem to identify at least two symbols and explain the abstract concepts they represent.
2. Explain how an extended metaphor in a poem contributes to its overall theme and emotional impact.
3. Compare and contrast the literal meaning of a line of poetry with its figurative interpretation, citing textual evidence.
4. Create a short poem or prose piece that uses a specific object as a symbol for a chosen emotion.

Inquiry Circle

⏱ 30 min·Small Groups

Inquiry Circle: Symbol Safari

Place five everyday objects (a key, a mirror, a stone, a candle, a clock) on a table. Groups must brainstorm three abstract concepts each object could represent in a poem and explain why, using 'because' statements.

Prepare & details

Analyze why a poet might choose a specific object to represent a complex human emotion.

Facilitation Tip: During Symbol Safari, circulate with guiding questions like, 'What feeling does this object suggest? Can you find a line in the poem that supports that?' to keep students focused on the connection between the concrete and the abstract.

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

⏱ 15 min·Pairs

Think-Pair-Share: Metaphor Makeover

Give students a literal sentence (e.g., 'I was very angry'). They must work with a partner to turn it into a metaphor (e.g., 'I was a volcano ready to erupt'), then share the most creative ones with the class.

Prepare & details

Explain how an extended metaphor deepens the meaning of a poem.

Facilitation Tip: For Metaphor Makeover, provide sentence stems like, 'The _____ is like _____ because...' to scaffold the creation of their own metaphors.

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

⏱ 25 min·Individual

Gallery Walk: Visual Metaphors

Students draw a literal representation of a metaphor from a poem they've read. The class walks around and must guess the 'hidden meaning' or emotion the drawing represents before the artist reveals the answer.

Prepare & details

Differentiate the meaning of a text when interpreted literally versus figuratively.

Facilitation Tip: In the Gallery Walk, assign small groups to one poster first so they can discuss their interpretations before moving to others, preventing overwhelm.

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 your own thinking aloud: read a short poem with a clear symbol, such as a 'broken mirror' representing fractured identity, and verbalize how you arrive at your interpretation. Avoid rushing to a single 'correct' answer; instead, validate diverse responses by asking, 'What else could this mean?' Research shows that this open-ended approach helps students develop critical thinking rather than memorizing symbolic meanings.

What to Expect

Successful learning looks like students confidently explaining how a symbol connects to an emotion or idea rather than just naming the object. They should begin to recognize that multiple interpretations are valid and support their claims with evidence from the text or their own reasoning.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

During Collaborative Investigation: Symbol Safari, watch for students who dismiss symbols as 'just things' because they don't see the deeper meaning.

What to Teach Instead

Prompt them to compare their symbol to a literal photo of the same object, asking, 'How does the feeling in the poem differ from what you see in the photo? What does the poet want us to feel?'

Common Misconception

During Think-Pair-Share: Metaphor Makeover, watch for students who create metaphors that are too vague or unrelated to the intended emotion.

What to Teach Instead

Have them use a 'feelings chart' to anchor their metaphors, asking them to start with an emotion and then brainstorm objects that evoke that feeling before crafting the metaphor.

Assessment Ideas

Exit Ticket

After Collaborative Investigation: Symbol Safari, give students a short poem excerpt with a clear symbol. Ask them to identify the symbol, state the abstract concept it represents, and write one sentence explaining their reasoning based on the poem's context.

Quick Check

During Gallery Walk: Visual Metaphors, present students with two short phrases: one literal and one figurative interpretation of a common object (e.g., 'a clock' vs. 'a symbol of the passage of time'). Ask them to choose the figurative interpretation and briefly explain why it's figurative, referencing the concept of symbolism.

Peer Assessment

After Metaphor Makeover, have students exchange their metaphor poems with a partner. Partners provide feedback using a rubric that checks for clarity of the abstract concept, creativity, and textual evidence to support the metaphor.

Extensions & Scaffolding

• Challenge: Ask students to write a short poem using at least two original metaphors, then peer-review for clarity and impact.
• Scaffolding: Provide a word bank of abstract concepts (e.g., hope, fear, time) to help students brainstorm connections to the symbols they find.
• Deeper exploration: Have students research a cultural symbol (e.g., the olive branch) and compare its meaning in two different texts or traditions.

Key Vocabulary

Symbol	An object, person, or idea that represents something else, often an abstract concept like freedom or love.
Metaphor	A figure of speech that directly compares two unlike things without using 'like' or 'as', suggesting a resemblance.
Extended Metaphor	A metaphor that is developed over several lines, stanzas, or an entire poem, creating a sustained comparison.
Literal Meaning	The most basic, straightforward meaning of words, without interpretation or figurative language.
Figurative Meaning	The symbolic or metaphorical meaning of words, which goes beyond their literal definition to convey deeper ideas or emotions.