Understanding Figurative Language in Narratives

Active learning helps second graders grasp figurative language because hands-on sorting and discussing let them compare literal and figurative meanings side by side. Moving around the room, talking with partners, and seeing language on the wall turn abstract comparisons into concrete understanding.

• 2nd Grade
• English Language Arts
• 3 activities
• 15 min–20 min

Learning Objectives

1. Identify similes and metaphors in short narrative passages.
2. Explain how a specific simile or metaphor contributes to a reader's understanding of a character or setting.
3. Construct an original simile to describe a character's emotion or action.
4. Compare the literal meaning of a phrase with its figurative meaning in a given sentence.

Inquiry Circle

⏱ 20 min·Small Groups

Inquiry Circle: Literal or Figurative Sort

Give small groups a set of sentence cards, some with literal descriptions and some with similes or metaphors. Groups sort the cards into two piles, then justify one or two choices to the class. Focus the justification on what image or feeling the figurative phrase creates that a literal description of the same thing would not.

Prepare & details

Explain how a simile helps the reader visualize a character's movement.

Facilitation Tip: During Literal or Figurative Sort, model the first two examples aloud so students hear your thinking as you decide whether a phrase is literal or figurative.

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: Simile Workshop

Share three similes from the current read-aloud. Ask students to think about what each simile helps them picture or feel, then pair up to share their images. Each pair writes one new simile to describe a character's action or emotion using the sentence frame "___ was like ___ because ___," then shares with the class.

Prepare & details

Compare the literal meaning of a phrase with its figurative meaning.

Facilitation Tip: In Simile Workshop, pause after each pair to ask, “What two things are being compared here, and what does that comparison show us?” to build precision.

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

⏱ 20 min·Pairs

Gallery Walk: Figurative Language Wall

Post five or six enlarged sentences from a shared text around the classroom, each containing a simile or metaphor. Students rotate in pairs with a recording sheet, drawing or writing what each phrase literally says versus what it actually means. The class debrief focuses on which images were most vivid and what made them effective.

Prepare & details

Construct a new simile to describe a character's feeling.

Facilitation Tip: For the Figurative Language Wall, give students sticky notes in three colors so they can mark phrases as simile, metaphor, or neither during the walk.

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

Teach figurative language by making it visual and social. Start with concrete comparisons students already know, then guide them to articulate the difference between literal and non-literal uses. Avoid rushing past the step where students explain what image the figurative phrase creates; that step anchors their understanding.

What to Expect

Students will confidently label similes and metaphors, explain what each phrase helps them picture, and use the terms correctly in their own writing. They will also recognize why authors choose figurative language to create vivid images in a reader’s mind.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

During Literal or Figurative Sort, watch for students who label any phrase with 'like' as a simile.

What to Teach Instead

Pause the sort and read aloud a sample from the ‘like’ pile that is not figurative. Ask students to explain why it doesn’t count as a simile, then add a non-comparison sentence to the literal group so they see the difference.

Common Misconception

During Simile Workshop, watch for students who think similes always use the word 'like' but miss the requirement that the two things being compared must be different kinds of things.

What to Teach Instead

Bring the group back together and place two sample similes on the board. Circle the two things being compared in each (e.g., laugh and brook) and ask, 'Would this still make sense if the two things were very similar, like a laugh and a giggle?' Help them articulate that similes work best when the items are unlike.

Assessment Ideas

Exit Ticket

After Literal or Figurative Sort, give students a half-sheet with three sentences: one literal, one simile, one metaphor. Ask them to label each and draw a small picture showing what the figurative phrase helps them see.

Quick Check

During Simile Workshop, present three new sentences one at a time. Ask students to vote with thumbs-up or thumbs-down on whether each is a simile. Ask one volunteer to explain their reasoning after each vote.

Discussion Prompt

After the Figurative Language Wall Gallery Walk, display a short mentor text on the board. Ask, 'What does the author mean when they say [quote]? What picture does that create?' Have students turn and talk, then share one idea with the class.

Extensions & Scaffolding

• Challenge early finishers to write a short paragraph using both a simile and a metaphor about their morning routine.
• Scaffolding for struggling learners: Provide sentence frames such as “This phrase compares _____ to _____ so the reader pictures _____.”
• Deeper exploration: Invite students to rewrite a literal sentence into two versions—one using a simile, one using a metaphor—and explain which version feels clearer or more interesting.

Key Vocabulary

Figurative Language	Words or phrases that mean something different from their usual dictionary definition. Authors use it to make writing more interesting and descriptive.
Simile	A comparison between two unlike things using the words 'like' or 'as'. For example, 'The runner was as fast as a cheetah.'
Metaphor	A direct comparison between two unlike things without using 'like' or 'as'. It states that one thing is another. For example, 'The classroom was a zoo.'
Literal Meaning	The exact, dictionary meaning of a word or phrase. What the words actually say.
Figurative Meaning	The imaginative meaning of a word or phrase, which is different from its literal meaning. It creates a picture or feeling for the reader.