English Language Arts · 5th Grade

Active learning ideas

Interpreting Figurative Language

Active learning works well for interpreting figurative language because students need practice moving between literal and implied meanings in real time. When students discuss, perform, and create, they develop the habit of looking for clues in the text rather than relying on memorized definitions.

• Common Core State Standards
• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.5.5.a

• 15–40 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 4 activities

Activity 01

• Think-Pair-Share
• 15 min · Pairs

Think-Pair-Share: Effect Analysis

Display a sentence containing figurative language from a class text. Students first interpret the phrase individually in writing, then discuss with a partner to compare and refine their analysis. Pairs share their best explanation with the class, and the teacher guides discussion toward why the author chose that specific comparison rather than a literal description.

Explain why authors use figurative language instead of literal descriptions.

Facilitation Tip

During Think-Pair-Share, circulate and listen for interpretations that include textual evidence, not just guesses.

What to look for

Provide students with three sentences, each containing a different type of figurative language (e.g., a simile, an idiom, personification). Ask students to identify the type of figurative language in each sentence and write one sentence explaining its meaning.

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

Activity 02

• Gallery Walk
• 35 min · Small Groups

Gallery Walk: Figurative Language Stations

Post examples of each figurative language type (metaphor, simile, personification, idiom) on separate posters around the room. Student groups rotate through stations, writing their interpretation of each example and one original sentence using the same technique. The class compares interpretations to see where the language led different readers to different meanings.

Analyze the effect of a specific simile on the reader's understanding of a character.

What to look for

Display a short paragraph from a children's book. Ask students to highlight one example of figurative language. Then, have them write on a sticky note: 'The author used [figurative language type] to show...' and complete the sentence explaining the effect.

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

Activity 03

• Gallery Walk
• 30 min · Small Groups

Performance: Bring Personification to Life

Students select an inanimate object and write three to four sentences of personification describing it. They perform their passage for a small group while the group guesses the object being described. Afterward, groups discuss which details most effectively gave the object human qualities and why those choices worked.

Construct a sentence using personification to describe an inanimate object.

What to look for

Pose the question: 'Why might an author choose to say 'The wind howled' instead of 'The wind was loud'?'. Facilitate a class discussion where students share their interpretations and explain the impact of personification.

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

Activity 04

• Jigsaw
• 40 min · Small Groups

Jigsaw: Idiom Dictionary

Assign each small group three to four idioms from a provided list. Groups research the likely origin of each idiom, define it in their own words, and create an example sentence. Groups then combine into jigsaw teams where each member teaches their idioms, and the class assembles a shared classroom idiom reference.

Explain why authors use figurative language instead of literal descriptions.

What to look for

Provide students with three sentences, each containing a different type of figurative language (e.g., a simile, an idiom, personification). Ask students to identify the type of figurative language in each sentence and write one sentence explaining its meaning.

• Understand
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Relationship Skills
• Self-Management

A few notes on teaching this unit

Teach figurative language by modeling your own thinking aloud. Read a sentence with personification, pause, and say, 'I notice the author didn’t literally mean the wind made a sound like a person. It helps me picture the wind as strong and wild.' Avoid rushing to definitions; instead, build meaning from context clues and repeated exposure.

Successful learning happens when students can explain how figurative language creates meaning and effect. They should connect their interpretations to specific words and phrases, not just name the type of figurative language.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During Think-Pair-Share: Effect Analysis, students may think figurative language is only found in fiction and poetry.

  Use the sentence stems in Think-Pair-Share to include examples from informational texts, such as news articles or science passages, to show students that figurative language appears in many types of writing.

• During Jigsaw: Idiom Dictionary, students may believe there is one correct interpretation of a figurative phrase.

  During the Jigsaw activity, have each group present multiple valid interpretations of an idiom and require them to support each with textual evidence from the source passage.

• During Performance: Bring Personification to Life, students may believe idioms mean what they literally say.

  In the Performance activity, explicitly contrast idioms with other types of figurative language by asking students to act out both a personified phrase and a literal idiom, then discuss why one is interpretable and the other is not.

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Methods used in this brief

• Think-Pair-Share
• Gallery Walk
• Jigsaw