Teaching Writing Techniques of Metaphor and Simile

The aim of this activity is to learn the poetry writing techniques of metaphor and simile.

The Power of Poems: Teaching the Joy of Writing Poetry

   Poetry is like porridge: it warms the body and the soul. Metaphors
and similes can be a strong part of poetry. Kids love using metaphor
and simile, often doing so even if they are not familiar with
the terms. The concept of metaphor is something they frequently
already use unconsciously. Even very young writers, unfamiliar
with the definitions, will understand the idea.

Explain to your students that when we compare two things and say
they are “like” each other it is called a simile. (“The rain fell like
tears.”) In a metaphor, dissimilar things are compared without the
word “like.” (“The moon was a beckoning lantern.”)

Metaphor

The dragon in the poem is the ocean, but it’s never directly stated:

(Margriet Ruurs, Virtual Maniac)

When you write a metaphor, you use your imagination to describe
it. I compared the ocean to a dragon. You could call a storm “a
fierce lion” or a flower “a yellow symphony.” Brainstorm with your
students what other comparisons you could make. Make a list of
similes and metaphors on the blackboard. For example:

– My kitten is like a powder puff

– Homework is like eating spinach

– Sunshine is like honey

– Icy teeth hung off the roof

Make a list of real things and then write a metaphor for that word:

Now invite your students to pick one metaphor and write a
metaphor poem!

Here’s one of my favorites. Sarah compared “the wind” to “angels”
in her poem:

(Sarah, Grade 7)

(Margriet Ruurs)

“Like a bird I will fly,” the poem says.

What other expressions do we use to compare ourselves to animals?

Can your students think of some? Write all suggestions down on
the blackboard.

Did they think of “quiet as a mouse”? “Gentle as a lamb”? We
say, “You swim like a fish” and “He is strong as bear.” Save the
list of animal similes you now have for use in future poems.

Invite your students to write down other common similes. Now ask
them to choose one simile and write a poem about it. They might
choose to write a poem about being strong as a horse, roaring like a
lion, or swimming like a fish!

“Guess What?”

It is fun to turn metaphor poetry into a game by writing poems
and asking each other to guess what it really is about. Ask your
students to think of a subject and then decide what it is like. This
is similar to how I decided that the ocean is like a dragon. If your
students need warming up to this activity, discuss more examples,
list them on the board, and allow your students to use those. Here
are some suggestions:

– Spring could be “a butterfly.”

– Rain could be “tears.”

– Worries can be “a heavy package” or “a suitcase.”

One of my students wrote about a rainbow, calling it a smile in
the sky:

(Chelsey, Grade 4)

To demonstrate the guessing element, read this poem to your
students without revealing the title. Ask them to guess what it is
about.

Now ask your students to write their poems but when sharing,
not to reveal the true subject. Turn the sharing of the poems into
a guessing game by inviting the rest of the class to guess the real
topic of each poem!

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