Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Writing to Read

Figurative language is part of our State Reading Assessment.  The best way to teach students to recognize different types of figurative language is to have them write their own paragraph or poem using each of the elements.  Last week they wrote short, unrhymed poems using personification.  I gave them my example: 

Sun Reveille

The sun dances lightly on the horizon.
She stretches out fingertips of pink and gold.
I ignore her gentle nudging.
She stretches higher in the sky
and lets her bright rays shake me.
I think she enjoys slapping me to life.


The kids actually did a pretty great job.  I might see if I can swipe a few of theirs to share. 

Next up?  Hyperboles.  I always have success with this one:

My teacher is so old...
OR
This class is so boring...

Yeah.  My ego is going to take a beating.  I don't think I'll need to provide any examples. *sigh*  The sacrifices I make to motivate students!  (Actually, hyperboles are fun, even if they are dogging on me!)

4 comments:

Gayle said...

Oh, boy, we'll give you lots of love here to make up for whatever your students write!

Katie @ Can't Get There said...

Have you covered irony yet? You could bring up the point that Alanis Morrisette's song "Isn't it Ironic?" isn't actually about irony. Rain on your wedding day? Not fun, but not ironic. Drove my freshman English teacher nuts. :)

Pugelicious said...

Motivating young ones. I have trouble with my own kids - could not imagine what it must be like with a whole class of them. I admire you.

puna said...

I would have been surprised if you didn't get a wise guy or two.