The document outlines a lesson plan on teaching students about similes. The lesson includes examining similes in movies, songs, advertisements and poems to help students understand what a simile is and how it is used. Students are asked to identify similes, analyze their purpose and create their own. One activity asks students to describe their family members using similes and illustrate them. The goal is for students to appreciate how similes are used to create vivid descriptions and convey meaning in different mediums by the end of the lesson.

1. OUTCOMES from the Program of Study (Alberta, Canada)
2.2. Appreciate the artistry of texts: explain how simile & hyperbole are used to create
mood and mental images
2.3 Understand Forms, Elements and Techniques
Identify examples of apt word choice and imagery that create particular effects
Experiment with language: experiment with words and sentence patterns to create word
pictures; identify how imagery and figurative language, such as simile and exaggeration,
convey meaning

2. Objectives:
By the end of this lesson I will be able to understand what a SIMILE is
I will be able to identify SIMILES in different type of media (movies, advertisements, songs,
poems, everyday life)
I will be able to analyze the purpose of similes in the previous types of media
I will be able to create SIMILES

3. Movie: Forrest Gump
Have you seen this movie?
If so, what is it about?
Forrest loves to make comparisons to understand
his life. We are going to watch the opening scene
in which Forrest compares his life to …
In pairs, come up with things he might use to
compare LIFE to
LIFE IS LIKE…
Example: LIFE IS LIKE A ROLLERCOASTER.
It has its ups and downs but it is always exciting
Watch the clip. Were your predictions ok?
Why do you think he compares
his life to a box of chocolates?
LIFE IS LIKE A BOX OF CHOCOLATES

4. Simile

6. Have a look at these advertisements.
Comparisons are made to advertise the product.
Identify the comparison & explain its purpose.
PRODUCT
advetised
OBJECT OF
COMPARISON
REASON(S) FOR
COMPARISON
TRUCK ROCK HARD
Example:

7. “Float like a butterfly and sting like a bee.”
PRODUCT
advetised
OBJECT OF
COMPARISON
REASON(S)
FOR
COMPARISON
TRUCK ROCK HARD
Task: In 5 groups, have a look at the advertisements
given by your teacher and complete the chart above

8. "Firework"
Katy Perry Lyrics
Do you ever feel like a plastic bag
Drifting through the wind, wanting to start again?
Do you ever feel, feel so paper thin
Like a house of cards, one blow from caving in?
Listen to the song. As soon as you can
recognize it, put your hand up.
Let’s read part of the lyrics to identify
all the comparisons the singer uses.

9. Think about all the COMPARISONS we’ve seen so far.
Which one has been your favorite? Why?
OR

11. My love is like a red red rose
That’s newly sprung in June;
My love is like the melody
That’s sweetly play’d in tune.
So fair art thou, my bonnie lass,
So deep in love am I;
And I will love thee still, my dear,
Till a’ the seas gang dry.
Till a’ the seas gang dry, my dear,
And the rocks melt wi’ the sun:
And I will love thee still, my dear,
While the sands o’ life shall run.
And fare thee weel, my only love
And fare thee weel, a while!
And I will come again, my love,
Tho’ it were ten thousand mile.
Let’s read and listen to the poem
What is the poem about?
Look at the first stanza,
a) what 2 things is love compared
with?
b) Apart from a red rose,
why do you think the poet
compares love with a
sweet tune? Listen to the
song and think about it.

12. LOVE IS LIKE
Read the poem and identify the SIMILES.
Explain those similes or comparisons.

14. LOVE IS LIKE
Read the poem and identify the SIMILES.
Explain those similes or comparisons.
HOMEWORK

15. Become a poet. The teacher has a box full of different objects.
Choose one object and make a simile with it.
Example: pen.
My teacher is LIKE a pen because she is very slim.
USE YOUR IMAGINATION!!!

16. .
Students work in groups. Students are given a set of poems to
a) Identify similes
b) Establish grounds for comparison
c) Explain effect sought by the poet

19. SIMILES IN LITERATURE
Have a look at the book below. What simile does the writer use to compare his dog?
Why do you think he does that?
Think of your pet & come up with a
SIMILE to compare it
Example: My cat is as white as snow
My Family
My mom is like a fire.
She's always warm, but
sometimes she gets too hot.
My brother is like a tornado.
He always moves fast and
spreads destruction wherever
he goes.
My sister is like a snowstorm.
She's pretty to look at and icy
at times, but with a little bit of
sunshine, that iciness melts.
Make a simile per family member. Be creative!
Illustrate your similes with drawings!

20. MY SIMILE FAMILY ALBUM
You are going to make a family album with
SIMILES.
Make 4 similes per family member (pets included!)
One of those MUST BE IN SPANISH!
Bring photos of your family and then make drawings to
show the visual component of a SIMILE.

21. EXAMPLE OF YOUR PERSONAL DESCRIPTION WITH ILLUSTRATIONS

22. RUBRIC: SIMILES FAMILY ALBUM
SIMILES USED
TO DESCRIBE
MY FAMILY
4 3 2 1
USE OF SIMILES
IN ENGLISH
Descriptions
include 4
creative and
accurate similes
Descriptions
include 3
creative and
accurate similes
Description
includes 2
creative and
accurate similes
Description
includes 1 or
none creative
and accurate
similes
USE OF SIMILES
IN SPANISH
Simile in Spanish
with no
mistakes
Simile in Spanish
with 1 minor
mistake
Simile in Spanish
with 2 mistakes
Simile in Spanish
with 3 or more
mistake
USE OF
SPELLING
No spelling
mistakes
1 spelling
mistake
2 spelling
mistakes
3 or more
spelling
mistakes
USE OF
GRAMMAR/PUN
CTUATION
No grammatical
mistakes
1 grammatical
mistake
2 grammatical
mistakes
3 or more
grammatical
mistakes
ILLUSTRATIONS Neat
illustrations of
similes (colorful
too)
Good effort with
illustrations of
similes
Moderate effort
with illustrations
of similes
No effort at all
(no illustrations
of similes)

23. SIMILES WITH ANIMALS Have a look at the similes with animals below
Can you add another one to the list?

24. Describe yourself using as many animals as possible.

27. Look at those 2 hearts symbolizing LOVE. Each of them has been created with a
different type of flower or plant.
1) Which one has been chosen for heart number 1? And for number 2?
2) Why do you think the artist has chosen those different types of flowers/plants to
represent a HEART?
No. 1
No. 2

28. What are some of the differences & similarities
between a rose and a cactus?
Work in groups and complete the graphic organizer

29. We are going to read the poem “My Love is Like a Red, Red Rose”
by the Scottish poet Robert Burns
Before reading, think about the TITLE
a) Why does the poet compare his love to a rose? (Think
about the characteristics of this flower that we saw before)
b) Why a rose and not a cactus?
Robert Burns (25 January 1759 – 21 July 1796)
Scotland
We usually make comparisons based on things we know.
Robert Burns was certainly familiar with flowers due to his
childhood.
a) Can you imagine where he was brought up? (the town/the city/
the countryside?)
b) Can you imagine his parents’ jobs?

30. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMxIBqpryG0
Let’s watch a video to check whether our predictions were all right

31. Robert Burns wrote some of his poems in Scottish, which is similar to English, although some
words are slightly different.
In the poem we are going to read ‘bonnie lass’, ‘gang’ and ‘weel’, which belong to Scottish.
Read the following sentences. Using contextual clues, try to guess the meaning of those words:
a) Alice is a bonnie lass. She has a pretty face and an amazing body. She is also sweet.
b) In winter all the flowers are gang because of the cold.
c) How are you doing? You seem so happy.
Yes, thanks. I am doing weel.
bonnie lass=beautiful girl
Gang=go
Weel=well
Robert Burns also wrote in the 18th century, a time where
English spelling was different. When reading the poem, bear in mind that
THEE & THOU=YOU
And ‘ (apostrophe) indicates that some letters are missing

32. My love is like a red red rose
That’s newly sprung in June;
My love is like the melody
That’s sweetly play’d in tune.
So fair art thou, my bonnie lass,
So deep in love am I;
And I will love thee still, my dear,
Till a’ the seas gang dry.
Till a’ the seas gang dry, my dear,
And the rocks melt wi’ the sun:
And I will love thee still, my dear,
While the sands o’ life shall run.
And fare thee weel, my only love
And fare thee weel, a while!
And I will come again, my love,
Tho’ it were ten thousand mile.
Let’s read and listen to the poem
What is the poem about?
Look at the first stanza,
a) what 2 things is love compared
with?
b) Apart from a red rose,
why do you think the poet
compares love with a
sweet tune? Listen to the
song and think about it.

33. By the end of this lessson…
Students will reinforce the concept of SIMILE
Students will share their similes and apply them to descriptions of familiar things & people
Students will explore similes in different media (songs, poems, advertisements, stories,
cartoons)