I'm excited to link up with Jivey at Ideas By Jivey to share a way that I teach figurative language to my students. Teaching figurative language is one of my favorite things to teach. In fourth grade we spend a lot of time on idioms. To introduce idioms I have a few books I love to share with my class.
All of these fabulous books are by Denise Brennan-Nelson. I normally share one a day for the first few days of our idiom unit. I love these books because they are told in a rhyming way, which leaves my students saying the refrain with me (unprompted) every single year. It is the cutest thing when they just can't help but say it with you.
I also love to use the Idiom poster found in this product on TPT. I love these posters because it has students define what an idiom is in their own words, draw a picture of an idiom, find an idiom in a book they are reading, and tell how idioms are different than other types of figurative language. My students complete the poster and turn it in, once I check it over I have them keep it in their writing binder as a reference later in the year. (I wish I had a finished example at home, but they are all with my students in their binders.)
I also like to have my students add idioms to their writing. To do this I give them a list of common idioms.. (Click on the link to grab it for free.) I then have the students choose a story they are familiar with; fable, fairy tale, Bible story etc. to retell using idioms. I find having them choose a story they already know to retell makes it much easier for them to find idioms to add into the story. It is a great way to ease them into adding idioms into their writing.
How do you teach figurative language to your students?
I can't wait to check out these books. There is a high ELL population in my school so idioms can be particularly tricky. I usually end our unit by typing out common idioms and putting them in a hat. Each student picks one. Then they write the idiom on the top of a piece of drawing paper. At the bottom they write the meaning of the idiom in their own words. In the middle they draw a picture of the literal meaning of the idiom. The pictures are always adorable.
ReplyDeleteKim
Quinnessential Lessons
I wasn't familiar with these books. Thanks for sharing. I'm off to check them out on Amazon.
ReplyDeleteOMG Bethany! I forgot about My Teacher Likes to Say...I have to pull that off the shelf to read tomorrow! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteJoanne
Head Over Heels For Teaching
These are new books for me. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteI printed the idiom sheet for students to use. Thanks for the freebie!
Have a great weekend!
Mary
Fit to be Fourth
I had not heard of these books either! Thanks for sharing your awesome ideas!! :)
ReplyDeleteJivey
I hadn't heard of these, but they sound great! Thanks so much for sharing!
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