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Wednesday, February 5, 2014

Workshop Wednesday-Figurative Language Mentor Text and Freebie

Happy Wednesday! I don't know about you, but I am over winter. Today is our second snow day this week. We had a snow day Monday, 2-hour delay on Tuesday, and a snow day today. Currently our school is without power...so maybe snow day number three this week? I might die if that happens!

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.



My Teacher Likes to Say

My Daddy Likes to Say


My momma Likes to Say

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?


6 comments:

  1. 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.

    Kim
    Quinnessential Lessons

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  2. I wasn't familiar with these books. Thanks for sharing. I'm off to check them out on Amazon.

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  3. OMG Bethany! I forgot about My Teacher Likes to Say...I have to pull that off the shelf to read tomorrow! Thanks!
    Joanne
    Head Over Heels For Teaching

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  4. These are new books for me. Thank you!
    I printed the idiom sheet for students to use. Thanks for the freebie!

    Have a great weekend!

    Mary
    Fit to be Fourth

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  5. I had not heard of these books either! Thanks for sharing your awesome ideas!! :)
    Jivey

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  6. I hadn't heard of these, but they sound great! Thanks so much for sharing!

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