Teaching Figurative Language: Engaging Activities to Teach Literary Devices

Are you on the lookout for fun and effective ways to teach figurative language? Do your students need more practice identifying figurative language in literature?

In this blog post, I will explore high-interest activities for teaching figurative language. These can be used by elementary, middle, and high school ELA teachers to create memorable learning experiences. Take your lessons to the next level with these worksheet alternatives that kids love.

When I think about how to teach a new concept, I always consider how I can differentiate. The activities I suggest here are perfect for a diverse mix of learners. All of these activities can be adapted to accommodate different learning styles and abilities. They allow for differentiation by providing varying levels of complexity, allowing students to work individually or in groups, and catering to diverse interests and preferences.

So, let’s dive in and discover some new ways to teach and reinforce figurative language!

Figurative Language Sort

My all-time favorite activity to teach figurative language is a sorting game. This activity uses examples from real novels. Kids read the examples and decide whether to define them as similes, metaphors, onomatopoeias, alliteration, personification, hyperboles, or idioms.

Sorting games are perfect for teaching figurative language

Sorting requires students to analyze information, identify similarities and differences, and make connections. This promotes critical thinking skills as students evaluate and categorize items based on specific criteria—in this case, the definitions of literary terms.

As kids work through their sorting cards, they will engage in discussions, describing the attributes or criteria they are using, justifying their choices, and explaining their reasoning. This helps develop their communication and language skills.

You can change the complexity level by using visual aids like graphic organizers or sorting mats. Also, you can accommodate diverse learning styles by having students work in small groups or on their own.

I always find that kids have meaningful conversations about the cards, further solidifying their understanding.

Scavenger Hunt

An especially active and engaging activity to teach figurative language is a scavenger hunt. This activity requires kids to follow a path of correct answers to get to the end of the challenge.

I like doing scavenger hunts because they promote movement and physical involvement, which helps to energize students and maintain their focus. Scavenger hunts get students out of their seats and actively engaged in the learning process.

Not only that, but group scavenger hunts foster collaboration as students work together to solve challenges or find specific items. They learn to share ideas, listen to others, negotiate, and collaborate effectively in a team setting.

Scavenger hunts inject an element of excitement, novelty, and competition into the learning environment. Kids are motivated to participate—they enjoy the challenge of the hunt and the sense of accomplishment when they successfully complete it. Find a ready-to-use figurative language scavenger hunt activity here!

There is no better feeling as a teacher than seeing your students fired up over your content—and that is exactly what happens when you assign them a scavenger hunt!

Color by Number

Another of my favorite activities to teach figurative language is the color by number.

Coloring activities, including color by number, always seemed to have a calming effect on my students. They can help reduce stress or anxiety, creating a positive and supportive learning environment.

These days, I like to find ways to engage kids in screen-free activities. Students often welcome a break from their Chromebooks to have tactile experiences and work in groups. These strategies are all ways to create a positive learning environment.

Also, color by number activities tap into students’ visual and kinesthetic learning preferences. They provide a multi-sensory experience by combining visual cues with hands-on coloring, which can enhance retention and understanding of the material.

Teachers have told me that color by number activities like these are perfect for leaving with substitute teachers. They make great classroom decor when students are finished as well.

Conclusion

Teaching figurative language does not have to be boring! Incorporating engaging activities into your class time can have a transformative impact on your students’ language appreciation and comprehension.

Overall, I believe that by working these activities into lessons, teaching figurative language can be memorable and meaningful.