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Figurative Speech: Analogies, Similes, and Metaphors Analogies, metaphors and similes are staple ingredients of poetry. The plants, gardens, and the outdoors are rife with inspiration for these expressions that invigorate the imagination, encourage creative use of words, and help kids see things anew.
Start your exploration of figurative speech by challenging students to choose something in the garden and identify at least five analogies -- things it reminds them of. For example, "A sunflower seed reminds me of a zebra ... a shield ... a butterfly cocoon." Next ask them to consider, Why does it remind me of that? If it reminds me of something, it might function in a similar way? For instance, if a seed coat resembles a shield, might it in any way act like a shield for the seed inside? If it resembles a cocoon, how might it help the seed if it also acts like a cocoon? From here, invite them to create related metaphors and similes to work into their poems. Students can use
the analogy exercise as a warm up, or to help them hone their works
when they rewrite. Beyond poetry, using these tools helps foster
curiosity, encouraging kids to see familiar things and experiences
in a new light. Process Poems Maintain Memories
The water cycle, the nitrogen cycle, and photosynthesis are complex physical and chemical processes that are brought to life in the garden, but students' memories of the specifics may drift away before the next growing season. To help children extract and retain the importance of these things, students draw diagrams of simplified versions of these processes, and even find ways to relate them to their own lives or those of their community (e.g., our garden soaks up more water when we use mulch between rows; excess lawn fertilizer pollutes our streams; we all depend on the oxygen produced by plants). Writing poems can help kids develop more connection to these sometimes dry topics, especially if poetry is included -- and read aloud as it is composed -- from the beginning of the unit or lesson. They can even use their poems as mnemonic tools, especially if they incorporate original and accurate imagery, sounds, movements, and personifications. For instance, to spark more interest in photosynthesis, give all the players (carbon dioxide, chlorophyll, and sunlight) distinct personalities, voices, and costumes and have them bake a birthday cake (made of carbohydrates, of course) for a newly emerged seedling. Who is left when the party's over? Oxygen!
The Poet's Toolshed Literacy standards addressed: recognition and use of point of view; expression of phonemic awareness; use of personal expression; creation of stories; use of complex sentences; use of figurative language; use of different parts of speech; application of grammatical rules; use of characters, settings, events; use of the writing process. Read the poem on the right by eminent nature poet Gary Snyder, and see if you don't agree that the mind collects mental material the way a compost heap collects organic matter. If it’s given the right care – a bit of aeration, a handful of the right ingredients – it starts cooking into something rich and fertile! Invite kids to try out some of these tools to turn over accumulated garden-related ideas, images, and feelings to see what might emerge.
These are just
a few of the myriad exercises kids can try to help germinate creative
expression. In our Resources you'll
find more Web sites for you and your students to explore as you
delve the into universe of poetry.
Copyright© 2004
National Gardening Association |
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1: Classroom Project Rapping
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Literacy
standards addressed: use of
personal expression, use of figurative speech; creation of stories.
Literacy
standards addressed: comprehension
and expository expression; recognition and use of characters, settings,
events; use of figurative
speech.
