Day 1: Are you a Simile?

Unit Title: Similes, Similes

Everywhere
Grade Level: 3rd Grade
Overview Day 1 of 3
I am going to teach about similes with this mentor text. In ​My Best Friend Is Common Core Standards
As Sharp As a Pencil​, the story is a little girl that is describing people at her
school by using similes. These are simple analogies that the students will be CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.3.5
able to understand and it does not just focus only on the similes, it has a great
● Demonstrate
story behind it as well. The students will be able to relate to it, with it talking
understanding of
about school. They will then complete their own similes on an educator in the
figurative language,
school district.
word relationships
and nuances in word
Rationale & Big Question
meanings.
Students will get a great refresher on similes during this short
figurative language unit. Students can use learn to use these analogies CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.3.5.B
in their writings to add more depth and detail.
● Identify real-life
Big Question: What is a simile? connections between
words and their use
Learning Objectives (e.g., describe people
● The students will be able to state the characteristics that make up a who are ​friendly​ or
simile. helpful​).
● The students will be able to identify a simile in a given text.
● The students will be able to create their own similes.

The Lesson Materials

Hook Time: 10
● My Best Friend Is As
● Show some sentences up on the board and see if students can
Sharp As a Pencil ​by
tell you something special about them. Hanoch Piven
○ The flower was as bright as the sun. ● Pencil
○ The car was like a rocket. ● Paper
● Students will be shown a poster on the Smartboard that lists ● SmartBoard (Poster)
the characteristics of a simile.
● We will review them together and go over the examples that
are on the poster, pointing out the rules you need to make it a
simile.
○ Comparing two things
○ Must use like or as
● (Be sure that all students are understanding.)

Central Learning Task Time: 25

● Students will listen to the book ​My Best Friend Is As Sharp As a
Pencil​. While the students are listening to the story, they will
have a sheet of paper and a pencil. The students will write
 down at least three similes that they heard throughout the
book.
● Once we are done reading the book, the students will briefly
share their examples they heard in the book with their peers.
● We will review the characteristics once more about what
makes a simile, referencing the Smartboard still showing the
poster.
● Students will be able to pick a person in the school that they
know, (principal, classroom teacher, friend, custodian, etc.)
and try to come up with three similes about them.
● (Go around and help students that are stuck or not fully
grasping the idea of similes.)

Closure Time: 10
● Students will come back together and share the similes that
they have created about their person in the school.

Assessment
● The students papers from the read aloud and their papers with
their similes about their person will be collected at the end of
the lesson.
● Students will be checked for their understanding of what a
simile is.
● Students will need to show that they are able to recognize a
simile in print.
● They show in their work the characteristics needed to make
their own similes.

Lesson Plan 2: ELL Lesson

Day 1: Are you a Simile? Unit Title: Similes, Similes

Everywhere
Grade Level: 3rd Grade
Overview Day 1 of 3
I am going to teach about similes with this mentor text. In ​My Best Friend Is Common Core Standards
As Sharp As a Pencil​, the story is a little girl that is describing people at her
school by using similes. These are simple analogies that the students will be CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.3.5
able to understand and it does not just focus only on the similes, it has a great
● Demonstrate
story behind it as well. The students will be able to relate to it, with it talking
understanding of
figurative language,
about school. They will then complete their own similes on an educator in the word relationships
school district. and nuances in word
meanings.
Rationale & Big Question
Students will get a great refresher on similes during this short CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.3.5.B
figurative language unit. Students can use learn to use these analogies
● Identify real-life
in their writings to add more depth and detail.
connections between
words and their use
Big Question: What is a simile?
(e.g., describe people
who are ​friendly​ or
Learning Objectives helpful​).
● The students will be able to state the characteristics that make up a
simile.
● The students will be able to identify a simile in a given text.
● The students will be able to create their own similes.

The Lesson Materials

Hook Time: 10
● My Best Friend Is As
● Show some sentences up on the board and see if students can
Sharp As a Pencil ​by
tell you something special about them. (In Spanish also) Hanoch Piven on
○ The flower was as bright as the sun. (​La flor era tan audio (English and
brillante como el sol.) Spanish)
○ The car took off like a rocket. (​El coche se quitó como ● Students’ earbuds
un cohete.) ● Pencil
● Students will be shown a poster on the Smartboard that lists ● Paper
the characteristics of a simile. ● SmartBoard (Poster)
● Poster Print out in
● We will review them together and go over the examples that
Spanish
are on the poster, pointing out the rules you need to make it a
● Chromebooks
simile. (ELL students will get own cut out of poster for their use ● Google Docs
at their desk. These will be in Spanish so that they can use ● Spanish Dictionary:
both.) http://www.spanishdi
○ Comparing two things ct.com/translation
○ Must use like or as
● (Be sure that all students are understanding.)

Central Learning Task Time: 25

● Students will listen to an audio recording of the book ​My Best
Friend Is As Sharp As a Pencil​. While the students are listening
to the story, they will have a sheet of paper and a pencil. The
students will write down at least three similes that they heard
throughout the book. (ELL students will have audio recordings
of the book in both languages. They will need to listen to
English first, then Spanish for further comprehension and word
recognition in the story.)
 ● Once we are done reading the book, the students will briefly
share their examples they heard in the book.
● We will review the characteristics once more about what
makes a simile, referencing the Smartboard (or desk) still
showing the poster.
● Students will be able to pick a person in the school that they
know, (principal, classroom teacher, friend, custodian, etc.)
and try to come up with three similes about them on the
classroom Chromebooks using Google Docs.
● ELL students will be able to use their personal devices
(Chromebooks) to create similes, as well as using Spanish
Dictionary to help with any translations needed.
● (Go around and help students that are stuck or not fully
grasping the idea of similes.)

Closure Time: 10
● Students will come back together and share the similes that
they have created about their person in the school.

Assessment
● The students papers from the read aloud and their papers with
their similes about their person will be collected at the end of
the lesson.
● Students will be checked for their understanding of what a
simile is.
● Students will need to show that they are able to recognize a
simile in print.
● They show in their work the characteristics needed to make
their own similes.