|
Grade Levels: 2-4
Student Goal:
- Students will identify and analyze
similes in the Geronimo Stilton books.
- Students will demonstrate their
understanding of similes by using them in original pieces
of writing.�
Student Objectives:
- Students will recognize similes
and their characteristics.
- Students will work together to identify and write similes.
- Students will apply similes to
aspects of their everyday lives.
Materials:
- Geronimo Stilton books
- pens, pencils, crayons, colored
markers
- writing paper
Directions:
1. Similes are figures of speech. Explain to students
that a simile is a comparison between two unrelated things
and uses words such as "like" or "as."
(Examples: �The stars are like sparkly diamonds in the sky.�
�The kitten is as fluffy as a cotton ball.�)
Like other forms of figurative language, similes appeal
to readers� imaginations by expressing ideas in new and
unusual ways. Point out the following sentences as examples
of similes in the Geronimo Stilton book Lost Treasure
of the Emerald Eye:
On page 67:
�The sea flowed beneath us like an emerald-green
carpet.�
On page 48:
�The waves were throwing me up and down like a Ratty
Ann doll in a clothes dryer.�
2. Discuss how similes make the sentences above descriptive
and interesting to read.
Then have students find other examples of similes in a
Geronimo Stilton book of their choice.
3. Now that students have identified similes and their
characteristics, help them use figures of speech in original
sentences. Tell the class to select a Geronimo Stilton
character and offer details about him or her in the form
of similes. Below is an example:
"When Geronimo is working on a story, he soaks up
information like a sponge. He can also be as busy as a bee."
Students may also wish to create an illustration based
on their descriptions by using crayons or colored markers
on a separate sheet of paper.
Lesson Extension:
1. For visual learners, cut out pictures from magazines
that show objects or living things that might inspire students
to come up with similes. Paste these images on a poster
for everyone to see, then have volunteers call out similes
that describe one of those things without revealing its
identity. Ask other students to guess what the volunteer
is referring to based on his or her simile. For example,
if a volunteer states, �Its roar is like thunder,� in response
to pictures of a feather, a rock, and a lion, students can
make an educated guess as to which thing the volunteer has
in mind.
Assess Students:�
Teacher Observation: Were students able to identify
similes and their unique characteristics? Did they use them
correctly in original pieces of writing and apply them to
aspects of their daily lives?
Evaluate Lesson:
- Did students successfully identify
similes in the Geronimo Stilton series?
- Were students able to decipher
and write similes while working independently and within
a group?
- Did the use of visuals such as
drawings and/or magazine cutouts enhance students� understanding
of similes?
Assignment:
1. Invite students to write an original paragraph with
similes that describe someone or something in their everyday
lives. For students still struggling with the concepts behind
similes, have them practice using the words �like� or �as�
while making comparisons between Geronimo Stilton
characters and people they know. For example, they may write,
�Geronimo is as silly as my uncle,� or �Trap is as annoying
as my brother.�
|
