Literacy Lesson Plan - Idioms

Grade Level: ​4th grade Unit:​ Figurative Language

Central Focus: ​Students will learn about three different types of figurative language and their purpose in literature.

Standard(s):
● L.4.5. Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word
meanings.
b. Recognize and explain the meaning of common idioms, adages, and proverbs.
● RL.4.1 Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when
drawing inferences from the text.
● SL.4.1 Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led)
with diverse partners on grade 4 topics and texts, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.
b. Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions and carry out assigned roles.
c. Pose and respond to specific questions to clarify or follow up on information, and make comments that
contribute to the discussion and link to the remarks of others.
d. Review the key ideas expressed and explain their own ideas and understanding in light of the
discussion.
Accommodations:
Language Supports: IEP Supports Above Grade Level Supports:
● Clarify the meaning of homonyms ● Clarify the meaning of ● Push students to make
in idioms and use examples when homonyms in idioms and text to text connections by
describing the figurative meanings use examples when finding examples of idioms
● 1 on 1 check in with students to describing the figurative in other texts
clarify instructions meanings
● Give extra time as needed ● Ask students questions
● 1 on 1 check in with students
● Non verbal check ins (thumbs that help monitor and
to clarify instructions
up/down) ● Give extra time as needed evaluate their learning
● Ask EB students if they know of ● Non verbal check ins (thumbs ● Ask students to provide
any idioms in their home language up/down) text evidence that
supports their response
● Challenge students to
create their own idioms

Materials Needed:
General Materials
● Chart paper with 7 idioms: It’s raining cats and dogs, To give someone the cold shoulder, Don’t judge a
book by its cover, He has a heart of gold, It’s a piece of cake, He’s pulling my leg, Cat got your tongue
● More Parts​ book by Tedd Arnold
● Projector
● Document Camera
Class Set (33 students):
● Post-it notes (7 for each student)
● Idioms worksheet
● Slips of paper with idioms and sentences with context clues
Objective(s):
● Students will be able to illustrate and describe the literal and figurative meanings of common idioms
● Students will be able to recognize and describe the meaning of common idioms and provide text
evidence by referring details and examples of idioms in the book ​More Parts​ and
Possible Challenges /Misconceptions: Prerequisite Knowledge:
 ● The concept of figurative meaning ● In 3rd grade, students learned about word relationships and
is difficult if students are unfamiliar nuances in word meanings [CCSS.L.3.5 Demonstrate
with the idiom or the context in understanding of word relationships and nuances in word
which it is being used meanings and CCSS.L.3.5a Distinguish the literal and
● Some students may be unfamiliar non-literal meanings of words and phrases in context (e.g.,
with the concept of idioms take steps)]
because they have had less prior ● Earlier in the figurative language unit, students learned about
exposure to them similes/metaphors, synonyms/antonyms, and idioms. Students
● Some idiom are similar to similes were introduced to these different types of figurative language
so students might confuse the two as they appeared in the ELA curriculum, ​Wonders
● In the ELA curriculum, ​Wonders​, students learn about different
strategies readers use to comprehend text how to apply them
when reading different texts (ex: visualization, providing key
details from the text as evidence to support their ideas)
Assessment:
Pre-Assessment
● Idiom post-it note opening task: activates students’ background knowledge and gives the teacher an idea of
students prior knowledge of idioms.
Formative Assessment
● Whole class discussion: Student responses during the class discussion about idiom posters and ​More Parts
book demonstrates understanding of the literal and figurative meanings of common idioms.
● Idiom worksheet: student illustrations showing the difference between the literal and figurative meanings of
idioms demonstrates their understanding of common idioms. Students will also write the figurative meaning
of their assigned idiom at the bottom of the worksheet.
Opening: Teacher Actions Student Actions
1. Teacher prepares classroom by hanging 7 chart 1. Students follow along as
5 minutes papers around classroom with common idioms written teacher points out and
at the top reads the idiom chart
Review purpose 2. Teacher explains to students that during the past few paper around the
of figurative weeks, we have learned about different types of classroom
language. figurative language like similes and metaphors. 2. Students write or draw
a. Authors use figurative language to create tone what they think each
Idiom post-it pre and help the reader visualize characters and idiom means on their
assessment task events in a story. post-its
b. Today we will be introduced to a type of figurative 3. Students circulate the
language that is also used in everyday classroom and place
conversations. Students might have heard some each idiom post-it on the
of these phrases before. corresponding idiom
3. Teacher points out the idiom chart papers around the chart paper
room and reads each poster out loud. 4. If students finish early,
a. Teacher tells class that each student will get 7 they read other
post-it notes. On each post-it, they can write or responses on each chart
draw what they think each phrase means. poster and discuss their
b. Teacher gives students about 2 minutes to write responses with a partner
or draw their thoughts and 3 minutes to circulate 5. During the whole group
the room and place their post-its on the posters. discussion, students
c. As students are writing and/or placing post-its, share their responses
teacher circulates the room, reads responses, and/or background
and takes note of which idioms students are knowledge about idioms
familiar with and which idioms are not as familiar.
These idioms can be brought up during the whole
class discussion at the end of this opening task.
 d. Teacher assesses students’ prior knowledge of
idioms. Teacher asks students about the
meanings they wrote or drew (ex: What do you
mean by…?” “Can you tell me more about…?”
“Have you heard this phrase before? When?”
e. At the end of this task, call students back to their
desks.
4. Teacher leads a whole group discussion about
2-3 of the idioms with the class as time allows.
Teacher reads out the idiom and several post-it
notes. Teacher asks volunteers to share their
responses and/or background knowledge about
idioms
Introduction: 1. Teacher explains that these phrases are called idioms. 1. Students actively listen to
a. Idioms are widely used expressions that have a the book ​More Parts
10 minutes figurative meaning different than the literal 2. Students engage
meaning. effectively in the whole
Introduce idioms b. Some idioms were used to summarize or reflect a class discussion about
widely used cultural experience but some of idioms, building on others’
Read ​More Parts those experiences seem out of date now (ex: ideas and expressing their
book by Tedd giving someone the cold shoulder means to be own clearly.
Arnold unfriendly and ignore them but in the 1800s hosts a. Students pose and
would give a colder piece of meat to unwelcome respond to specific
Model Idiom guests and hot meals to welcome guests) questions to clarify or
worksheet c. Authors use idioms to add complexity, character, follow up on
setting, or humor to their writing. information, and make
d. Teacher uses some of the posters as examples comments that
and writes the figurative meaning on the posters. contribute to the
2. Teacher tells the class that they will be reading discussion and link to
about some common idioms. the remarks of others.
a. Read ​More Parts​ out loud to the class. e. Students review the
b. Remind students that idioms have a figurative key ideas expressed
meaning that is different than its literal meaning. about idioms
c. Discuss some of the literal and figurative 3. Students work with the
meanings of the idioms in the book. teacher to complete an
3. Teacher displays the Idiom Worksheet under the example idiom on the
document camera. Idiom Worksheet
a. Teacher uses one of the idioms from ​More Parts a. Students share their
as an example (ex: “I’ll bet that broke your heart”) ideas about the literal
and works with the class to illustrate the meaning of the idiom “
figurative and literal meanings of the idiom. “I’ll bet that broke your
b. Teacher asks students to use evidence from the heart” from ​More Parts
text when describing the literal meanings. and describe ways to
c. At the bottom of the worksheet, teacher works illustrate the literal
with students to write the figurative meaning of meaning
the idiom. b. Students share their
4. Teacher tells students that they will each get an idiom ideas about the
and they will get the opportunity to draw the literal and figurative meaning of
figurative meanings on their own worksheets. the same idiom using
a. Teacher displays the idiom slips on the document detail from the text to
camera. draw inferences
b. Teacher reads the sentence and reminds c. Students describe
students to use details from the text to help them ways to draw the
infer the meaning of the idiom.
 c. Teacher passes out idiom slips and idiom figurative meaning and
worksheets. create a sentence
4. Students follow along as
teacher reads directions on
the Idiom worksheet
Body of lesson: 1. Teacher circulates the room, monitors students’ 1. Students read the idiom
15 minutes progress, and provides clarification as necessary and sentence on their
2. Teacher asks students about the figurative meanings idiom slips
Idiom worksheet of their idioms and asks students about the text 2. Students write the idiom on
task evidence they used to determine the meaning their idiom worksheet
a. “Do you think the speaker really means that?” or 3. Students illustrate the
“What do you think the phrase really means? literal meaning of the idiom
What are some context clues or text evidence in the corresponding box
you can use to help you determine the 4. Students use context clues
meaning?” and refer to details in the
sentences to determine the
figurative meaning of their
idiom
5. Students illustrate the
figurative meaning of the
idiom in the corresponding
box and write the figurative
meaning on the lines below
Closure: 1. Teacher asks a few volunteers to share their idiom 1. Students share their idiom
5 minutes slips and idiom worksheets with the class. and illustrations with the
a. Teacher asks students about the context clues class
Students share they used on their idiom slip that helped them a. Students describe
Idiom determine the figurative meaning. what is happening in
worksheets b. Teacher helps students make connections, and each picture
ensures that big ideas are brought forward b. Student read the
details from the
sentences that helped
them draw inferences
about the figurative
meanings
Next Steps:
● Throughout the school year, the teacher can point out idioms that show up in text passages and discuss
their meanings.
● As an ELA warm up task, the teacher can ask students to write the meanings of common idioms as a review
task.
● During Writer’s Workshop, teacher challenges students to include idioms in their narrative writing
● Teacher uses the Idiom worksheet as a formative assessment to determine which students need support
with the figurative meanings of idioms. In small groups, the teacher provides more idioms as examples and
discusses the figurative meanings