STUDENT ACTIVITY: Winter

“Blow, Blow, Thou Winter Wind”

Instructions:
1. Make copies of this activity page and give the
bottom portion to each student.
2. Read aloud “Blow, Blow, Thou Winter Wind”
or select a student to read the poem aloud to
the class.
3. Explain to students that this is a figurative language
activity and review the definitions of the different
types of figurative language provided below.
4. Then write A, H, M, P, R, or S before each line. Ask
students to identify figurative language within the
existing text of William Shakespeare’s poem.
5. As a finale to the activity, have students act out
the poem and capture these dramatic moments in
photographs to add to class yearbooks.
ANSWER KEY
Line 1: A; 2: M and P; 3: S; 4: H and P; 5: H and R; 6: H, P, and R;
7: A; 8: R; 9: A and R; 10: R; 11: A and H; 12: P and R; 14: A;
15: P and R; 16: P, R, and S; 17: A; 18: A and R; 19: A and R; 20: R.

Teacher tip! Have students act out this poem by William Shakespeare. Take photos to capture
these dramatic moments and add them to class yearbooks.
✂

Figurative Writing “Blow, Blow, Thou Winter Wind”

Alliteration by William Shakespeare
The occurrence of the
same letter or sound at the
beginning of adjacent or
Blow, blow, thou winter wind
closely connected words. Thou art not so unkind
Hyperbole As man’s ingratitude;
Exaggerated statements or
claims not meant to be taken Thy tooth is not so keen,
literally. Because thou art not seen,
Metaphor
A figure of speech in which a
Although thy breath be rude.
word or phrase is applied to
an object or action to which Heigh-ho! sing, heigh-ho! unto the green holly:
it is not literally applicable. Most friendship is feigning, most loving mere folly:
Personification
The attribution of a Then, heigh-ho, the holly!
personal nature or This life is most jolly.
human characteristics to
something nonhuman, or the
representation of an abstract Freeze, freeze, thou bitter sky,
quality in human form. That does not bite so nigh
Rhyme As benefits forgot:
Correspondence of sound
between words or the Though thou the waters warp,
endings of words, especially Thy sting is not so sharp
when these are used at the
ends of lines of poetry. As a friend remembered not.
Simile
A figure of speech involving Heigh-ho! sing, heigh-ho! unto the green holly:
Image: © Martin Droeshout.

the comparison of one thing

with another thing of a
Most friendship is feigning, most loving mere folly:
different kind, used to make a Then, heigh-ho, the holly!
description more emphatic or
vivid (e.g., as brave as a lion).
This life is most jolly.

Definitions provided by Oxford English Dictionary. Poem provided by the Poetry Foundation: http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/181009.
STUDENT ACTIVITY: Winter

Make-a-Word Game
Instructions:
1. Make copies of this activity page and give the 3. Have students list their words.
bottom portion to each student. 4. Take a group photo of students and include it in
2. Ask each student to use the letters from the class yearbooks.
phrase “Winter Holidays” to create as many
new words as possible.

Teacher tip! Take a group shot of the students playing the game and include the
photo in class yearbooks.
✂

Winter
Holidays