Learning different types of figurative language boosts students’ writing skills and reading comprehension. This is especially helpful for English Language Learners. Using figurative language anchor charts in the classroom provides great visual cues that help make these concepts stick.
What are Figurative Language Anchor Charts?
Figurative language anchor charts are visual aids that help students understand and remember the different types of figurative language. These charts often include definitions, examples, and spaces for responses or further examples. This makes grasp abstract concepts more concrete and easier to grasp.
Ways to Use Figurative Language Anchor Charts
The benefit of using anchor charts in the classroom is that they can be used in a variety of ways.
1. Display on a Projection Board or Printed on Large Chart Paper
- Introduce or review skill in a whole-group setting.
- Students can add examples or drawings using sticky notes and then add them onto the displayed chart.
2. Use as a hands-on group activity
- As you go over each figurative language, have students work in a group of 2 or 3 people to add to the charts.
- Once you have introduced all the figurative languages, assign each small group a specific type to complete a chart and present it to the class.
- After introducing all the types of figurative language, make a booklet using all 7 anchor charts for each pair of students. Have the students work collaboratively to complete the booklet.
3. Teacher-Led Small Group Sessions
- Use a binder with pre-made charts during small group instruction for focused practice. Just open the binder to the relevant anchor chart, and you are ready to go.
4. Individual Student Copies
- Provide students with reduced-size copies for their interactive notebooks. You can copy them at 80%. Provide students with sticky notes or have them write straight onto the chart itself.
About the Free Figurative Language Anchor Charts
These charts cover the seven types of figurative language mostly encountered in upper elementary. They include the definition for each figurative language.
One set also includes an example sentence while the other does not. This is to allow you to provide more scaffolding for those students who need it while teaching figurative language to your upper elementary students.
The anchor charts cover the following information:
What is Figurative Language?
Figurative language is a tool an author uses to help their reader visualize what is happening in the text, usually a story or poem.
7 Types of Figurative Language:
Simile
- Definition: a comparison of two unrelated things using “like” or “as”
- Example: He ran as fast as a a cheetah.
Metaphor
- Definition: a comparison of two unrelated things saying one is the another
- Example: Sally is a night owl.
Idiom
- Definition: an expression or phrase that can NOT be taken literally
- Example: She had butterflies in her stomach.
Alliteration
- Definition: a series of words next to or near each other with the same beginning sound
- Example: The sneaky snake snatched the snail.
Hyperbole
- Definition: a figure of speech an author uses to exaggerate or emphasize a point
- Example: It took me forever to climb that hill.
Onomatopoeia
- Definition: a word that imitates the sound that something makes
- Example: The cereal went snap, crackle, and pop.
Personification
- Definition: a statement which indicates that an object or an idea is doing something a human does
- Example: The candles’ flame danced in the darkness.
Get Your Free Figurative Language Anchor Charts and Posters
To get the set of free figurative language anchor charts sent straight to your inbox, click the button below. Then, enter your email in the form that pops up. Using a personal email address is better for deliverability reasons.
Want More Ideas for Teaching Figurative Language?
If you are looking for engaging figurative language activities, check out the How to Teach Figurative Language blog post. It will provide you with some great ideas and suggestions.
