Props can help make metaphors more accessible to students.
A thorough familiarity with metaphor is an invaluable aid in both interpreting and creating literature. While students may find the terminology dull, there is no reason that the subject itself should bore them. Metaphors make new connections and help bring scenes and situations alive to us. The key is to give students tools with which to understand and create metaphors.
Metaphor Hunt
One way to help students grow more comfortable with metaphors is to help them discover that they already know and use a wide range of metaphorical language in everyday speech. After explaining briefly what metaphors are, write the name of a category on the board, such as "Body" or "Temperature." Prompt students to think of common phrases that use metaphors that match the category. Body metaphors, for example, include "broken heart," "lend me your ears," "keep an eye on him" and so on. For added competitive fun, break the class up into teams with different categories.
Two-Step Method
The two-step method is a way to find a metaphor to describe a specific object, person or situation. Choose an item you want to describe, such as a tree. In the first step, name the item's characteristics. A tree, for example, may be tall, have many limbs, feel welcoming and be fruitful. Choose the characteristic you most want to express, such as the numerous limbs. In the second step, think of other things that have that characteristic, such as an octopus, a river or a snowflake. Form a metaphor using your favorite: "The tree was an octopus gripping the sky."
Metaphor Matching
This game helps students develop the skills they need to interpret metaphors in literature. Choose a few literary metaphors that are particularly rich or well-known, such as "Juliet is the sun." Show them to your students one at a time and challenge them to find as many matching qualities as they can between the two items compared in the metaphor. In this case, students might guess that both Juliet and the sun are bright, hot, pretty, distant, life-giving and so on.
Acting Out Metaphors
Letting students act out metaphors can bring hilarity to the classroom, especially if you lead the way. Divide students into groups of three or four. Give each group a list of a few metaphorical phrases or assign them to think of a few metaphors of their own. Let the groups take a short amount of time to plan and practice, then have each group take a turn acting out their metaphors in front of the class.
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