6 Great Poems to Teach Figurative Language in Upper Elementary and Middle School

Looking for poems to teach figurative language? Poetry is one of my favorite ways to help students understand similes, metaphors, personification, hyperbole, alliteration, and onomatopoeia. And here's why: poets manage to pack an incredible amount of meaning into just a few lines!

A good poem gives students the chance to do more than simply identify a literary device. They can figure out what it means, why the poet used it, and how it changes the way they experience the poem.

Whether you're planning a poetry unit, introducing literary devices, or looking for engaging figurative language activities for grades 4–8, these six poems offer plenty of opportunities for meaningful reading, writing, and discussion. Oh, and I have the perfect unit to help teach types of figurative language, too! Check it out here.

1. Teach Similes with "Harlem" by Langston Hughes

Poem: Harlem

Author: Langston Hughes

Best for: Grades 6–8

What is the poem about?

In this short but powerful poem, Hughes explores what happens when a dream is repeatedly delayed or denied. Rather than giving readers a straightforward answer, he asks a series of questions that invite us to imagine what happens to dreams that never get the chance to become reality.

Figurative Language to Highlight: Simile

Hughes uses a series of comparisons to help readers understand something abstract: a deferred dream. Students can explore how the different images suggest disappointment, frustration, decay, and even danger.

Try This!

Ask students to identify the similes and consider which comparison they find most powerful. Then have them create an original simile to describe a feeling such as disappointment, excitement, or frustration.

Discussion Question: Why might Hughes have chosen several different comparisons instead of describing a deferred dream in just one way?

2. Teach Personification with "Fog" by Carl Sandburg

Poem: Fog

Author: Carl Sandburg

Best for: Grades 4–8

What is the poem about?

This wonderfully short poem describes fog moving quietly into a city, lingering for a while, and eventually moving away. What makes it memorable is how Sandburg transforms an ordinary weather event into something that seems alive.

Figurative Language to Highlight: Personification

Sandburg compares the fog to a cat and gives it animal-like movements. Technically, the central comparison is an extended metaphor rather than personification alone, which makes this an especially useful poem for discussing how literary devices can overlap.

Try This!

Have students describe another type of weather as an animal. What would a thunderstorm be? A snowstorm? A gentle spring breeze?

Challenge them to create two or three lines that help readers imagine the weather through the animal's movements.

Discussion Question: How would the mood change if Sandburg had compared the fog to a different animal?

3. Teach Metaphors with "Introduction to Poetry" by Billy Collins

Poem: Introduction to Poetry

Author: Billy Collins

Best for: Grades 6–8

What is the poem about?

This poem is about the experience of reading poetry itself! Collins encourages readers to explore a poem with curiosity, imagination, and playfulness rather than treating it like a puzzle with one correct answer.

Figurative Language to Highlight: Metaphor

Throughout the poem, Collins uses imaginative comparisons to show different ways readers might experience poetry. He also uses more forceful imagery to criticize the idea that poems must be interrogated until they reveal a single meaning.

Try This!

Ask students to choose one of the poem's comparisons and illustrate it. Then have them explain what the image suggests about how we should approach poetry.

As a creative extension, challenge students to complete this sentence:

Reading a poem is like...

Then have them turn their comparison into a metaphor.

Discussion Question: What does Collins want readers to do differently when they encounter a poem?

4. Teach Alliteration with "Bleezer's Ice Cream" by Jack Prelutsky

Poem: Bleezer's Ice Cream

Author: Jack Prelutsky

Best for: Grades 4–6

What is the poem about?

Imagine walking into an ice cream shop and discovering the most ridiculous flavors imaginable! In this playful poem, the shopkeeper introduces a menu of unusual combinations that sound funny and probably taste terrible.

Figurative Language to Highlight: Alliteration

Prelutsky uses repeated beginning consonant sounds, rhyme, and playful word combinations to create humor and rhythm. It's a great reminder that word choice affects how writing sounds, not just what it means.

Try This!

Have students invent three outrageous ice cream flavors using alliteration. They can create a mini menu, illustrate their flavors, and write a short advertisement for their ice cream shop.

Discussion Question: How does repeating beginning sounds make the invented flavors more entertaining and memorable?

5. Teach Hyperbole with "Sarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout Would Not Take the Garbage Out" by Shel Silverstein

Poem: Sarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout Would Not Take the Garbage Out

Author: Shel Silverstein

Best for: Grades 4–7

What is the poem about?

Sarah has one job she absolutely refuses to do: take out the garbage. Unfortunately, her refusal leads to an increasingly ridiculous disaster as the trash piles higher and higher.

This poem is funny, exaggerated, and just gross enough to keep students entertained!

Figurative Language to Highlight: Hyperbole

Silverstein uses outrageous exaggeration to turn an ordinary household chore into an unbelievable catastrophe. Students can see how hyperbole creates humor while emphasizing a point.

Try This!

Ask students to write a short poem or paragraph about an everyday problem that becomes completely ridiculous.

Some possibilities:

• A backpack that's too heavy

• A bedroom that's too messy

• Homework that takes forever

• A lunch line that never ends

Encourage them to make their exaggerations more and more outrageous as they write.

Discussion Question: Would the poem be as entertaining if Silverstein described a realistic amount of garbage? Why or why not?

6. Teach Onomatopoeia with "The Bells" by Edgar Allan Poe

Poem: The Bells

Author: Edgar Allan Poe

Best for: Grades 6–8, with selected stanzas for younger students

What is the poem about?

Poe takes readers through the sounds of different bells, from cheerful jingling to frightening clanging and solemn tolling. As the sounds change, the mood of the poem changes, too.

Figurative Language to Highlight: Onomatopoeia

Poe uses sound-imitating words, repetition, rhyme, and rhythm to help readers hear the bells as they read. It's an especially effective poem for showing how the sound of language can create mood.

Try This!

Read a short section aloud and ask students to identify words that imitate sounds. Then challenge them to write a four-line poem about a noisy place, such as a cafeteria, playground, basketball game, or thunderstorm.

Discussion Question: How do the sounds of the words influence the feelings you experience while reading?

Before Poetry Analysis: Teach It, Create It, Analyze It!

One thing I've learned from teaching figurative language is that students need more than definitions and identification worksheets. They need opportunities to experiment with language themselves before they're ready to explain how authors use it.

That's the thinking behind my 5-Day Figurative Language Unit.

The unit includes:

• Six mini-lessons covering simile, metaphor, personification, hyperbole, alliteration, and onomatopoeia

• A 20-slide instructional presentation with teaching notes

• Guided notes and independent practice

• Six engaging creative activities with sample responses

• Ten reading passages for identifying and interpreting figurative language

• Detailed lesson plans and answer keys

Students learn the devices, create their own examples, and then analyze figurative language in context.

It's a great way to build the foundational skills students need before diving into the poems above—or to reinforce those skills as part of a poetry unit.

[Explore the 5-Day Figurative Language Unit on Teachers Pay Teachers]

One More Idea: Let Students Become the Poetry Experts!

After exploring these poems together, divide students into small groups and assign each group a different figurative language device.

Have groups select a poem, identify examples of their assigned device, explain how it contributes to the poem, and teach their findings to the class.

You could even turn it into a classroom poetry gallery walk!

The goal isn't just for students to find a simile or label a metaphor. It's for them to recognize that poets make deliberate choices—and those choices affect what readers imagine, understand, and feel.

Happy teaching!

Mary Beth

P.S. Make teaching easy and fun with this ready-made unit!

4 Research-Based Ways to Teach Vocabulary So It Actually Sticks

Looking for fun ways to teach vocabulary that go beyond vocabulary lists, copying definitions, and Friday quizzes? Research-based vocabulary instruction gives students multiple opportunities to define new words, explore word meanings, make connections, and use vocabulary in context. The more students interact with new vocabulary, reading, discussion, visuals, and writing—the more likely those words are to actually stick.

Which makes a whole lot of sense.

As a teacher, I wanted vocabulary practice to feel different.

I didn't just want students to know the definition of a word. I wanted them to understand it, recognize it, connect it to something they already knew, and eventually feel comfortable enough to use it.

Over time, I've found that the vocabulary activities I like best tend to follow four simple steps:  Define it. Work it. Connect it. Write it.

Here's what I mean.

1. Define the Word

Start with a clear, student-friendly definition. Include the part of speech and help students see the word in context.

rickety (adjective) — shaky, unsteady, and likely to fall apart

The rickety bridge was unsteady and falling apart.

You can also give students the word in context first and let them try to determine its meaning.

The goal isn't Can you copy the definition?

It's Do you understand the word?

Find Daily Vocabulary Words HERE.

Next, make students do something with the word.

They might:

• find synonyms or antonyms

• choose the best example

• compare related words

• explore roots, prefixes, or suffixes

• complete a sentence

Even a quick question like "Which is more likely to be rickety: a new steel bridge or an old wooden bridge?" requires students to think about meaning.

Instead of copying the word, work the word.

Teach academic vocab with these tasks!

Words are hard to remember when they're floating around all by themselves.

Help students connect new vocabulary to images, experiences, other words, and ideas.

One of my favorite ways to do this is through doodling.

Instead of just defining rickety, ask students to doodle the ricketiest bridge imaginable.

Now they're translating a definition into a visual—which requires them to really think about what the word means.

Have you seen these Social Studies vocab resources?

Finally, students need to use new vocabulary.

Instead of asking students to use each word in a random sentence, give them several words and challenge them to use them together in a short passage.

Try:  rickety • peculiar • concoction • vanish

Suddenly students have to understand each word well enough to make them all work together.

And that's where vocabulary starts becoming actual language.

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Vocabulary That Sticks

This approach is what inspired my Doodle & Do Vocabulary activities.

Students get a word, part of speech, and student-friendly definition. They complete a quick activity to work the word, create a doodle to connect to its meaning, and then combine multiple words in their own writing.

I've created Doodle & Do activities for daily vocabulary, academic vocabulary, elements of fiction, poetry, geography, and more.

Because the goal isn't for students to remember vocabulary until Friday.

It's for the words to stick long after Friday is over.

Thanks for stopping by!

Mary Beth

P.S. Here are a few of my favorite vocabulary games!

 

7 Fun Ways to Teach Nonfiction (and Sneak More Informational Text Into Your Classroom!)

Looking for fun ways to teach nonfiction and help students build their nonfiction reading comprehension skills without adding another worksheet to the pile?

Whether you're teaching nonfiction text features and text structures, working on main idea and supporting details, practicing note-taking and listening comprehension, or simply trying to get students to read more informational text, nonfiction practice doesn't have to feel like a chore.

Here are 7 easy and engaging nonfiction activities you can try in your upper elementary or middle school classroom.

1. Start With Something Weird

Put a strange-but-true fact on the board: Wombat poop is cube-shaped.

Then ask one question:  WHY?

Instant curiosity.

Use weird facts as bell-ringers, writing prompts, discussion starters, or introductions to short nonfiction texts to encourage students to read nonfiction and figure out the answer.

Need material? Bookmark National Geographic Kids' Weird But True, Smithsonian Magazine, Wonderopolis, and Guinness World Records. Search topics kids can't resist: strange animals, accidental inventions, unbelievable history, mysteries, extreme weather, space, the human body, and bizarre world records.

The rule is simple: If it makes you say, “Wait...WHAT?” kids will probably want to read about it.

2. Let Them Doodle While They Read

Reading comprehension doesn't always have to have the same formula: read, answer questions, turn it in.

Give doodling a job instead.

Ask students to sketch an important idea, illustrate a vocabulary word, add details to a diagram, make a visual connection, or draw something that will help them remember what they've learned.

The doodling isn't replacing comprehension.  It's showing comprehension.

That's the idea behind my Leveled Nonfiction Reading Doodle Passages. Doodle tasks are woven right into each passage, giving students opportunities to stop, think, and visually process what they're learning as they read.

Even better? Each topic comes in three reading levels, making it easy to differentiate while everyone explores the same topic.

3. Connect nonfiction to everything else they're learning.

Nonfiction doesn't have to live exclusively in ELA. In fact, some of the best opportunities are hiding in other subjects.

* Science: Read about the bizarre animal adaptation before teaching adaptations.

* Social Studies: Read a first-person account or unusual historical story before beginning a unit.

* Math: Find an article containing interesting statistics and have students interpret the numbers.

* Art: Read about the artist, culture, technique, or historical period before creating.

* Music: Explore the history of an instrument or genre.

* Health: Investigate sleep, stress, nutrition, exercise, or the brain.

* Technology: Read about an invention before students design something themselves.

If you're an ELA teacher, ask the science and social studies teachers what they're teaching next month. Then find nonfiction that connects. Students get extra background knowledge. Your colleagues will think you're wonderful. Everybody wins.

4. Give Independent Reading a Nonfiction Makeover

How many students automatically reach for fiction during independent reading?

Mix things up by occasionally challenging everyone to:  READ SOMETHING TRUE.

Biography. Sharks. Sports. Space. Fashion. History. Inventions. Disasters. Music. The Titanic. Video games. Whatever interests them.

Then ditch the traditional book report.

Have students create a Doodle Nonfiction Book Review filled with important ideas, interesting facts, new vocabulary, connections, a summary, illustrations, and their own rating and review.

My Doodle Nonfiction Book Review includes a step-by-step planning guide before students turn their thinking into a visual doodle review.

5. Play “Would You Rather?” — Nonfiction Edition

Would you rather...

- Explore the deepest ocean OR travel to space?

- Live in Ancient Rome OR Ancient Egypt?

- Experience a hurricane OR an earthquake?

There's just one rule:  You have to read before you decide.

Give students short nonfiction texts about both choices. Then have them make a decision and support it with evidence.

Suddenly, reading has a purpose.

They're gathering ammunition for an argument.

And that tends to get kids interested.

6. Don't Just Read Nonfiction. Listen to It!

We spend a lot of time teaching reading comprehension.

But listening comprehension matters, too.

Every once in a while, take away the copies and say:

“Just listen.”

Read an engaging nonfiction passage aloud while students take notes. Teach them to listen for important ideas, key details, unfamiliar vocabulary, and information they may need to remember.

Then let students compare notes.

What did you catch? What did I miss? What did we both think mattered?

Finish with small-group discussion cards or a few comprehension questions.

My Listening Comprehension lesson about Malala Yousafzai follows this exact process: students learn what to listen for, practice taking notes, work with key vocabulary, and answer multiple-choice and short-answer questions.

Once students know the routine, use it with articles, podcasts, biographies, or nonfiction connected to whatever you're studying.

7. Make Nonfiction a Mystery

Don't tell students what they're reading about.

Instead, reveal clues as they read and ask them to figure it out.

It can live for hundreds of years.

It doesn't have a brain.

It has survived multiple mass extinction events.

What is it?

Now students aren't just reading. They're collecting evidence, making inferences, revising predictions, and trying to solve something.

Sneaky, sneaky.

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Hopefully, these ideas have you thinking about a few easy ways to sneak more nonfiction into your classroom. If you’d like some ready-to-go help, here are the Brain Waves resources mentioned in this post:

Nonfiction Listening Comprehension Unit

Doodle Nonfiction Reading Passages

Nonfiction Book Review 

And here's a FREEBIE! 12 classroom posters all about nonfiction text features!

Thanks for stopping by!

Mary Beth

P.S. Find more nonfiction freebies here!

5 Easy Ways to Celebrate Arab American Heritage Month in the Classroom (Upper Elementary & Middle School)

Arab American Heritage Month, celebrated each April, is a wonderful opportunity to help students learn about the many contributions Arab Americans have made to science, government, arts, literature, sports, and technology. Whether you teach upper elementary or middle school, even small activities can help students build cultural awareness and appreciation.

If you're looking for meaningful, low-prep ways to recognize the month, here are five classroom-tested ideas you can start using right away.

1. Create an Arab American Heritage Month Fact Hunt

A fact hunt is one of the easiest ways to introduce Arab American Heritage Month in an engaging way.

Post short, student-friendly facts about Arab American history, culture, and achievements around your classroom. Students rotate, read, and record information while learning about important contributions.

You might include facts about:

--- Arab American scientists and inventors
--- Famous athletes and entertainers
--- Medical discoveries and technology
--- Cultural traditions and foods
--- Important firsts and barrier breakers

A doodle-style fact hunt makes this even more engaging because students interact with visuals while learning content.

2. Assign an Arab American Changemaker Research Project

One of the most meaningful ways students connect to heritage months is through research.

Have students choose an Arab American changemaker and investigate:

--- What they are known for

--- Challenges they faced

--- Important achievements

--- Their impact on society

--- Character traits that helped them succeed

Students can then create a visual project such as a lantern craft titled Lighting the Way: Arab American Changemakers where they place research facts inside the lantern to symbolize how these individuals helped "light the way" for others.

This makes a powerful hallway or bulletin board display while reinforcing research skills.

3. Read Arab American Authors

Literature provides an authentic way for students to experience diverse voices.

Consider short, accessible texts from:

--- Naomi Shihab Nye (poetry works extremely well for grades 5–8)
--- Kahlil Gibran (short inspirational passages)
--- Contemporary Arab American poets and memoir writers

Poetry works especially well because it allows students to explore identity, belonging, and culture without requiring a full novel study. Here's a free poetry analysis one-pager to use with students.

4. Play Arabic Music During Work Time or Entry Routines

Music is one of the easiest ways to build cultural exposure naturally.

Consider playing instrumental Arabic music or Arab American artists during:

--- Morning work
--- Writing time
--- Transition times

This builds cultural familiarity without requiring extra instructional time and helps create a welcoming classroom environment.

5. Highlight an Arab American Changemaker Each Week

A simple spotlight routine can build background knowledge throughout the month. Or you could even have students take turns sharing about a changemaker after completing guided research each day or week.

Each week you might share:

--- A photo
--- Their career field
--- 3 interesting facts
--- One major accomplishment
--- Why they matter today

Classroom Resource Connection

If you're looking for ready-to-use activities, my Arab American Heritage Month resource includes:

--- A doodle-style fact hunt
--- Arab American changemaker research organizers
--- A Lighting the Way lantern craft project
--- Gallery walk reflection pages
--- Bulletin board display materials

These activities are designed to make heritage month learning interactive, student-centered, and easy to implement.

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When students see diverse innovators, leaders, artists, and scientists, they begin to understand that contributions come from every culture and community. Heritage months help students build curiosity, respect, and a broader understanding of the world.

And sometimes, all it takes is one story to inspire a student to see what might be possible for themselves.

Thanks for stopping by!

Mary Beth