lesson 15 part 1: introduction ccls language and meaning...

©Curriculum Associates, LLC Copying is not permitted.159L15: Language and Meaning

Part 1: Introduction

The phrase “She was as free as a bird” compares two unlike things—a person who acts freely and a flying bird. Such figurative language is the creative use of words to express more than the literal, or usual, meaning of the words.

A simile makes a comparison using the words like or as. A metaphor makes a comparison by saying that one thing is another thing. Poets and prose writers these types of figurative language to describe people, things, and even ideas.

As you read the following poem, notice when one thing is compared to another.

The Tree Bats

The tree bats hang like strange dark fruit, From the branches of a tall old tree, Prisoners of light throughout the day, Till nightfall comes to set them free.

The sun goes down, the sleepers stir, To the gentle voice of mother night. Then the tree lets go its fluttering fruit— A dark whirlwind of sudden flight!

Now, underline the simile the first line. Circle the metaphor in the third line. Finally, draw arrows from the simile and the metaphor to the thing they both describe.

So, the first few lines of the poem compare tree bats to dark fruit and prisoners of light. The last line of the poem also has a metaphor. But what does it mean?

Use the chart below to determine the meaning of the metaphor in the last line.

Metaphor Comparison Context Clues Meaning

“A dark whirlwind of sudden flight!”

bats flying from a tree and a whirlwind

sleeping bats “stir” and start “fluttering”

When you learn how to recognize and understand figurative language, you’ll make exciting new connections in the poems and stories you read.

Theme: Nature

Language and MeaningLesson 15 CCLS

RL.5.4: Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative language such as metaphors and similes.

Lesson 15Part 2: Modeled Instruction

©Curriculum Associates, LLC Copying is not permitted.

L15: Language and Meaning160

Read the first two stanzas of a poem about rain.

Explore how to answer this question: “Read the following lines from the poem: ‘How it clatters along the roofs, / Like the tramp of hoofs!’ What two things is the poet comparing in this simile?”

In these lines, we know that “it” refers to the rain because the rain is the subject of the poem. So what does the rain clatter like? It clatters like hoofs. What animals have hoofs?

Name some animals with hoofs:

Now complete the chart to write about what the poet is comparing in this simile.

Simile Comparison Context Clues Meaning

“Like the tramp of hoofs!”

rain and tramp of animal hoofs

The poem is about rain, and only animals have hoofs.

Write a short paragraph describing what two things the poet is comparing in the simile. Use details from the chart in your answer.

(continued)

from “Rain in Summer” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

How beautiful is the rain!

After the dust and heat,

In the broad and fiery street,

In the narrow lane,

How beautiful is the rain!

How it clatters along the roofs,

Like the tramp of hoofs!

How it gushes and struggles out

From the throat of the overflowing spout! . . .

Genre: Lyric Poem

Lesson 15Part 3: Guided Instruction


L15: Language and Meaning 161

Show Your Thinking

In the country, on every side,

Where far and wide,

Like a leopard’s tawny1 and spotted hide,

Stretches the plain,

To the dry grass and the drier grain

How welcome is the rain! . . .

1 Tawny: a dark, dull yellow or brownish yellow, sandy color

Similes use like or as. Underline the simile in this stanza.

What part of nature does the poet compare the leopard’s hide to? Circle that word.

Close Reading

Continue reading about a welcome summer rain. Use the Close Reading and the Hint to help you answer the question.

Circle the correct answer.

Read this line from the poem.

Like a leopard’s tawny and spotted hide,

What is the poet describing in this simile?

A the spots raindrops make on the ground

B the way a leopard looks hiding on the plain

C the shadows of rain clouds on the yellow grass

D the uneven colors of the dry fields before the rain

HintAre “dry grass and drier grain” probably different shades of yellow and brown? Make sure to read the footnote.

Look at the answer you chose above. What context clues from the poem helped you understand what the poet is describing in this simile?

On the previous page, the last two lines are

How it gushes and struggles out From the throat of the overflowing spout!

With a partner, discuss possible reasons why the poet described the water in this way.

(continued from page 160)

Lesson 15



Part 4: Guided Practice

In paragraph 2, the narrator says, “a trail that snaked upriver, through a goldmine.” I can visualize the trail like being like a snake. Figurative language helps to create images in the reader’s mind.

Read the story. Use the Study Buddy and the Close Reading to guide your reading.

Wildlife Worries by Annika Pederson

1 When my Aunt Sheryl and Uncle Don invited Mom and me

to go hiking with them along the North Shore of Lake

Superior, we couldn’t wait to go. It wasn’t until we got there

that I found out that the woods are home to some serious

wildlife—wolves, bobcats, coyotes, and bears! Although I was

excited, I was also terrified of dangerous animals.

2 An amazing waterfall near the park entrance swept away

my fears at first. Next, we hiked a trail that snaked upriver,

through a goldmine of maple, birch, pine, and spruce. As we

walked on, though, I felt myself sinking back into a black bog

of dread. And just then, in a shallow glassy bend of the river

up ahead, I saw an animal I wanted to see. “Look!” I said.

“A moose! I’m going to go feed it!”

3 Aunt Sheryl grabbed my shoulder with an iron hand.

“Nikki, stop, now,” she said quietly. We all climbed to some

rocks high above the river, with an eagle’s nest view of the

moose. Aunt Sheryl explained to me that a bull moose topped

the list as one of the most dangerous wild animals in North

America, and that it was more likely for a human to be hurt

by a moose in these parts than a wolf or bear.

4 It felt strange, after all my misplaced fears, to discover that

this beautiful animal that looked as tame as a milking cow

back home had to be treated with caution. I decided that

before our next trip, I was going to do a little homework about

the animals here and trade my wildlife worries for . . . what

should I call it? Wildlife wonder.

Why does Aunt Sheryl stop Nikki from going to the moose? Underline words that explain why and how she stops her.

Close Reading

What does Nikki compare the moose to in paragraph 4? Underline the words that tell you.

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Lesson 15



Part 4: Guided Practice

Use the Hints on this page to help you answer the questions.

1 Read the sentence from paragraph 2 of the story.

Next, we hiked a trail that snaked upriver, through a goldmine of maple, birch, pine, and spruce.

Which statement best describes how the word “goldmine” is used in this sentence?

A as a metaphor comparing a goldmine to a river

B as a metaphor comparing a goldmine to a forest

C as a simile comparing a goldmine to a trail

D as a simile comparing a goldmine to a forest

2 Read this sentence from paragraph 3 of the story.

Aunt Sheryl grabbed my shoulder with an iron hand.

What is the meaning of the metaphor used in this line?

A Aunt Sheryl grabbed Nikki in a careless manner.

B Aunt Sheryl grabbed Nikki with a flattened palm.

C Aunt Sheryl grabbed Nikki in a serious, stern way.

D Aunt Sheryl grabbed Nikki with a touch that felt hot.

3 Read the sentence from paragraph 4 of the story.

It felt strange, after all my misplaced fears, to discover that this beautiful animal that looked as tame as a milking cow back home had to be treated with caution.

Identify and explain the meaning of the simile in this sentence.

Remember, a simile uses like or as, while a metaphor makes the comparison without using like or as.

Hint

How determined is Aunt Sheryl to stop Nikki?

Does Nikki think of the moose as a wild animal at first, or as one that was safe to approach?

Lesson 15



Part 5: Common Core Practice

Read the story. Then answer the questions that follow.

This story is from the first chapter of a novel about a boy whose family moves into a new home near a mountain. In the chapters that follow, the boy goes hiking on the mountain and meets a strange bird called a Phoenix, a famous creature from mythology. Throughout the novel, the boy and the Phoenix share exciting adventures together.

from David and the Phoenixby Edward Ormondroyd

1 All the way there David had saved this moment for himself, struggling not to peek until the proper time came. When the car finally stopped, the rest of them got out stiffly and went into the new house. But David walked slowly into the back yard with his eyes fixed on the ground. For a whole minute he stood there, not daring to look up. Then he took a deep breath, clenched his hands tightly, and lifted his head.

2 There it was!—as Dad had described it, but infinitely more grand. It swept upward from the valley floor, beautifully shaped and soaring, so tall that its misty blue peak could surely talk face to face with the stars. To David, who had never seen a mountain before, the sight was almost too much to bear. He felt so tight and shivery inside that he didn’t know whether he wanted to laugh, or cry, or both. And the really wonderful thing about the mountain was the way it looked at him. He was certain that it was smiling at him, like an old friend who had been waiting for years to see him again. And when he closed his eyes, he seemed to hear a voice which whispered, “Come along, then, and climb.” . . .

3 But there was a great deal to do first. They were going to move into the new house. The moving van was standing out in front, the car must be unloaded. David would be needed to carry things. Regretfully, he waved his hand at the peak and whispered, “It shouldn’t take long—I’ll be back as soon as I can.” Then he went around to the front door to see what could be done about speeding things up.

4 Inside, everything was in confusion. Dad was pushing chairs and tables around in an aimless way. Mother was saying, “They’ll all have to go out again; we forgot to put down the rug first.” Aunt Amy was making short dashes between the kitchen and the dining room, muttering to herself. And Beckie was roaring in her crib because it was time for her bottle. David asked, “Can I do anything?”—hoping that the answer would be no.

5 “C’mere,” Aunt Amy said, grabbing him by the arm. “Help me look for that ironing board.”

6 When the ironing board was finally located, Mother had something for him to do. And when he was finished with that, Dad called for his help. So the afternoon wore on without letup—and also without any signs of progress in their moving. When David finally got a chance to sneak out for a breathing spell, he felt his heart sink. Somehow, in all the rush and confusion, the afternoon had

Lesson 15




disappeared. Already the evening sun was throwing shadows across the side of the mountain and touching its peak with a ruddy blaze. It was too late now. He would have to wait until morning before he could climb.

7 As he gazed up miserably at the glowing summit, he thought he saw a tiny speck soar out from it in a brief circle. Was it a bird of some sort, or just one of those dots that swim before your eyes when you stare too long at the sky? It almost seemed like the mountain waving its hand, as if to say that it was quite all right for him to wait until morning. He felt better then, and returned more cheerfully to the moving.

8 It was long after dark before the moving van drove away. Beckie crooned happily over her bottle, and the rest of them gathered in the kitchen for a late supper of sandwiches and canned soup. But David could not eat until he had found the courage to ask one question:

9 “May I climb the mountain tomorrow?”

10 Aunt Amy muttered something about landslides, which were firmly fixed in her mind as the fate of people who climbed mountains. But Dad said, “I don’t see why not, do you?” and looked to Mother for agreement.

11 Mother said, “Well . . . be very careful,” in a doubtful tone, and that was that.

Answer the questions. Mark your answers to questions 1–3 on the Answer Form to the right.

1 Read this phrase from paragraph 2 of the story.

. . . so tall that its misty blue peak could surely talk face to face with the stars.

Which of the following best describes what the author means to suggest with this figurative language?

A David believes that the rocks on the mountainside are huge faces.

B David is excited and amazed by the height of the first mountain he has ever seen.

C David is upset that he can barely see the mountain in the fading evening light.

D David hears sounds from the mountain and thinks people are talking.

Answer Form

1 A B C D

2 A B C D

3 A B C D

Number Correct 3

Lesson 15




2 Read this sentence from paragraph 2 of the story.

He was certain that it was smiling at him, like an old friend who had been waiting for years to see him again.

Which choice best describes what the figurative language in this sentence suggests about David and the mountain?

A He feels strongly connected to the mountain, even though he’s never seen it before.

B He thinks that he has been to the mountain before but just doesn’t remember it.

C He realizes he might find new friends among the people living on the mountain.

D He missed his old friends, and he hopes the mountain will give him advice.

3 Read these sentences from paragraph 6.

When David finally got a chance to sneak out for a breathing spell, he felt his heart sink. Somehow, in all the rush and confusion, the afternoon had disappeared.

Which sentence has nearly the same meaning as the figurative phrase, “he felt his heart sink”?

A He felt nervous and scared.

B He felt tired and bored.

C He felt sick and out of breath.

D He felt sad and disappointed.

4 Read this sentence from paragraph 6 of the story: “Already the evening sun was throwing shadows across the side of the mountain and touching its peak with a ruddy blaze.” A “ruddy blaze” basically means a “red fire.” In your own words, describe what the mountain must have looked like to David. Explain your answer using at least two context clues from within the sentence or paragraph.

Go back and see what you can check off on the Self Check on page 157.Self Check

lesson 15 part 1: introduction ccls language and meaning...

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