Alice's Adventures in Wonderland has many examples of figurative language, including personification and similes. In this activity, students can display their understanding of figurative language by identifying examples, and creating a literal or figurative portrayal of the figurative language.
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Student Instructions
Create a storyboard that shows three examples of figurative language in Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.
Boost student engagement by weaving figurative language tasks into your everyday reading lessons. This helps students spot similes, metaphors, and personification in any story they read, not just Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.
Pause while reading aloud to point out examples of figurative language. Explain your thought process so students learn how to recognize these figures of speech in context.
Encourage students to invent original similes or metaphors inspired by what they’ve read. Share and discuss their creations to reinforce understanding in a fun way.
Post an anchor chart in your classroom that lists types of figurative language with colorful examples. This provides students with a handy reference and visual reminder.
Have students write a sentence using figurative language before leaving class. Review these quick responses to check for comprehension and guide future instruction.
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland uses figurative language like similes and personification. For example, Alice waits to see if she'll "go out altogether, like a candle" (simile), and she "swallows down anger" (personification). These devices help bring the story to life for young readers.
Students can identify figurative language by looking for phrases that compare things using like or as (similes), or by spotting non-human things given human traits (personification). Encourage students to find direct quotes and label each example with its type.
A great activity is to have students create a storyboard showing three examples of figurative language from the text. They identify the type (simile, metaphor, etc.), provide the quote, and illustrate it with scenes or characters.
Figurative language makes the story more vivid and helps students understand complex ideas by connecting them to familiar experiences. It also encourages creative thinking and deeper literary analysis.
A simile compares two things using 'like' or 'as' (e.g., "went off like an arrow"), while personification gives human qualities to non-human things (e.g., "swallowing down anger"). Both add depth and interest to the story.