When teaching a work of literature, it is often helpful to refresh or introduce students with technical words. Terms like “metaphor", "alliteration", "personification", "imagery", "apostrophe", and "assonance" are a few important terms.
After you have read the story, ask your students to do a scavenger hunt using the storyboard creator. Give them the list again and have them create a storyboard that depicts and explains the use of each literary element from “Blues Ain’t No Mockin Bird”. They will have an absolute blast and gain mastery of the words. Check out this example below:
| DESCRIPTION | EXAMPLE | |
|---|---|---|
| Simile | A comparison using 'like' or 'as' | "Then Granddaddy’s other hand flies up like a sudden and gentle bird, slaps down fast on top of the camera and lifts off half like it was a calabash cut for sharing." |
| Anecdote | A very brief account of an incident or incident, typically a story or account of a past event | “I was on this bridge one time,’ she started off. ‘Was a crowd cause this man was goin to jump, you understand. And a minister was there and the police and some other folks. His woman was there, too.” |
| Imagery | The use of descriptive or figurative language to create vivid mental imagery that appeals to the senses | “The old ladle dripping rum into the Christmas tins, like it used to drip maple syrup into the pails when we lived in the Judson’s woods, like it poured cider into the vats when we were on the Cooper place, like it used to scoop buttermilk and soft cheese when we lived at the dairy.” |
(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)
Student Instructions
Create a storyboard that shows five examples of literary elements in "Blues Ain't No Mocking Bird".
Start class with a short, fun warm-up where students identify literary elements in random sentences or short passages. This energizes students and helps activate their prior knowledge before tackling the main story.
Read aloud a brief excerpt from "Blues Ain't No Mockingbird" and think out loud as you spot a literary element. Show students how to observe clues, underline keywords, and explain why a passage fits a specific element.
Have students annotate their copies of the story, highlighting or underlining examples of literary elements. Encourage color coding for each type (e.g., similes in blue, imagery in green) to make patterns easy to spot.
Assign students to small groups and give each group a different literary element to find and discuss. Groups can share their findings with the class, promoting peer teaching and active engagement.
Ask students to jot down one literary element from the story, its definition, and a specific example before leaving class. This quick check helps you see who is ready for deeper analysis and who needs more support.
"Blues Ain't No Mockingbird" uses several key literary elements, including simile, anecdote, and imagery. These techniques help bring the story to life and deepen the reader's understanding of characters and themes.
Engage students by having them create a storyboard that identifies and illustrates examples of literary elements from the text. This visual activity helps students master terms like metaphor, alliteration, and imagery while making learning interactive and fun.
Assign a scavenger hunt where students find and illustrate examples of figurative language, such as similes and personification, using a storyboard creator. This method encourages close reading and creativity.
Yes! An example of a simile is: "Then Granddaddy’s other hand flies up like a sudden and gentle bird..." An example of imagery is: "The old ladle dripping rum into the Christmas tins... like it used to drip maple syrup into the pails..."
Using storyboards to teach literary elements makes abstract terms concrete. Students visualize and explain examples, which boosts engagement, comprehension, and retention of key concepts in literature.