Identifying Figurative Language in Kira-Kira by Cynthia Kadohata

Activity Overview

There are many examples of figurative language present throughout the novel Kira-Kira. In this activity, students will identify figurative language such as similes, metaphors, personification, etc. and illustrate the examples from the text.

Examples of Figurative Language in Kira-Kira

Simile:"In a few minutes hundreds of tissues sailed over the cornfield ... the tissues looked like giant butterflies ... Lynn could take a simple, everyday object like a box of Kleenex and use it to prove how amazing the world is."
Simile: "It was funny how so many people ignored my mother, but they were all fascinated by this little Japanese baby. Then, when he grew up, they would probably ignore him and treat him like an ant!”
Simile: “I watched a swatch of the sky turn red. The red spread like blood in the sea: red, red, red, and then less and less red, until there was only blue left. I squinted as the sun rose. I must have fallen asleep, because when I woke up, my father was carrying me into the house."
Simile: "They talked like their mouths were full of rubber bands!"

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Template and Class Instructions

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Due Date:

Objective: Create a storyboard that identifies figurative language such as similes, metaphors, or personification found in Kira-Kira. Illustrate each and write a short description below each cell.

Student Instructions:

Click "Start Assignment".
Identify figurative language from Inside Out and Back Again you wish to include and type them in the title box at the top.
Create an image for examples that represent each symbol using appropriate scenes, characters and items.
Write a description of each of the examples in the black text box.

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Lesson Plan Reference

Grade Level 6-8

Difficulty Level 3 (Developing to Mastery)

Type of Assignment Individual

Type of Activity: Figurative Language

Common Core Standards

[ELA-Literacy/RL/6/2] Determine a theme or central idea of a text and how it is conveyed through particular details; provide a summary of the text distinct from personal opinions or judgments
[ELA-Literacy/RL/8/2] Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including its relationship to the characters, setting, and plot; provide an objective summary of the text
[ELA-Literacy/RL/8/4] Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone, including analogies or allusions to other texts
[ELA-Literacy/RL/5/1] Quote accurately from a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.

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Rubric

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Figurative Language in a Story

Create a storyboard that shows three examples of figurative language from the story: metaphors, similes, personification, etc. Include the type of figurative language in the title box along with the quote from the story. In the description box describe what the figurative language means in the context of the story. Add appropriate illustrations for each.

	Proficient	Emerging	Beginning
Examples of Figurative Language	There are three examples of figurative language.	There are two correct examples of figurative language.	Only one of the examples of figurative language is correct.
Types of Figurative Language	All three examples are correctly identified as simile, metaphor, or personification (or other) in the title box.	Two examples of figurative language are correctly identified as simile, metaphor, or personification (or other).	Only one example of figurative language is correctly identified as simile, metaphor, or personification (or other).
Illustrations	Illustrations depict the example of figurative language from the story with clear visuals of appropriate scenes, characters, items, etc.	Illustrations depict the example of figurative language from the story but are unclear or incomplete.	Illustrations do not make sense with the examples chosen.
Descriptions	There are descriptions for all three example of figurative language that correctly explain what the figurative language means in the context of the story.	One of the descriptions is missing or the descriptions do not fully explain what the figurative language means in the context of the story.	Two or more descriptions are missing or they do not explain what the figurative language means.