Objective:

Students explore figurative language (similes, metaphors, and idioms) through role-playing activities. By acting out figurative expressions and explaining their meanings, students will enhance their understanding of figurative language while practicing computational thinking, such as decomposition and pattern recognition.

Materials Needed:

• List of figurative language examples (similes, metaphors, idioms)

• Role-playing prompts on index cards

• Whiteboard or chart paper for recording ideas

Steps:

• Introduction:

  • Begin by introducing figurative language with examples of similes, metaphors, and idioms. 

  • Ask, "What do these expressions mean, and why don’t we always take them literally?" 

  • Explain that students will use role-playing to break down the meaning of these phrases and act them out, similar to how computer programmers break down problems into smaller steps.

• Group Activity:

  • Divide students into small groups and provide each group with a figurative language phrase on an index card (e.g., "as quiet as a mouse" or "a heart of gold").

  • Each group will analyze their phrase and determine how to act out its meaning using role-play. 

  • For example, for "as quiet as a mouse," one student may pretend to be a mouse sneaking around silently while the rest of the group demonstrates the contrast of silence.

• Computational Thinking Integration:

  • Encourage students to use decomposition by breaking down their figurative phrase into manageable parts to help them act out its meaning. 

  • For example, they can start by identifying the key actions or emotions associated with the phrase and assign roles for each group member. 

  • This thinking process is similar to how programmers decompose problems and assign tasks to different parts of a program.

• Testing and Refining:

  • After planning their role-play, groups will practice and refine their performances, ensuring that their actions clearly communicate the meaning of the figurative language. 

  • Encourage students to discuss how their actions represent the phrase and make adjustments as necessary, much like coders test and refine their programs.

• Presentation and Discussion:

  • Each group will perform their role-play for the class, and the audience will try to guess the figurative phrase being represented. 

  • After the performance, the group will explain the meaning of the phrase and how they used specific actions or emotions to convey it. 

  • Lead a discussion on how the process of breaking down and acting out abstract language is similar to breaking down and solving problems in programming.

Equity and Access:

Provide scaffolding with pre-selected action ideas for students who may struggle with role-playing. Encourage collaboration by pairing students with different levels of comfort with acting.

Real-World Application:

Discuss how figurative language is frequently used in advertising, storytelling, and everyday conversations to convey ideas creatively. Connect this to how actors, writers, and programmers all use creative thinking and problem-solving to bring abstract concepts to life.

CS Practice(s):

• Recognizing and Defining Computational Problems: Students break down figurative language into components that can be acted out, similar to decomposing complex problems in coding.

• Developing and Using Abstractions: Students abstract the figurative meaning of the language and represent it through actions in their role-play.

Standard(s):

• CA CCSS ELA-Literacy.L.4.5

• CA CS K-2.AP.13

Objective:

Students will use Scratch or another favorite coding platform to create interactive animations that explain similes, metaphors, idioms, and other figurative language. By creating digital scenes, students will demonstrate their understanding of figurative language in context and engage in computational thinking through coding.

Materials Needed:

• Tablets or computers

• Pre-selected figurative language examples (similes, metaphors, idioms)

Steps:

• Introduction:

  • Begin by discussing different types of figurative language, such as similes, metaphors, and idioms. 

  • Ask students, "How do these types of figurative language help you understand or visualize something?" 

  • Explain that they will use a coding platform to create animations that bring these figures of speech to life through coding.

• Group Activity:

  • In pairs, students will choose a simile or idiom (e.g., "as busy as a bee" or "it’s raining cats and dogs") and code an animated scene that visually represents the figurative meaning. 

  • For example, for "as busy as a bee," students might animate a bee flying around a bustling flower garden, emphasizing the idea of being busy.

• Creating and Coding:

  • Encourage students to break down their chosen figurative phrase into smaller parts (decomposition) and use coding blocks to build the animation. 

  • They will create sequences of events, such as a bee flying quickly from flower to flower or clouds raining down cats and dogs, reinforcing how coding can be used to represent abstract language concepts.

• Testing and Refining:

  • Students will run their code to ensure their animations represent the intended figurative meaning. 

  • Allow time for revisions, encouraging students to debug and refine their animations until the visuals clearly depict the figurative language.

• Presentation and Discussion:

  • Each group will present their animation to another pair of students, explaining the figurative phrase they selected and how their coding reflects its meaning. 

  • Lead a discussion on how coding can be used as a tool to represent abstract language in visual ways. 

Equity and Access:

Provide pre-made templates and additional support for students who are new to coding. Pair students with varying levels of coding experience to promote peer support and collaboration.

Real-World Application:

Link the activity to real-life examples of figurative language in advertising, literature, and everyday conversations. Discuss how understanding figurative language is important in communication, much like coding is essential in programming.

CS Practice(s):

• Creating Computational Artifacts: Students use a coding platform to create animated scenes that represent figurative language.

• Recognizing and Defining Computational Problems: Students break down figurative phrases into components and solve how to represent them visually.

Standard(s):

• CA CCSS ELA-Literacy.L.4.5

• CA CS K-2.AP.12

• CA CS K-2.AP.13

• CA CS K-2.AP.17