Making Sense of Analogies

Subject: ELA (English Language Arts)

Lesson Length: 30 mins

Topic: Analogies

Grade Level: 7

Standards / Framework:

Brief Description: Students will better understand the relationship between words by completing analogies.

Know Before You Start: Students will need some experience with reading and analyzing analogies prior to the lesson.

Comic 1

Comic 2

Hook:

  • Read and discuss sample Comic 1 and choose the panel that best completes each analogy. 

  • Ask students how they selected their answers. Discuss how to complete analogies. You may want to provide additional analogy examples.

  • Model how to write an explanation for an analogy, e.g., apple is to tree as milk is to cow. An apple comes from a tree. Milk comes from a cow.

  • Discuss the various types of analogies, e.g., antonym, synonym, cause and effect, part to whole, object to purpose, etc.

Activity:

  • Aloud or in writing, have students complete the analogies in sample Comic 2. Remind them to explain the relationship between the words in the analogy, e.g., relish is to enjoy as cherish is to care. To relish something is to really enjoy it. To cherish something is to really care for it.

  • Have students create their own analogy comics.

Closure:

  • Have students share their answers in small groups.
  • Create a gallery walk for the students to view all the analogies.

Differentiation:

  • Allow students to work with a peer model. 

  • Provide examples and visuals for students.

  • Preteach unfamiliar vocabulary, e.g., antonym, synonym.

  • Create a word web to show relationships between words.

  • Allow students to use the voiceover feature to read their comics aloud.

Resources: