Share Zits comic strip with class, discussing use of figurative language within it. Ask class to think of other examples of figurative language which we use in everyday conversation.

Review "figurative language". (Descriptive language that uses figures of speech, such as hyperbole, metaphor, simile, personification, and idioms for impact, expression, and effect).

Discuss the concept of idioms. (Groups of words with special meanings that pain a mental picture for the reader.)

Examples of idioms: hit the books, make a beeline, a frog in the throat, blow his or her stack, hit the nail on the head, and walls have ears.

Students are paired. Each group selects a slip of paper with an idiom on it. (Suggestions: hit the books, make a beeline, a frog in the throat, hit the books, hit the nail on the head, go fly a kite, have a green thumb, pull a leg, hit the nail on the head, have something up the sleeve, walls have ears, lose one’s marbles, have a swelled head, chip on the shoulder, get it off your chest, have your head in the clouds, have your head screwed on straight, head over heels in love, keep your chin up, look down your nose at someone.)

Students are provided markers and paper, and are instructed to work together in creating a picture to illustrate the literal interpretation of the idiom which they were assigned.

The class comes together, with the teams of students taking turns to present to the class the illustration they together produced. The class makes attempts at guessing the idiom being represented in the illustration. Students share what they learned in creating their project.

Teacher evaluation using rubric for project grade. (Evaluating creativity and neatness of illustration; knowledge gained through project; use of class time; cooperation in working with partner; presentation of project to class; and listening to other presentations).

Process with students: what was the one thing they did well in this project? What is one thing they could have done differently? If a newspaper reporter stopped them outside the classroom and asked them what the single most important thing was that they got out of class today, what would that be?

I believe in a teaching approach which gives students a voice in their learning process. I am committed to working with students in a way which allows them the opportunity to have responsibility and reflection in their own learning. I believe in allowing students to interact with the information in a way which makes it meaningful and relevant to them as individuals. While it is important to provide students with knowledge and information they need, I believe that this can be done in a way which is sometimes "fun", and supports their developmental needs as well. This lesson accomplishes these goals in that it allows students to work in pairs, and it provides them an opportunity to creatively express their ideas. It also provides the opportunity for students to build the social skills of working together/cooperation and listening to others. The rubric for the project also reflects this aspect of my own style in teaching, in that it considers not just the "final project", but the process and social skills involved as well.

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