Developing Artistic Writing.pdf - Brevard Public Schools

Crazy Sayings
Objective: Students will identify an idiom and draw a literal illustration to match and an
illustration that shows the intent of the idiom.
Anticipatory Set: Read Amelia Bedelia pointing out the idioms throughout the book. Discuss
and record idioms from the book and idioms that the students have heard.
That caught my eye. It’s raining cats and dogs. He was under the weather.
Does the cat have your tongue? This car can turn on a dime. My feet are on fire!
Don’t beat around the bush. We’re down to the wire. They are dropping like flies.
That’s the icing on the cake. It’s a small world. He knows the ropes.
Make no bones about it. He’s on the fence. Don’t pig out. This is a piece of cake.
See www.idiomsite.com for more examples
Modeling: Fold a piece of paper lengthwise (hot dog) and write “Get the lead out,” across the
top of the paper explaining that this idiom means to hurry and get going. Draw a picture on the
left column that literally shows a character picking up a piece of lead and hauling it away, then
on the right side of the paper, draw a picture of someone hurrying. Across the bottom write the
explanation of the idiom, “to hurry and get going.” In this way the students see the literal and
figurative interpretation of the idiom.
Guided Practice: Students select another idiom. Follow the same steps as above, except this
time the students weigh in on what to draw on each side. With student input, draw the illustration
described (both the literal and figurative meaning of the idiom).
Independent Practice: Students select an idiom for themselves. This can be assigned by the
teacher, decided by the student, or drawn at random. Working independently, the students create
their own page, folding the paper in half, illustrating each side, writing the idiom across the top,
and writing the explanation of the idiom across the bottom.
Publishing/Sharing: Students collate their pages into a class book on idioms.
6