The brown bag teacher

Read the story, “Grandma’s Garden”

Circle any types of figurative language you find in the story.

Lay out the figurative language puzzle pieces.

These pieces highlight 8 types of figurative language – simile, metaphor, idiom, alliteration, onomatopoeia, cliché,

personification, hyperbole.

Make the 8 puzzles! Match each type of figurative language with its definition and an

example from the story.

Write your answers on the recording log.

{a figurative language story}

The townspeople say Grandma’s flowers were the most exquisite flowers in the entire world! It was only once in a blue moon that the flowers did not bloom. Grandpa used to tell me all about her work. He would say, “The rose bushes seemed to spread their petals as visitors passed. The purple petunias sat mocking the irises that were not as colorful as usual. Towering above the other plants, the sunflowers were a fence protecting the geraniums. Stooping to the ground, Sarah [grandma] would smell the sweet, scarlet flowers. When people gawked at her garden there was little noise and Grandma would stand as proud as a peacock. Occasionally, a bee’s buzzing would break the silence and then, the giggles of children would echo through the neighborhood.”

As he continued, Grandpa’s face would change. Instead of recalling fond memories, his face would become sad as he remembered the day Grandma’s heart was broken.

“At that time there were lots of children in the neighborhood and they loved racing down our long street. On the last day of summer, the children were having their final race. The winner would become the best runner of the summer. So focused on winning the race, the children sprawled out all over the road and into people’s yards. That’s when it happened. The neighborhood children came barreling towards Grandma’s flowers. Grandma’s eyes filled with tears as she watched the children trample her beautiful daises. Her heart was heavy with sadness, and the roses wept for their smashed friends. With most of her flowers folded over, only time would tell if the flowers would survive.”

Grandma’s Garden

The townspeople say Grandma’s flowers were the most exquisite flowers in the entire world! It was only once in a blue moon that the flowers did not bloom. Grandpa used to tell me all about her work. He would say, “The rose bushes seemed to spread their petals as visitors passed. The purple petunias sat mocking the irises that were not as colorful as usual. Towering above the other plants, the sunflowers were a fence protecting the geraniums. Stooping to the ground, Sarah [grandma] would smell the sweet, scarlet flowers. When people gawked at her garden there was little noise and Grandma would stand as proud as a peacock. Occasionally, a bee’s buzzing would break the silence and then, the giggles of children would echo through the neighborhood.”

As he continued, Grandpa’s face would change. Instead of recalling fond memories, his face would become sad as he remembered the day Grandma’s heart was broken.

“At that time there were lots of children in the neighborhood and they loved racing down our long street. On the last day of summer, the children were having their final race. The winner would become the best runner of the summer. So focused on winning the race, the children sprawled out all over the road and into people’s yards. That’s when it happened. The neighborhood children came barreling towards Grandma’s flowers. Grandma’s eyes filled with tears as she watched the children trample her beautiful daises. Her heart was heavy with sadness, and the roses wept for their smashed friends. With most of her flowers folded over, only time would tell if the flowers would survive.”

Grandma’s Garden

PERSONIFICATION

EXAMPLE The roses wept

for their smashed friends.

DEFINTION giving human

characteristics to inanimate things

HYPERBOLE EXAMPLE

The townspeople say Grandma’s

flowers were the most exquisite flowers in the entire world!

DEFINITION an exaggeration used to make or

prove a point

IDIOM EXAMPLE

It was only once in a blue moon

that the flowers did not bloom.

DEFINITION a word or phrase

that means something other than

what is actually being said

ALL

ITER

ATIO

N CL

ICHE

EX

AM

PLE

Sto

opin

g t

o t

he

gro

und, S

ara

h

sm

elle

d t

he

sw

eet,

scarl

et

flow

er.

DEFIN

TION

w

hen t

wo o

r m

ore

w

ord

s b

egin

with

the s

am

e initia

l sound

EXA

MPL

E

With m

ost

of

her

flow

ers

fold

ed

on t

he g

round,

only

tim

e w

ould

te

ll if

the f

low

ers

w

ould

surv

ive.

DEFIN

ITIO

N a p

hra

se o

r expre

ssio

n t

hat

is

overu

sed

SIMILE

EXAMPLE Grandma would stand as proud as a peacock.

DEFINTION a comparison of

unlike things using ‘like’ or ‘as’

METAPHOR EXAMPLE

Towering above the other plants, the sunflowers were a fence protecting the

petunias.

DEFINITION a comparison of unlike things that says something is

another thing

ONOMATOPOEIA

EXAMPLE …a bee’s

buzzing would break the silence.

DEFINITION words that

make sounds

Grandma would stand as proud as a peacock.

Towering above the other plants, the sunflowers were a fence protecting the

petunias.

Stooping to the ground, Sarah

smelled the sweet, scarlet

flower.

With most of her flowers folded over, only time would tell if the flowers would

survive.

… a bee’s buzzing would

break the silence.

The roses wept for their

smashed friends

The townspeople say Grandma’s

flowers were the most exquisite flowers in the entire world!

It was only

once in a blue moon

that the flowers did not

bloom.

GRANDMA’S GARDEN

Below are examples of 8 types of figurative language. Write the type of figurative language in the top puzzle piece and define it in the small puzzle piece.

Name: Date:

Grandma would stand as

proud as a peacock.

Towering above the other plants, the sunflowers were a fence protecting the

petunias.

Stooping to the ground, Sarah

smelled the sweet, scarlet

flower.

With most of her flowers folded over, only time would tell if the flowers would

survive.

The bee’s buzzing would

break the silence.

The roses wept for their

smashed friends

The townspeople say Grandma’s

flowers were the most exquisite flowers in the entire world!

It was only

once in a blue moon

that the flowers did not

bloom.

GRANDMA’S GARDEN

Below are examples of 8 types of figurative language. Write the type of figurative language in the top puzzle piece and define it in the small puzzle piece.

Name: Date:

ALLITERATION PERSONIFICATION

HYPERBOLE

SIMILE

ONOMATOPOEIA METAPHOR

CLICHE

IDIOM

DEFINITION giving human

characteristics to inanimate things

DEFINITION an exaggeration used to make or

prove a point

DEFINITION a word or phrase that

means something other than what is actually being said

DEFINITION when two or more words begin with the same initial

sound

DEFINITION a phrase or

expression that is overused

DEFINITION words that

make sounds

DEFINITION a comparison of

unlike things using ‘like’ or ‘as’

DEFINITION a comparison of unlike things that says something is

another thing

ANSWER KEY

Thank you for downloading this product. I hope you and your students find these puzzles helpful! If you have any questions,

comments, or concerns, please let me know.

Email: brownbagteacher@gmail.com Blog: www.thebrownbagteacher.blogspot.com TPT: Catherine Reed—The Brown Bag Teacher

Facebook: The Brown Bag Teacher