Higher Education Reading Strategies Worksheets

This FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE STATIONS activity is a fun and effective method for giving students practice at analyzing the most important types of figurative language. Students will develop the skills not only to identify types of figurative language but also to explain how figurative language contributes to the meaning of a literary text!

Students will learn about figurative language while gaining exposure to the most profound and thought-provoking quotations from the world's greatest writers! They'll be asked to analyze the figures of speech in over 120 inspiring quotations by a diverse range of important authors: Chinua Achebe, Louisa May Alcott, Maya Angelou, Jane Austen, James Baldwin, William Blake, Emily Dickinson, John Donne, Louise Erdrich, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Robert Frost, Zora Neale Hurston, John Keats, Harper Lee, Toni Morrison, George Orwell, Zadie Smith, John Steinbeck, Henry David Thoreau, Mark Twain, Oscar Wilde, Virginia Woolf, and many others.

This stations activity focuses on the 8 types of figurative language that are used most commonly in literature: metaphor, simile, metonymy, personification, apostrophe, paradox, oxymoron, and hyperbole.

Here's what you'll find inside this 40-page resource:

• Stations Worksheets (x8): This resource includes a total of 8 worksheets focused on 8 types of figurative language. Each worksheet challenges students to explain the meaning or effect created by the same figure of speech found across 6 quotations. The quotations include some of the most profound and thought-provoking lines from famous authors — a total of 48 quotations! (8 pages)

• Answer Keys to Stations Worksheets (x8): The answer keys explain how the figures of speech found across 48 quotations contribute to the meaning of the quotation. (8 pages)

• Station Placards (x8): The 8 placards can be folded and placed on the desks that correspond to the 8 stations. The placards add a splash of colorful decoration to this activity. (8 pages)

• Literary Devices Glossary: This 1-page glossary features the 8 types of figurative language that are used most frequently in literature. The glossary includes definitions of the 8 types of figurative language as well as one or two examples of how each figure of speech gets used in famous quotations. Students can use the glossary to study in preparation for the quizzes on figurative language. (1 page)

• Quiz: Metaphors & Similes: This quiz focuses only on metaphors and similes; it challenges students to identify the figures of speech used across 15 famous quotations. Answer key included. (2 pages)

• Quiz: All Types of Figurative Language (x2): These two quizzes focus on all 8 types of figurative language. The first quiz challenges students to identity the figures of speech used across 25 quotations. The second quiz is similar but features 20 longer quotations; it could be used as a make-up quiz or extra-credit quiz. Answer keys included. (8 pages)

• Quiz: Figurative Language in Music: This quiz focuses on the types of figurative language used in 10 famous song lyrics by musicians such as The Beatles, Paul Simon, Elton John, John Legend, Beyoncé, and Taylor Swift. Answer key included. (2 pages)

Here are the types of figurative language featured across the 8 stations:

1. Metaphor

2. Simile

3. Metonymy

4. Personification

5. Apostrophe

6. Paradox

7. Oxymoron

8. Hyperbole

The entire 40-page resource will come to you in two separate formats: Word doc and PDF. Because the Word doc is fully editable, you'll be able to customize the materials to suit the skill levels of your particular students — year after year! If you don't have Microsoft Word, you'll still be able to access the entire resource as a PDF — which is easy to navigate and quick to print!

I'm eager to do everything I can to ensure that you have an amazing experience with figurative language! If you have any questions along the way, please don't hesitate to get in touch!

Thank you for stopping by Rigorous Resources!

Happy teaching!

Adam Jernigan, Ph.D.

adamjernigan@gmail.com

P.S. Don't forget to click “follow” for email updates on new products by Rigorous Resources. New products will be 50% OFF for the first 24 hours!

All writers have it, but do you know what style is and how to recognize it? This 18 page presentation for upper level learners will help students understand and analyze their own writing styles, as well as other authors' styles. Easy to follow format will have students analyzing style in no time! Includes: Checklist for Authors Handout Definitions for Author's Style . Examples of Famous Novels and Poems to Analyze Quotes Extra Style Analysis Activities Author's Style Workshopping Handout Terminologies and definitions include: Audience—listeners, readers, viewers of work Author’s voice—sets writing apart from others; uniqueness of writing Genre—category/organization pattern of writing Purpose—intent of writing Mood—reader’s emotion to the writing Tone—author’s attitude about subject matter Sentence fluency—cadence, flow, transitions used Sentence variety—lengths/mixture of sentences Word choices—descriptions, figurative language, repetitions, synonyms… Excellent for introducing style, writing concepts, standardized testing reviews, class assessments, college readiness, CCSS, literacy centers, and grammar/editing revisions, Students will be able to identify their authors' styles after working through this presentation.

Enhance your students' reading comprehension and vocabulary skills with our "VECCEP Vocabulary Worksheet"—a powerful tool designed to help students deeply understand and learn new words they encounter in their reading. This book companion worksheet provides a structured approach for analyzing vocabulary, making it perfect for independent reading or guided literacy activities.

Product Highlights:

• Comprehensive Vocabulary Analysis: VECCEP stands for Vocabulary, Example, Context, Connection, Explanation, and Practice—six key components that guide students through a thorough analysis of any new word they discover in their reading.

• Step-by-Step Breakdown:

  • Vocabulary: Students write down the new word they encountered.
  • Example: They find or create a sentence that uses the word, providing an example of its use.
  • Context: Students identify the context in which the word appears, helping them understand how it’s used in the text.
  • Connection: Encourages students to connect the word to something they already know, reinforcing memory and comprehension.
  • Explanation: Students write a clear explanation or definition of the word, solidifying their understanding.
  • Practice: Provides space for students to use the word in their own sentence, ensuring they can apply their new knowledge.

• Book Details Section: Includes spaces for students to write their name, the book title, and the page number where the word was found, helping them stay organized and track their learning.

• Promotes Active Reading: Encourages students to engage actively with the text, enhancing their reading comprehension and vocabulary retention.

• Perfect for All Readers: Suitable for independent reading, guided reading sessions, or as part of a vocabulary-building curriculum.

Why This Resource Is Essential:

• Deepens Vocabulary Understanding: Guides students through a comprehensive analysis of new words, ensuring they fully understand and can apply what they’ve learned.
• Supports Reading Comprehension: Helps students connect new vocabulary to the text and their prior knowledge, improving overall reading comprehension.
• Encourages Independent Learning: Provides a structured yet flexible approach to vocabulary building that students can use independently or with guidance.
• Versatile Use: Ideal for use with any book, this worksheet can be easily integrated into existing reading programs or used as a stand-alone vocabulary exercise.

Ideal For:

• Teachers looking to enhance their students' vocabulary and reading comprehension skills.
• Educators seeking a structured and effective way to teach vocabulary analysis.
• Parents and caregivers wanting to support their child's vocabulary development at home.
• Classrooms that value active reading and vocabulary-building activities.

How to Use:

• Print and Distribute: Print the VECCEP worksheet and distribute it to your students as they engage with their reading assignments.
• Guide or Independent Use: Use the worksheet as part of guided reading sessions or allow students to use it independently as they encounter new words.
• Encourage Thorough Analysis: Remind students to complete each section of the worksheet to ensure they fully understand and can use the new vocabulary.
• Review and Discuss: After students complete the worksheet, review their responses together to reinforce learning and discuss any questions they may have.

Empower your students to become more confident readers with our "VECCEP Vocabulary Worksheet"! This structured approach to vocabulary analysis not only enhances comprehension but also helps students build a strong and versatile vocabulary, essential for success in all areas of learning.

Let’s face it, close reading isn’t often a skill that comes naturally. When our students get a new reading assignment, their first instinct is often to race to the finish line rather than engage deeply with a text. Getting students to slow down, engage with the text in different ways, and reflect as they read are challenges for every teacher, and are the goals of close reading. They’re also at the heart of the Common Core English Language Arts standards. There’s no magic way to turn your class into top-notch readers overnight, but there are specific close reading skills you can teach that will help your students now and down the line. This Close Reading includes a Primary Resource excerpt from "Uncle Toms Cabin" by Harriet Beecher Stowe. It breaks down the vocab used and gives teacher lead questions, student creation of questions, as well as a summary. We all know that it’s not enough to just understand what a text says. Close readers not only grasp an author’s message, but they also take a look under the hood, so to speak.