This lesson on idioms is one of my favorite lessons because it's multi-sensory. I love it when concepts or standards could turn into something that the students can see, touch, and even taste. If only every lesson could hit all 5 senses. And if only I taught in a megaplex as opposed to a bungalow classroom. And if only I had the budget and swagger of Donald Trump.
Idioms Lesson
1. Review definition of an idiom- only idiots believe in idioms because idioms are sayings with a meaning that is completely different from its literal meaning. ( At this point, I see many a blank expressions on their faces and I don't blame them. I remember being 12 and being embarrassed at having no idea as to what "literally" meant. Thanks to Clueless, it is now one of my favorite words.)
2. Have volunteers give examples of their favorite idioms: ups and downs, driving me nuts, shut up!
3. At this point, I say, "Raise your hand if you want to act like an idiot today!" Their hands happily go up. I explain that we are going to take 6 idioms and literally act it out. Then 6 stations get set up and the students are group into 4 and assigned to each station.
-Numero 1-
(Actually, slices of cheese is one of my least favorite things. Especially 160 of them)
-2-
(After hearing the ring of a bell, the group leaves one station to go to another. Gotta love Pavlovian conditioning!)
-3-
-4-
-5-
-6-
I recommend having volunteer students in charge of setting up and maintaining the 6 stations for all the visiting groups because it's my favorite thing to watch students take charge. As I heard one student say to a group, "Don't ask me what the idiom means, what do you think it means?" my heart swelled with happiness.
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