Clue Board Slides Case File #104
TOP SECRET // CLASSIFIED
CONFIDENTIAL
IDIOM DETECTIVES
Solving the Mystery of Literal vs. Figurative Language
INVESTIGATOR BRIEFING
10th Grade Special Ed Case Files
OPEN CASE
GUIDE
The Detective's Manual
How to crack the codes
1. IDIOM
A Secret Word Puzzle.
The group of words means something totally different than what they actually say. You must decode the secret meaning!
🍰
"A piece of cake." (It means super easy!)
2. PERSONIFICATION
Objects Acting Like Humans.
Giving human actions, voices, or feelings to an object, animal, or force of nature. It brings objects to life!
⏰
"The clock screamed." (It was loud and annoying!)
Detective Trick: Ask yourself, "Can an object physically do this action in real life?" If not, it is Personification!
CASE FILE #1
"Spill the Beans" (Idiom)
Status: Investigation Open
#LITERAL
🫘💥
Physical Action
Literally dropping a can of baked beans onto the kitchen floor. Sticky and messy!
#FIGURATIVE
🤫🗣️
Real Hidden Meaning
Accidentally telling a secret that was supposed to be kept private.
SCENARIO INQUEST
"Don't spill the beans about the surprise birthday party!"
Figurative check: No one is bringing beans to the party. We just want to keep the secret!
CASE FILE #2
"The Alarm Clock Screamed" (Personification)
Status: Investigation Open
#LITERAL
⏰🗣️
Physical Action
An actual clock growing a human mouth and screaming out loud with a voice box. (Impossible!)
#PERSONIFICATION
🔔🔊
Real Meaning
The alarm clock is ringing extremely loudly, sharply, and annoyingly to wake you up.
SCENARIO INQUEST
"At 6:00 AM, my alarm clock screamed me awake."
Figurative check: Clocks don't have vocal cords. Screaming is a human action given to a plastic machine!
INTERROGATION
Guided Detective Test #1
Solve with your class!
🌧️🤒
CRIME SCENE TEXT
"Marcus called out of work today because he was feeling under the weather."
A
He is sitting physically underneath a storm cloud in his room.
B
He is feeling sick, tired, or unwell.
Think: Is it physically possible to stand directly under weather inside?
Discuss & Select!
INTERROGATION
Guided Detective Test #2
Solve with your class!
🍂💃
CRIME SCENE TEXT
"The dry autumn leaves danced across the yard in the wind."
A
The leaves grew physical legs, wore dancing shoes, and did ballet.
B
The wind blew the leaves, spinning and twirling them around.
Think: Dancing is a human action. Can real dead leaves actually decide to dance?
Discuss & Select!
Case Files Worksheet Official Case File: #104
IDIOM DETECTIVES
Topic: Literal vs. Figurative Expressions
EVIDENCE INQUEST
DETECTIVE NAME:
______________________________________
DATE OF INVESTIGATION:
______________________________________
PART 1
The Core Clues (Match Definition)
Draw a line matching each detective term on the left to its correct meaning on the right!
👁️
LITERAL
The exact real-world truth.
🕵️
FIGURATIVE
The hidden coded meaning.
"A visual picture in your head to represent an idea. It is not actually happening in real life!"
"Exactly what the words say. It physically happens and matches true reality with no code."
PART 2
Is it Real or Code? (Select the Meaning)
Look at the underlined idiom clues. Check the box of the true real-world meaning!
CASE #A: Raining Cats and Dogs
🌧️🐱🐶
"Make sure to bring your umbrella, because it is raining cats and dogs outside!"
Actual animals are falling out of clouds.
It is pouring water heavily from the sky.
CASE #B: Cold Feet
❄️🦶
"David was supposed to sing in the talent show, but he got cold feet and left."
He suddenly felt nervous and afraid to perform.
His physical toes turned cold and ice-like.
PAGE 1/2 • GO TO NEXT PAGE FOR THE EVIDENCE LOCKER
Official Case File: #104
THE EVIDENCE LOCKER
Solve the puzzle to decode the suspects
SUSPECT CODES
PART 3
Evidence Matching (Write the Letter)
Match each suspect idiom clue card with its real coded meaning card! Write the matching letter in the magnifier lens.
SUSPECT IDIOMS
🤐
#1 IDIOM
"Bite your tongue"
KEY
🛶
#2 IDIOM
"In the same boat"
KEY
📚
#3 IDIOM
"Hit the books"
KEY
☁️
#4 IDIOM
"On cloud nine"
KEY
CODED MEANINGS
A
To study very hard for a test or school assignment.
B
To stop yourself from saying something you might regret.
C
To be extremely happy, excited, and joyful.
Case Solved Teacher Guide TEACHER REFERENCE
CASE SOLVED!
Lesson Guide & Official Answer Keys
TEACHER FILE
1. Lesson Delivery Framework
Phase 1: Briefing
Slides 1-2: Introduce Literal vs. Figurative with the "Rule of Thumb." Define Idioms (hidden codes) & Personification (objects acting human).
Phase 2: Inquest
Slides 3-6: Model Case Study #1 (Idiom) & Case Study #2 (Personification). Practice with guided interactive questions.
Phase 3: Lab Work
Worksheet: Students complete Part 1 (matching), Part 2 (multiple choice), and Part 3 (the Evidence Locker).
2. High-Support Visual Questioning Script
Personification Prompting Strategy: Point to the autumn leaves on Slide 6 and ask: "Can dead dry leaves actually put on dancing shoes and dance? No! Only humans dance. So, 'dancing leaves' is a figurative code for how the wind moves them around!"
Low-Writing Adaptation: For the matching section (Part 3), students only write single letters (A, B, C, D) inside the designated white circles instead of rewriting entire sentences.
3. Master Answer Key
Worksheet Parts 1 & 2 Keys
Part 1: Definitions
LITERAL matches "Exactly what the words say. It physically happens..." FIGURATIVE matches "A visual picture in your head... not actually happening..."
Part 2: Real or Code Choices
CASE #A (Rain): Option 2 ("It is pouring water heavily from the sky.") CASE #B (Feet): Option 1 ("He suddenly felt nervous and afraid to perform.")
Part 3: The Evidence Locker
Suspect-to-Meaning Keys:
IDIOM KEY FIGURATIVE MEANING #1 "Bite your tongue" B Stop yourself from saying something. #2 "In the same boat" D In the same difficult situation. #3 "Hit the books" A Study very hard for a test. #4 "On cloud nine" C Extremely happy, excited, and joyful.
4. Guided Slides Question Guide
Test #1: "Under the weather"
