Royal Quest Lesson Plan ESL Small Group • 45 Minutes
Royal Figurative Quest
A targeted scaffolding guide for 6 intermediate/advanced ESL learners.
Focus Skills Simile, Metaphor, Person, Alliteration
Group Size 6 Students (ESL Level 2-4)
Materials Needed Cards, 2 Worksheets, Reference
Language Objective Identify, explain, & use forms verbally.
1. Warm-Up & Key Terms Review
7 Mins
Distribute the Figurative Toolbox Reference Sheet . Walk through the four key terms using the visual illustrations. Read the simplified definitions aloud together as a choral reading.
ESL Scaffold: Prompt students to complete the sentence frame: "An example of [term] is ____ because it compares ____ to ____."
2. Speaking & Sorting Collaborative Game
10 Mins
Spread out the Quest Sorting Student Cards . Have students take turns drawing a card, reading the sentence aloud, and working together to decide which figurative language category it belongs to using their reference sheets.
Speaking Frame: Give students this model frame to justify their choices: "I think this card is [Category] because it says '____', which represents ____."
3. Worksheet Guided Walkthrough
12 Mins
Distribute the Figurative Detective Student Worksheet . Complete Part A together (matching and guided fills). Provide direct feedback on handwriting spelling. Under Part B, have pairs write their own creative simile and metaphor using the provided scaffold boxes.
Scaffolding: Encourage visual chunking. Let students circle key comparison words (like, as) with colored highlighters before answering.
4. Princess Penelope Text Analysis
12 Mins
Distribute the Princess Penelope Student Worksheet . Do a collaborative read-aloud: teacher reads, students follow along. Direct students to listen closely for figurative language. Pause at the designated moments to fill out the graphic organizer together.
Support Guide: The story highlights alliteration ("Penelope's pet pig"), similes ("as brave as a lion"), metaphors ("the golden sun was a shiny coin"), and personification ("the wind whispered").
5. Quick Wrap-Up & Closing
4 Mins
Ask each of the 6 students to say one short sentence using the prompt: "My favorite type of figurative language is ____ because ____." Collect worksheets for informal assessment.
Lenny's ESL Small-Group Strategies
1. Peer Support Pair higher-proficiency students with lower-proficiency peers during the Princess Penelope analysis.
2. Total Physical Response Have students hold up 1 finger for Simile, 2 for Metaphor, 3 for Personification, and 4 for Alliteration.
3. Color-Coded Coding Let students use orange highlighter for Metaphor and green highlighter for Simile comparisons.
Unit: Royal Figurative Quest • ESL Small Group Kit Teacher Guide • Page 1 of 1
Figurative Toolbox Reference Sheet Student Resource
My Royal Figurative Toolbox 🏰
Name: ______________________ Date: ________
🔍
Simile
Comparison Helper
Compares two unlike things using the magic words like or as .
Visual Formula: Thing A is as [adjective] as Thing B.
Example: "The knight was as brave as a lion."
🌟
Metaphor
Direct Connection
Compares two things by saying one thing is another thing. No "like" or "as"!
Visual Formula: Thing A is Thing B.
Example: "The golden sun was a shiny gold coin."
🌬️
Personification
Human Powers
Gives human actions, thoughts, or feelings to non-human things (animals, nature, objects).
Visual Formula: Object + Human Verb (Action)
Example: "The old wind whispered secrets in the dark."
📣
Alliteration
Sound Repeater
Using the same starting letter sound in a group of words close together.
Visual Formula: Penelope’s playful pet pig.
Example: "Peter picked a pair of purple plums."
Royal Speaking & Discussion Frames
🗣️ Speaking (Class Discussion)
•
"I think this phrase is a simile because it uses the word ____ to compare ____ to ____."
•
"In this story, the author uses alliteration because they repeat the sound of ____."
✍️ Writing (Your Worksheets)
•
"This sentence is an example of personification because a [object] cannot really [action]."
•
"This is a metaphor because it directly connects ____ with ____ to show that they share the trait of ____."
Unit: Royal Figurative Quest • ESL Reference Tool Student Tool • Page 1 of 1
Figurative Detective Worksheet Student Worksheet • Phase 1
The Figurative Detective Quest 🔎
Name: ______________________ Date: ________
👑
Quest Instructions: Use your reference sheet to solve the challenges below. Look closely at comparing words like like and as, repeated sounds, or actions that only humans can do!
A
Part A: Read and Match
Read each royal sentence. Circle the correct figurative language category on the right.
Sentence 1
"The heavy iron shield smiled proudly at the soldier."
Hint: Can an iron shield smile?
Simile Metaphor Personification
Sentence 2
"The princess is as brave as a lion in the battle."
Hint: Look for the comparing word "as".
Simile Metaphor Alliteration
Sentence 3
"Seven silly soldiers sat silently by the river."
Hint: Notice the repeated starting sound "S".
Simile Personification Alliteration
Sentence 4
"Her shining royal crown was a bright golden star."
Hint: Directly compares the crown to a star without "like/as".
Simile Metaphor Personification
B
Part B: Write Your Own!
Now it's your turn to be the creator. Write one simile and one metaphor using the helper boxes.
✍️ Challenge 1: Write a Simile
Compare a crown to something shiny using "like" or "as".
The crown shines as bright as _________________ .
✍️ Challenge 2: Write a Metaphor
Compare the princess's pet pig to something fast or sweet using "is" or "was".
The princess's pig is a _________________________ .
Unit: Royal Figurative Quest • Practice Sheet 1 Student Work • Page 1 of 1
Princess Penelope Student Worksheet Student Worksheet • Phase 2
Princess Penelope's Quest 👑
Name: ______________________ Date: ________
The Story
Princess Penelope’s Lost Pig
1 Once upon a time in a castle far away, Princess Penelope's playful pet pig popped out of the garden gate!
2 Princess Penelope ran outside to find him. High above her head, the golden sun was a shiny coin in the deep blue sky.
3 As she entered the dark, mysterious forest, the old oak trees whispered secrets in the gentle autumn wind.
4 Suddenly, Penelope saw her pig eating red apples near a stream. He looked up, as happy as a king in his new muddy kingdom!
A
Part A: The Figurative Map
Read the numbered lines from the story. Work with your group to decide which type of figurative language is used, and write what it really means.
Line #
The Figurative Phrase
Type of Figure
What does it mean?
Line 1
"Princess Penelope's playful pet pig..."
___________________
___________________
Line 2
"...the golden sun was a shiny coin..."
___________________
___________________
Line 3
"...the old oak trees whispered secrets..."
___________________
___________________
Line 4
"...as happy as a king..."
___________________
___________________
B
Part B: Reflection Prompt
Complete the sentence frame below using ideas from the story to explain the simile.
In Line 4, the author writes that the pig was "as happy as a king" because the pig was feeling very ____________________ and had everything he ____________________.
Unit: Royal Figurative Quest • Practice Sheet 2 Student Work • Page 1 of 1
Quest Sorting Student Cards Collaborative Speaking Activity
Quest Sorting Cards ✂️
Print & Cut Out
How to Play in Your Group:
1. Mix the cut cards. 2. Take turns drawing a card. 3. Read it aloud. 4. Use your Speaking Frame : "I think this card is ________ because it comparing ________ to ________."
Card 1
🏰
"The ancient castle walls were as cold as ice."
Match: SIMILE Compare: walls / ice
Card 2
☁️
"The friendly wizard's white beard was like a soft cloud."
Match: SIMILE Compare: beard / cloud
Card 3
🌋
"The dragon's red breath is a boiling hot volcano."
Match: METAPHOR Is: breath / volcano
Card 4
🌉
"The kind queen's words were a golden bridge of peace."
Match: METAPHOR Is: words / bridge
Card 5
✨
"The tiny silver stars danced happily in the midnight sky."
Match: PERSONIFICATION Action: stars dancing
Card 6
⏰
"The loud rusty grandfather clock screamed the late hour."
Match: PERSONIFICATION Action: clock screaming
Card 7
🐸
"Four friendly forest frogs flew fast over the flowerbed."
Match: ALLITERATION Sound: F
Card 8
🪙
"Clever copper crowns were stacked carefully on tables."
Match: ALLITERATION Sound: C
Unit: Royal Figurative Quest • Group Task Cards Student Tool • Page 1 of 1
