"You can't cry over spilled milk!"
my mother always said.
"Life's not a piece of cake!"
she hammered in my head.
"That's the way it goes,
that's the way the cookie crumbles"
My mother saved her idioms
for all my idiotic troubles.
-John Randal
Questions: 40 pts (1-4 answer on your own within a 3-4 paragraph paper using MLA style)
1) Without looking up a precise definition, after reading the above poem, in your own words come up with a definition of an idiom.
2) What do the use of idioms in this poem say about the relationship between the author and their mother?
3) Find two different poems that contain at least two different idioms. Provide the metaphorical meaning of the idiom and explain why you think the author may have chose to use an idiom. For example, was the idiom used to mock someone? Explain. (This will involve some research. Provide at least one source using MLA format)
4) Think beyond this poem about students/readers who may not use English as their first language. Do you see any barriers that American idioms may cause some confusion for English language learners? Why or why not?
Group Assignment: 60 pts
Now that each member in the group has explored idioms, it's time to create your own!
1) Come up with a subject matter. For example John Randal's subject was lessons in life his mother taught him. (School, homework, friday night football games, etc)
2) Create an eight line poem containing at least two idioms about the subject your group has chosen. The challenge is to not name your subject within the poem. Be creative and have fun playing with words. Your mission is to challenge your fellow classmates into figuring out your subject. Keep your subject a secret, there will be prizes!
(additional sites that may help) www.pride-unlimited.com, www.learnenglishfeelgood.com
3) Once your poem is complete, upload your poem to your figurative language website page: idiom (we will be doing this in class). Each figurative language technique will be under going the same task.
4) Digitally create picture/collage of the subject matter within your poem in which explains literal meanings of your idioms with in your poem (no words or letters allowed). For example if you used the idiom "all thumbs", you could create a picture in which contains many people giving the "thumbs up" sign. We will work on this page in class, but remember to still keep your subject matter a secret! You will print out four copies of your art work that will be passed around with four copies of your poem to each group. Each group will try and match the picture of the different poems composed of different usages of figurative language. Be creative!