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Metaphorical Expression
Lesson Plan
Math
6
60 Minutes
Jessica Barfield
Instructional Unit Content
Standard(s)/Element(s)
Content Area Standard
MCC.6.NS.5 Understand that positive and negative numbers are used together to describe
quantities having opposite directions or values (e.g., temperature above/below zero,
elevation above/below sea level, debits/credits, positive/negative electric charge); use
positive and negative numbers to represent quantities in real-world contexts, explaining
the meaning of 0 in each situation.
TAG Standard
Creative Thinking & Creative Problem Solving Skills
7. The student uses analogies, metaphors, and/or models to explain complex concepts.
Summary/Overview
The focus of this lesson is to give students the opportunity to develop insights and provide
explanations of rational numbers.
Enduring Understanding(s)
At the end of this lesson the student will understand rational numbers and how they are
used in the world.
Essential Question(s)
What type of real-world situations can be represented by positive and negative rational
numbers?
Modifications
Students will work in groups predetermined by the teacher based on prior skills and
creativity. Students will get to use graphic organizers to organize thoughts and ideas
Procedure(s)
Phase 1: Hook
1.
Students will get into pairs and describe each other as what type of animal they are most like and
why. Pairs can present to the whole group.
Phase 2: Examine the Content
2.
Set the Scene: How are you different from your best friend? How are you the same as your best
friend?
Pose the Essential Question. “What type of real-world situations can be represented by
positive and negative rational numbers?” How is our essential question connected to our
discussion about you and your best friend?
3.
Teacher will present lesson on numbers and their opposites, graphing on a coordinate plane, and
absolute value. The students already have a background with this content. The students can work
in pairs and to create meanings for rational numbers, how to graph, and what is absolute value.
Phase 3: Analogies
Direct Analogy: Students will identify the similarities and differences graphing rational
numbers and giving driving directions to your house to an out of Towner . In groups of 4 record
how they are alike and different using the visual organizer.
5. Personal Analogy: Students will compare themselves to a number and its opposite.
Individually record the answers to the following questions:
 Where do you live?
 How do you feel about having a twin?
 How do you feel when you are surrounded by absolute values?
 How do you feel when you’re put in an order pair?
Students will write a paragraph, poem, or song in the first person about their life as a rational
number.
6. Compressed Conflict: Candidates will brainstorm antonyms of absolute value in order to create
compressed conflict phrases.
4.
Phase 4: Synthesis Activity
7.
Candidates will generate another direct analogy by completing the following sentence: Rational
numbers are like ________. Give at least 5 reasons why rational numbers are like the item in
your sentence.
Summarizing Activity

Exit Ticket: where would we find rational numbers in the real world? Where have
you specifically experienced rational numbers in your life?
Handouts:
Handout 1: Direct Analogy Organizer
Handout 2: Personal Analogy Organizer
Handout 3: Compressed Conflict Organizer
Direct Analogy
How is graphing rational numbers like giving
driving directions to an out of Towner?
How are they NOT alike?
Personal Analogy
Pretend that you are a number and its’ opposite and answer the following
questions as if you were those numbers
Where do you live?
How do you feel about having a twin?
How do you feel when you are
surrounded by absolute values?
How do you feel when you’re put in an
ordered pair?
Write a paragraph, poem, or song in first person about your life as a number.
Compressed Conflict
List five important words to describe
absolute value.
List antonyms for each word to the
left.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Review your original list and its antonyms. Do any of the pairs of words seem
to fight each other but still describe absolute value? Create three
Compressed Conflicts