27. Similes and Metaphors
Use Introducing the activity plus the Basic activity and one of the Variations, followed by
Drawing things together. Please read the Basic activity before making your choice.
Activities marked with * are particularly suitable for younger pupils.
Teacher’s notes
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Many of Jesus’ parables are
introduced as similes, for example,
‘The Kingdom of Heaven is like
treasure’ (see Matthew 13 for many
more).
Psalms and other poetic passages of
the Bible have lots of similes and
metaphors, such as ‘The Lord is my
shepherd’ (Psalm 23:1).
The short sayings of the book of
Proverbs use similes and metaphors.
‘A person’s thoughts are like a well of
deep water’ (Proverbs 20:5)
Jesus’ ‘I am’ sayings such as ‘I am
the Good Shepherd’ are a series of
metaphors.
See www.request.org.uk/main/bible
/parables02.htm for more examples.
Introducing the activity
Explain that similes compare one thing with
another. Use similes rather than metaphors
with younger pupils. Describe yourself using a
number of similes, for example, ‘I’m as hot as
an oven!’, ‘I can swim like a fish’. Encourage
the pupils to describe themselves and what
they can do using similes. They can turn the
spoken similes into pictures.
With older pupils metaphors can also be used.
Metaphors don’t use ‘as’, ‘like’ or ‘than’, but
speak of one thing as another and often use
some form of the verb ‘to be’, for example,
‘She is a little ray of sunshine’. Metaphors are
sometimes implicit and the image has to be
inferred from the context. If we say: ‘His anger
burned’ then anger is expressed in terms of
fire. This is better explored with older pupils.
* Basic activity: Similes and meaning
Look at a suitable passage and explore the
similes. What message do the similes convey?
Keep this to one simile at a time for younger
pupils. Pupils can express the biblical simile in
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their own terms retaining the meaning, for
example, Proverbs 16:24 ‘Good words are like
honey’ can become ‘Good words are like
chocolate’.
Psalm 5:12
Psalm 64:3
God’s kindness is like a shield
Bad words are like swords
and arrows
Variation 1: Spot the metaphor
Follow the basic activity but encourage pupils to
spot the metaphors in a passage. Pupils can
change the written metaphors into pictures to
create a picture psalm or text. Pictures can be
drawn or stuck on. Explore how these metaphors
are used in songs and worship, such as ‘Wide,
wide as the ocean’ (www.hymns.me.uk/wide-wideas-the-ocean-hymn-lyrics.htm). Try replacing
Biblical metaphors with modern ones that have the
same meaning, for example, shield could become
‘safety helmet’.
Psalm 18:2
John 8:12
You, God, are my rock, my
castle and my shield.
I am the Light of the world.
Variation 2: Implicit metaphors
Looking for implicit metaphors is more difficult but
could be explored with more able pupils. Explore
Psalm 61:1-4 or Psalm 124. In these psalms
trouble is implicitly described as water and God is
implicitly referred to as a bird.
Drawing things together
Discuss how the metaphors and similes are used
to express meaning and what each says about
God and life. Encourage pupils to create their own
similes and metaphors about God and life, for
example, God is as caring as . . . , Love is as wide
as . . .
40 Creative Ideas for teaching Primary RE © The Stapleford Centre 2010