Similes were our focus this week. Students are already pretty comfortable with the concept, so something a bit different was in order. I included a note on Harryette Mullen’s “Wipe That Simile Off Your Aphasia” explaining that aphasia is a disorder affecting how a person communicates, which helped as we discussed the text. But even without that definition to consider, while admitting that it didn’t seem to make sense overall, in some instances, students found certain lines to be logical on their own merits, like “as combustion as want” (‘wanting’ being a burning feeling) and “as mirror as is” (mirrors reflecting things back). We also talked about the poet’s choice to make the poem a single stanza and how it contributes to its effect, along with its lack of capital letters or punctuation. The students then used Mullen’s poem as a model for their own simile studies.
Ms. Kawa, 4th Grade
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Sophia C.
as Dark as can be
flames as black as night
as Dark as can be
Ghosts that follow commands like pets
Unknown like the galaxy
Lightning that strikes from the hand
Unknown like the galaxy
Wind from the hand that moves planes
Different like humans
Water that is on land & in the form of Tsunamis
Different as though human
Grass, wood, & nature floating above
Alike as q&p
We are friends & happy
Alike like q&p
We use our strength for the good of our city
And although we are fiction, & we are not real
We live in the stories like a bird lives in a nest
No, it’s not boring
But yes, we belong
Compassion
Taylor C.
Ice is transparent like clear
Many colors as a rainbow
Transparent is see-through like water
but colors are not, just as grass
Transparent is like a mirror
but colors can also be mirrors.
They both are colors.
Cars on the Simile
Daniel D.
The cars as fast as the speed of light
as bright as the sun
The car’s exhaust shooting out flames
as hot as the sun, shooting out flames
as fast as a cheetah.
That car’s piston pumping up flames
as fast as the speed of light . . . too.
That car’s wheels spinning so fast it’s
as invisible as air.
Snakes
Amy H.
As big as an over-sized worm,
As neglected as a worm
Deadly like a bee
Colorful, like a bee
As small as a stick,
As lively as a stick.
Snakes are like everything.
Around you.
The Computer
Melvin J.
as big as space
as beige as sand
as old as Einstein
as heavy as a tree
the software as simple-looking as a piece of paper
the name as full of numbers as Elon Musk’s child
as dusty as an antique
fan as loud as a siren
Ms. Nelson, 4th Grade
My Cat Is Snowy
Natalie A.
Snowy is white as a paper
Snowy is fast as a hare
Snowy is small as a mouse
Snowy is bright as a sun
Love for My Dog
Malaya H.
as young as a cub
as fast as a cheetah
as lazy as a sloth
as tiny as a lizard
as fluffy as a pillow
as sweet and sour as a lemon
as silly as me
as short like a leaf
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Ari H.
My brother is mean as my grandma’s puppy
named Oreo.
Ari
is fast
as a car.
My brother
is tall
as a building.
A clown is funny as
my mom.
Sophia is nice as Pappy.
Nat is nice like a pillow.
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Yurielle P.
As dark as the darkest corner,
but as bright as the sun.
Higher than the highest skyscraper,
and foggier than fog.
As unique as everyone,
as full as a full cup of water.
As Miracle as Hoped
Sophia S.
As award as earned,
As hurricane as feared,
As friendship as expected,
As winter as brutal,
As summer as hot,
As good fortune as wished,
As miracle as hoped.
Mr. O’Brien, 4th Grade
As’s
Liv A.
as black as dog
as pasta as hot
as jewel as shiny
as cactus as spiky
as cube as flat
as waterbottle as dented
as kids as loud
as fact as roller coaster
as rainbow as colorful
as poo as stinky
Perspectives
Teo A.
as black as paper
as weird as ice cream
as headphones as water bottle
as Gatorade as picture
as taco as pig
as Rubik’s Cube as blanket
as sticker as shirt
as pants as towel
as candy as is
as balloon as needed
as clock as wanted to
as basketball as for
Equals Imagination
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Antanas N.
As white as clouds
as far as see
as small as the world is with me
as sad as black
as crazy as it sounds
as turning as around
as tall as Fuji
as big as the heart
as a small small part
Game
Anand S.
Chess as strategy
Uno as luck
As gamer as YouTuber
As opposite of me
At least I have the best and greatest
Sorry
But you see
Chess is coming to destroy me
Dogs
Arden S.
as sweet as sugar
as kind as friends
as loyal as a queen
as cute as can be
Ms. Lyons, 4th Grade
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Nylah B.
as blue as a water bottle
as huge as a person
as soft as my velvet purse
as nice as Ms. Lyons
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Max H.
as green as grass
as tall as a building
as soft as a marshmallow
smells as sweet as candy
as nice as a beautiful painting
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Paulina P.
As scary as geese,
as lovable as dogs,
as mindful as me,
as happy as fall,
as unhappy as night,
as fake as them,
as kind as him,
as rude as her,
as finished as this poem.
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Jaxson P.
as playful as the park
as hungry as a dog
as good as pizza
as great as basketball
as tied as I am
Forgot the Colors
Warner R.
as red as red
as blue as blue
as orange as orange
as green as green
as yellow as yellow
as purple as purple
as I ran out of colors
My Dog
Kenna W.
Is as Black as a Chalkboard.
She has White spots as a piece of
White paper.
As Small as a small stuffed animal.
As Short as a 1 liter bottle of Pepsi.
As Cute as a baby with an oversized
hat and shirt.
As Smart as a math
genius.
As loud as a Motorcycle.
Ms. Makris, 4th Grade
Messing Around
Abigail B.
as lovely as a rose
as sad as rain
as happy as a blooming
flower
as mad as a cat
as hungry as a horse
as helpful as a student
as bored as me
as sweaty as an athlete
as crazy as a scared
horse.
Similes are fun.
Alphabet Similes
Clementine C.
as alien as an apple
as big as a book
as crazy as a cat
as dreamy as a dragon
as echoey as an eclipse
as freaky as fire
as green as grass
as helpful as a hospital
Catted Out
Christopher D.
Cat tired out
as the moon
at rest
But flying as
the easiest
race
Car wins as
the neat
cleaner
Truck knows
as much as
the earth
Who is as
one of the
I don’t know
as the sea
in space
Games and Food
Aaron H.
Games are as good as food
And sometimes bad as rotten
Food.
As cool as ice cream
As fun as playing with food
Games are fun and so is food.
My Dog
Brenda S.
as black as paint
as joyful as a clown
as cute as a kitten
as energetic as electricity
fun as a dog,
my dog
as calm as a tree
looks like my dog
smells like my dog
sounds like my dog
feels like my dog
is my dog
