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Language Arts
"Casey at the Bat"
by Lisa Briddon
Grade 5

Objectives:
1. The student will identify words to describe how Casey looks, acts, and feels before and after he strikes out.
2. The student will draw similes from their descriptions of Casey to their own life experiences.

Initiation:
I will ask the students given two objects and/or ideas, how would they compare them. Ex Bird/Plane, Baseball bat/Stick, Ball/Orange, Feeling of Anger/Volcano. Then define simile. Give examples: A bird is like a plane. A baseball is as round as an orange. Worksheet.

Materials:
The poem "Casey at the Bat."
Worksheet
Paper
Crayons/Pencils/Markers

Procedure:
Have students take turns reading each stanza of the poem. For understanding, ask students, "What happened in the poem?" Brainstorm words to describe how Casey looked, acted, and felt before and after he struck out. Brainstorm some real life experiences that are similar to Casey's. Ask students to complete "A strike out is as embarrassing as _______, and "A home run is spectacular like_________ in 3 different ways. Have students draw a comparison and present to the class.

Closure:
Review the structure of a simile.

Homework:
Create two similes on your own and draw them.

Alternative activities:
If student does not understand the meaning of a simile, other poems and short stories could be read which have similes in them. The student could practice picking out the similes. Then think of more examples relating to his/her life. In addition, the student could write a story or poem using similes.

Evaluation:
The student will be evaluated based on observation in the classroom and successful completion of the homework assignment.

Adapted from: Introducing Communication Talent with "Casey at the Bat" by: Francis A. Emery

* "Casey at the Bat" can be found at http://library.utoronto.ca/utel/rp/poems/thayerl.html

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