Idioms

My students make a book about idioms. They draw pictures to describe what it actually means. We also played a game where I place the idioms on index cards each student read the card secretly and acted out the idiom and the other students had to guess what idiom expression it was. We played with two teams similar to family fued; each team could help. The idioms can be listed on the board for those students who may forget and then they can pick the one that is correct.

Put enough idioms for everyone in your class into a hat. Have each student pick one and illustrate it. Hang all the illustrations up with a title of something like "Can you figure out these idioms?" Type a list of the idioms onto a piece of paper and hang it along with the illustrations for everyone to try and match them up. I have done this before and hung them in the hallway. It's funny to watch kids stop and try to figure out what idiom belongs with what picture.

I use the Amelia Bedelia books by Peggy Parish for a study on idioms. I read the first book aloud to my class. We discuss what idioms are and pick them out of the story. Then I break them up into small groups and give each another Amelia Bedelia book to read with their group. (there are tons!) They pick out idioms in that book as well. We come back as a big group and discuss. For the next couple of days I let each group rotate the books. Then each child comes up with an idiom and writes it and illustrates it (it's literal meaning). They are really cute and I display them with under a title (using an idiom ofcourse).

I did a bulletin board with idioms. The board itself said "It's Raining Cats and Dogs" and then I used black posterboard to cut out a cloud shape. Then I glued pillow stuffing all over the cloud cut-out. It looks like a big thunderhead! Then Under the cloud I cut out cats and dogs and on each one put a different idiom. We added 3 idioms at a time as we introduced and talked about what they mean. It's really cute!

My kids always love working with idioms. I have them draw a picture of what the idiom literally means (a cat holding someone's tounge) and using it in a sentence. Then on the back they write the actual meaning of the phrase. I hang them up on a clothesline in the class and everyone loves reading them! Scholastic makes an 'idiom dictionary' that is really good and explains the meaning of idioms and their origin.

I read a book I found which was written & illustrated by a class of 4th graders from California. It's called Who Let the Cat Out of the Bag? Each page has an idiom, an illustration of what it sounds like (literal meaning) and the meaning (figurative meaning). After reading this and discussing, I assign each student an idiom. I made individual laminated cards with them, using the Scholastic Dictionary of Idioms. (This is a great book that lists idioms alphabetically. For each one, it has a sentence, the meaning, and the origin of the saying.) My students each illustrate a page for our own book. After we share the idioms and display them in the hall for awhile, we'll bind them into a book to put in our classroom library. They love this.

My fourth graders absolutely love learning about idioms! We brainstorm as many as we can. I give them a list of about 40 that I have found. We discuss the real meaning and talk about how funny it would look if we interpret figurative language literally. We make idiom books where they write the real meaning (You're driving me up a wall means you are making me crazy.) but we draw the literal meaning. They love to share their pictures with the class because they are so funny! We make these into class books and share them with other classes. We also do charades with idioms and the kids have to guess which idiom we are acting out.

While reading Maniac Magee, teach the children different forms of figurative language (similes,metaphors, exaggerations, idioms, puns, etc.) It is a PERFECT book for teaching this concept, since it is used a great deal throughout the book. My kids absolutely had a ball learning and experimenting with figurative language and then picking the different forms out in the novel.
It also makes great bulletin board decorations for others to laugh at. Ex. "What's wrong, cat got your tongue?" The child can draw a cat pulling a person's tongue. Have fun.

be carried out feet first
be dead on your feet
be run/rushed off your feet
be six feet under
be under your feet
cut the ground from under someone/someone's feet
drag your/its feet
drag your feet/heels
feet of clay
your feet on the ground
find your feet
get cold feet
get your feet under the table
get your feet wet
get itchy feet
get under someone's feet
have your/both feet on the ground
have itchy feet
have the world at your feet
hold someone's feet to the fire
in your stocking feet
in (your) stocking/stockinged feet
jump in with both feet
keep your/both feet on the ground
knock someone off their feet
land on your feet
not let the grass grow under your feet
on your/its feet
the patter of tiny feet
pull the rug (out) from under someone/something
pull the rug from under someone/something
put your feet up
six feet under
stand on your own (two) feet
stand on your own two feet
sweep someone off their feet
think on your feet
vote with your feet

I'm on top of the world
I'm in a pickle
I'm feeling blue
In one ear and out the other
That's a piece of cake
Give me a hand
Under the weather
Break a leg
Your're pulling my leg
Pass the buck
Elbow Grease
Blow your tops
Hold down the fort
Hit the ceiling
On your high horse
Own the right track
Give the cold shoulder
Talk a mile a minute

"The buck stops here"
"There is money burning a hole in my pocket"