Write a short, interactive poem generator with similes and metaphors! Students code two fill-in-the-blanks so every read-through is fresh, fun, and creative.
Pacing
2 classes · 90 min
Grade
Grade 7
Coding
Intermediate
Students codeText InputOn Page StartText Variable
Opens a private practice project in the Studio — no account needed.
Write a short poem of 5-6 lines with a clear tone and mood
Use at least one simile and one metaphor correctly
Choose vivid mood words to strengthen mood and tone
Code two fill-in-the-blank prompts with variables
Test the poem to make sure the blanks fit and mood stays consistent.
Key vocabulary
similemetaphordeferredfigurative
Assessment
Formative
Use milestone checks, organizer responses, and daily test evidence to guide feedback.
Summative
The poem contains a correct simile and metaphor, concrete imagery, and a consistent mood across all lines and variable substitutions. Both prompts save the intended noun, variables display in the correct comparison, and varied inputs preserve readable poetic lines.
The student journey
This is a build — not a worksheet packet
Every lesson runs like the story students are about to make: read it, write it, build it, polish it, publish it. The printables scaffold each stage — the published Elementari project is the destination.
1
📖
Read
Students read a short, high-interest passage — a real-world hook, not a dry textbook definition — to spark ideas for what they'll make.
📖A Raisin, a Staircase, and a Question
In 1951, a poet in Harlem asked a question that America has been answering ever since: *What happens to a dream deferred?* A dream put off, postponed, told to wait. Langston Hughes could have answered with an explanation. Instead he answere…
SourcesPoetry Foundation — Langston Hughes, "Harlem"Poetry Foundation — Langston Hughes, "Mother to Son"
In the studio, students bring the project to life — adding art and following the exact writing and coding steps shown below. The Studio Compass walks them through it, one step at a time.
🧭Studio CompassStep 1 / 6
Brainstorm Your Poem🧠
Use your Poem Writing Organizer to help plan and the Word Bank for inspiration! Think of a topic or feeling you want your poem to explore. Jot down words, images, or short phrases
Key words — tap to learncreate text variables
Each step checks off & advances on its own
All 6 studio steps · dynamic to the project
1Brainstorm Your Poem🧠~15 min
2Create a Fun Title 🏷️~5 min
3Add Your Player Prompts 💬~10 min
4Code Your Blanks 😎~10 min
5Write Your Poem ✏️~10 min
6Make It Look Awesome 🎨~10 min
4
🔁
Polish
ongoing
Teacher and peer feedback pin right onto the project — students revise until it's ready to share.
Feedback on the project2 pins
🍎
Add one more sentence here so readers get the full picture.
👍 2Teacher
A
The interaction is clear — it helps the reader follow the project!
A couple of things to gather, a few quick steps to prep — then you're ready to hand it to students.
What you need
A device per student or pair
Internet connection
Prep · about 10 min
1Print the student kits
2Assign this lesson to your students
3Skim the build steps
Teacher background
What you need to know
Students learn that similes and metaphors do work plain statements cannot: the chosen image imports its own sensations and feelings into the subject, so swapping the image rewrites the meaning. They apply this by building comparison lines with open slots, then testing how different reader words transform the poem's picture.
Key terms
simile
a comparison using "like" or "as"
metaphor
a comparison that says one thing simply is another
deferred
put off until later
figurative
using imaginative comparisons rather than literal statements
Watch for these misconceptions
✕
Both comparisons are similes or both are metaphors. →Underline like/as in the simile and verify that the metaphor makes a direct comparison.
✕
A requested word fits one line but breaks the other or changes the mood completely. →Constrain each prompt to a concrete noun and stress-test both lines with several unlike nouns.
Standards alignment
Aligned to the standards you teach
Every task maps to a specific standard, so planning and reporting are covered.
Tracking 7 frameworks: Common Core ELA, Common Core Math, NGSS +4
CCSS · ELA3CSTA5ISTE83 frameworks · 16 standards · DOK 3
CCSS · ELA
Common Core State Standards — English Language Arts
3 standards
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.7.5
Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.7.5
With guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach.
Also addressedCCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.7.6
CSTA
CSTA K–12 Computer Science Standards
5 standards
2-AP-17
Systematically test and refine programs using a range of student-created inputs.
2-AP-11
Create clearly named variables that represent different data types and perform operations on their values.
2-AP-13
Decompose problems and subproblems into parts to facilitate the design, implementation, and review of programs.
Also addressed2-AP-15 · 2-AP-19
ISTE
ISTE Standards for Students
8 standards
ISTE 1.4.a
Students know and use a deliberate design process for generating ideas, testing theories, creating innovative artifacts, or solving authentic problems.
ISTE 1.4.c
Students develop, test, and refine prototypes as part of a cyclical design process.
ISTE 1.6.d
Students publish or present content that customizes the message and medium for their intended audiences.
ISTE 1.5.d
Students understand how automation works and use algorithmic thinking to develop a sequence of steps to create and test automated solutions.
Also addressedISTE 1.2.d · ISTE 1.1.c · ISTE 1.6.b · ISTE 1.5.c
Full task-by-task mapping — including Depth of Knowledge — is in the answer key.
Differentiation & accessibility
Built to reach every learner
One lesson, three built-in paths — with accessibility baked into the materials, not bolted on afterward.
Extra support
Emerging readers & writers
Read-aloud and multilingual support in the Elementari build
Studio Compass highlights one task at a time — including the coding
Sentence frames and a word bank so it is never a blank page
On grade
The core lesson
The passage and storyboard exactly as written
Model answers and “look-fors” in the answer key
Self-check chips at every milestone
Ready for more
Extension & challenge
Challenge vocabulary and a real-world extension question
Deepen one existing page or interaction — without changing the required mechanics
A longer, evidence-based reflection prompt
Accessibility, built inPredictable step-by-step structureOne task at a time · Studio CompassHighlighted response areasLow-stimulation printMovement-friendly pacingDesigned so every student can design, write, and code — with ADHD, autism, and dyslexia in mind.
Questions
Teacher FAQ
Do I — or my students — need to know how to code?
No. Coding concepts are introduced in plain language exactly when students need them, and Studio Compass confirms each milestone so students keep moving without you troubleshooting. The teacher guide walks you through the whole build, answers included.
How long does this lesson take?
About 60, paced into 45-minute class periods. You can spread it out or compress it — students pick up where they left off, so it doesn't have to finish in one sitting.
What devices does this lesson work on?
Students can read, write, code, and publish on Chromebooks, iPads, tablets, laptops, or desktops. All they need is a modern browser — nothing to download or install.
What is Studio Compass?
Studio Compass is the step-by-step guide inside the Studio. It shows students what to do next, identifies the exact coding blocks they need, and confirms completed milestones so they can keep moving independently.
How does this lesson support different learners?
This lesson includes read-to-me with synchronized highlighting, a built-in glossary, and picture-based storyboarding, with writing and coding scaffolds you can dial up or down. Students can work with guided support or more independently — and still finish the same project.
Ready when you are
Bring this lesson to your class
Import your class, assign in one click, and watch them build — the whole kit comes with it.
