South Dakota ELA 7.L.5.a

ELA7th GradeLanguage

The Standard

7.L.5: Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings.

Interpret figures of speech, including allusions (e.g., literary, biblical, mythological).

South Dakota English Language Arts Standards (2025)

Teacher's field guide

What Students Need to Do: Students use context to explain phrases that do not mean exactly what they say. When a writer refers to a story, myth, or biblical account, students explain the reference and why it fits the sentence.
What Mastery Looks Like: A student explains that “his Achilles’ heel” means his weak spot and links it to the myth. They can also explain that “the hallway roared” suggests a noisy crowd, not a hallway making sounds.
Common Misconceptions: Students may read “Achilles’ heel” as an injured foot rather than a weakness. They may name the story behind a reference without explaining why the writer used it.
How to Assess It: Exit ticket: Explain “the hallway roared,” then explain what “David and Goliath” suggests in “The tiny school beat the champions, a David and Goliath win.”

Lesson moves

Give pairs cards reading “Achilles’ heel” and “the wind whispered”; have them match each to an Achilles myth summary or a sound description.
Ask students to write why “the classroom was a zoo” differs from “the classroom had animals” and what each makes readers picture.
Sort sentence cards: “I waited a million years,” “the clock glared,” and “He’s a Scrooge”; name each figure and explain why.
Show a sports headline calling an underdog’s win “David versus Goliath”; ask what the reference adds beyond “surprise win.”

Free download