What Does the Symbol Mean?
Written by Adi Ackerman, Head Teacher
"What Does the Symbol Mean?" is written for 6th Grade (Ages 11-12), and it covers Common Core RL.6.2. If your student is a year younger but already steady on figurative language, the page still works. You may just need to read the instructions out loud. And if they are older and literary devices never quite stuck, this is a short review rather than busywork.


6th grade vocabulary worksheet: match 12 symbols like a dove and an hourglass to meanings, then explain the sprouts in a garden scene. Answer key included. Part of our literary devices figurative language collection. Aligned to Common Core standards.
How do I use this worksheet?
Pair each device with a short story students read aloud first. Use Foreshadowing or Flashback? and Tone vs Mood to check that students can tell close terms apart.
What students will practice
- Students will match 12 common symbols, such as a broken chain, to their usual meanings.
- Students will use each meaning in the box once, from hope to wisdom.
- Students will explain what the sprouts stand for in a garden scene with Mrs. Okoro.
Curriculum Links
Common Core State Standards
Reading: Literature · 6th Grade
Standard: Determine a theme or central idea of a text and how it is conveyed through particular details; provide a summary of the text distinct from personal opinions or judgments.
View all RL.6.2 worksheets →Find this in the curriculum
Browse the grade, subject, and topic this belongs to.
FAQ
How do I use this literary devices worksheet?
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Pair each device with a short story students read aloud first. Use Foreshadowing or Flashback? and Tone vs Mood to check that students can tell close terms apart.
What does this worksheet teach?
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Match 12 symbols like a dove and an hourglass to meanings, then explain the sprouts in a garden scene. A symbol is an object that stands for a bigger idea, the way a red rose often stands for romance. The directions on the page read: In Part A, write what each symbol usually stands for, using each meaning in the box once. In Part B, read the scene and explain what its symbol stands for. An answer key is included.
Can I use this literary devices worksheet for homeschool or classroom?
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Yes, both. We made it for 6th Grade figurative language, and the page works the same whether it lands on a kitchen table or a center rotation. At home, most families go through it together and talk the answers out loud, and that talking is where most of the learning happens with literary devices. In class it runs well as independent work while you pull a small group. Print one copy or thirty, whichever the day needs.
What is a symbol in a story?
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A symbol is an object, person or place that stands for a bigger idea. In The Brass Key, the key Mei wears stands for her grandfather's trust and the family baking tradition.
What is situational irony?
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It is when what happens is the opposite of what was expected. A contest for the quietest reader whose winner cheers so loudly she must step outside is ironic, but ice cream melting in the sun is not.
What is a character archetype?
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An archetype is a type of character that shows up in stories from many cultures, like the hero, the mentor or the trickster. Character Archetypes describes 8 types and matches 10 sketches to them.
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Worksheet Details
| Grade | 6th Grade |
| Subject | Vocabulary |
| Topic | Figurative Language |
| Standard | RL.6.2 |
| Pages | 1 page |
| Difficulty | Medium |
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