A TAIL is to a MERMAID as LEGS are to a ?

TAIL

MERMAID

LEGS

HINT: Which mammal walks on two legs?

ANSWER: a human.

HUMAN

I like water and mermaids.  The story of “The Little Mermaid” inspired my analogy.

I like to pretend to be a mermaid and swim without legs, but instead a tail.

What do you like to pretend to be?

Drawings and text by Riley, age 9, from Tahoe Lake Elementary School, Tahoe City,  California

student of Bonnie Meyers, dyslexia specialist, Incline Village, Nevada

A BASKETBALL is to a HOOP as a FOOTBALL is to a ?

BASKETBALL

HOOP

FOOTBALL

HINT: Where do you kick a football to score points?

ANSWER: a goal post.

GOAL POST

A football must be kicked through a goal post to get points.  A basketball must be shot into a hoop to get points.  If you were going to design a goal post, what would it look like?

Text and art by Masun, age 8, at Nancy Gomes School, Reno, Nevada.  Mary Beth Akers was the principal.

A BAT is to a BAT as a BANK is to  ?

BAT

BAT

BANK

Hint:

in a mirror

ANSWER: river bank.

The key analogy words have the same look, and the same sound, but different meanings.

How interesting they are!  The BANK where we save money is compared to the BANK or

edge of the river.  The BAT in the cave is compared to the BAT used to hit the baseball.

The words look the same and they’re pronounced the same, but their meanings are so far from each other.

That’s homonyms!

What homonyms would you choose to write and illustrate an analogy?

CHINESE TRANSLATION

Text and drawings by Bo, Katie, Daphne, Claire, Noah and Marcos, all age 14 at Sage Ridge School, Reno, Nevada.  Chinese translation by Bo.   Kimball Iverson is the teacher; Norm Colb is the head of school.

A POLAR BEAR is to SNOW as a CAMEL is to ?

Ein EISBAR ist fur SCHNEE wie ein KAMEL fur ? (German translation)

POLAR BEAR

SNOW

CAMEL

Hint: What do camels walk on?

ANSWER: sand.

How are polar bears and camels alike?  How are they different?

SAND

Drawings and text in English and German by Jane, age 7, at State International School Schuldorf Bergstrasse; Jugenheim, Germany.  Judith Hocken is the teacher; Ute Weherich is the principal.

A PEN is to a NOVEL as a PAINTBRUSH is to a ?

PEN

NOVEL

PAINTBRUSH

Hint: What does an artist create with a paintbrush?

ANSWER:  painting.

PAINTING

My analogy of “a pen is to a novel as a paintbrush is to a painting” is comparing two forms of art.  One form of art is the visual, which can be created using a paintbrush.  The other form of art is that of literature which can be created using words.   Both are forms of art, but they are created and presented in very different ways.

If you were to write a novel, what would it be about?

Text and digital illustrations created by A.J., age 17, 12th grade at Alpine Academy, College Prep High School, Sparks, Nevada.  Jessica Stedman is the art teacher; Ms Ross is the principal.

FLOUR is to FLOWER as NIGHT is to a ?

FLOUR

FLOWER

NIGHT

Hint: What word sounds like night but is spelled differently and has a different meaning?

ANSWER: knight.

KNIGHT

FLOUR and FLOWER are homophones.  NIGHT and KNIGHT are homophones too.  Homophones are a type of homonym that sound alike but have different meanings and are spelled differently.  Words that are spelled the same but have different meanings are called homographs.  Homophones and homographs all are homonyms.

Can you name some homographs?

Text and art by Cesar, Teresa,  Saikou, and Chris at Northern Nevada Literacy Council,  Nevada.  Susan Robinson is the executive director,  Marianne Rasmusson is the teacher.