1/26/2027

Morning Announcements

Morning Meeting Agenda

Mon · Social Studies Tue · Literacy Wed · Science Thu · Math Fri · ROAR + Houses
Literacy of the Day

It’s raining cats and dogs!

Some phrases mean something completely different from what the words actually say. They’re called idioms — and English is absolutely full of them.

When someone says “It’s raining cats and dogs,” are actual cats falling from the sky? No! It just means it’s raining REALLY hard.

Three common idioms and what they really mean
Let’s talk
  • What would it look like if cats and dogs REALLY fell from the sky? Silly, right?
  • Have you ever heard a grown-up say something confusing like this?
  • What do you think “hold your horses” means?
Reveal the answerHide the answer
“Hold your horses” means wait a minute! or slow down! No actual horses required. Here are more: “spill the beans” (tell a secret) and “under the weather” (feeling sick).
Try it

Act it out! Show me what “raining cats and dogs” would look like if it were real — run for cover! Now show me “hold your horses” — freeze right where you are!

Idioms are a real obstacle for anyone learning a new language. You can know every single word in the sentence and still have no idea what it means.

The same idea expressed as idioms in English and Spanish
Let’s talk
  • If you were brand new to English, how would you figure out what an idiom means?
  • Why do you think every language invents these instead of just saying “it’s raining hard”?
  • Do you know an idiom in another language? Share it — and tell us the literal version.
Reveal moreHide
You learn idioms from context — watching when people use them — because a dictionary won’t help. Languages invent them because a vivid image is more memorable and more fun than a plain description; “raining pitchers” makes you see it. Some more: in Spanish, “no tener pelos en la lengua” (to have no hairs on your tongue) means to speak bluntly. In French, “avoir le cafard” (to have the cockroach) means to feel down. Every language does this.
Try it

Invent an idiom! With a partner, make up a brand-new idiom for “I’m really tired.” Make it vivid enough that someone could almost guess it. Then test it on another pair — can they figure it out?

Additional Notes/Activities

If additional activities are needed for the Morning Meeting, they will be added here.