LESSON ONE: Irony in Poetry and Prose (fiction and non-fiction texts)
Using a graphic organizer, students investigate irony in fiction and nonfiction texts (a poem, a newspaper
column, and a short story).
GRADE-LEVEL EXPECTATIONS
R2B Analyze and evaluate author’s use of figurative language (emphasize irony), imagery and sound devices in
poetry and prose
R3B Analyze and evaluate author’s use of figurative language (emphasize irony), imagery and sound devices in
nonfiction text
Strategy
Instruct students to retain copies of literature stimulus pieces for use in subsequent lessons.
LESSON MATERIALS
 Sources of Literature
o None

Supplies
o Overhead and transparencies

Handouts provided
o “One Perfect Rose” by Dorothy Parker. http://www.plagiarist.com/poetry/1950/ (Overhead)
o “The Nose Knows” by Dave Barry (Student copies)
http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/living/columnists/dave_barry/11660509.htm
o “The Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin (Student copies)
http://classiclit.about.com/library/bl-etexts/kchopin/bl-kchop-story.htm
o Winning the Lottery T-Chart example (Overhead)
o Fishbone Graphic Organizer (Student copies)
o Possible answers for Fishbone Graphic Organizers “The Nose Knows” by Dave Barry and “The Story of an
Hour” by Kate Chopin
o Irony in “Story of an Hour” for formative assessment
o Formative assessment Scoring Guide for “The Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin

Words to know
o irony
o fiction
o nonfiction
o graphic organizer
FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT
Students identify irony and analyze its contribution to the text. Students complete the handout Irony in “The Story
of an Hour” by Kate Chopin handout. Scoring guide provided.
LEARNING ACTIVITIES
1. Using the Think-Pair-Share strategy, focus on the concept of irony. First, students make individual lists of
events that would change their lives (examples: winning something big like the lottery; death of a loved
one). Next, students pair up to share their life-changing events lists with each other. Display the example
Winning the Lottery T-Chart handout. Then, each pair chooses one of the events, creates a T-Chart, and
labels their own charts to show an expected reaction and an unexpected reaction to events. When finished
with the T-charts, students share their answers with the class.
2.
Strategy
Think-Pair-Share is a simple cooperative learning activity. Students think about and respond to a
question, then pair up and discuss their answers. Each partner has a predetermined amount of time
for sharing (i.e., one minute). The pair then shares their answers with the whole class or another
group.
Idea
A resource with many cooperative learning activities is Cooperative learning resources for
teachers, by S. Kagan, San Clemente, CA: Resources for Teachers, Inc. (1994).
Discuss irony. There are three types of irony. Verbal irony uses words to suggest opposite meanings;
saying one thing but meaning another. In dramatic irony, the reader is aware of something that a character
in a piece of literature does not know. In situational irony, the outcome of a situation is very different from
what is expected.
Questions
for
Students
3.
Think about stories you have read or movies you have seen. Can you give an example of
dramatic irony?
What purpose does irony serve in literature?
Can you give an example of verbal irony?
Think back to your life-changing event T-chart. What made your unexpected reaction an
example of irony?
Display the Dorothy Parker poem, “One Perfect Rose.” After reading the poem, use the “Most Important
Word” strategy.
Strategy Most Important Word—After reading the poem, student selects the most important word that
comes to mind when reflecting about the poem. Students share their words and explain why
they were chosen. The teacher lists the words on the board or overhead. Others comment and
share their words and reasons, providing a meaningful discussion about the message of the
poem. (Beers, 2000)
4. Discuss the irony in the poem.
Questions
for
Students
Idea
What were your first impressions as you began reading the poem?
How did this contrast with your impression as you finished the poem?
What is the poet’s attitude toward the rose in the first two stanzas?
What is her attitude toward the rose in the last stanza?
What kind of irony does this represent?
Explain the irony.
What effect does the irony have on the mood and tone of the poem?
What effect does the irony have on the poet’s purpose for the poem?
If you were the poet, what would you use instead of a limousine to contrast with the rose?
Two resources with many pre-reading, during reading, and post-reading strategies are Reading
strategies handbook for high school: A guide to teaching reading in the literature classroom by
Kylene Beers, Austin, TX: Holt, Rinehart and Winston (2000); and Teaching reading in the
content areas: If not me, then who? Teacher’s Manual 2nd Edition by R. Billmeyer & M.L.
Barton, Aurora, CO: McREL (1998)
5.
Students read “The Nose Knows” by Dave Barry. Use the Most Important Word Strategy.
6.
Demonstrate how to complete the fishbone graphic organizer to analyze the irony in the selection. Discuss
the graphic organizer results. Discuss Possible Answers for Fishbone Graphic Organizer, “The Nose
Knows,” by Dave Barry handout.
Strategy The ‘bones’ on the top part of the fishbone graphic organizer are for examples of irony. The
corresponding bones below each explain how the irony contributes to the tone, mood, author’s
purpose, characterization, or theme of the story. The large box on the right is for the overall
effect of the selection. Begin with the overall effect to guide the choice of irony examples
Questions
for
Students
7.
8.
What is an example of irony in the Dave Barry column?
What kind of irony does this represent?
How does this contribute to the intent of the column?
What is the overall effect of the irony in the column?
Suggest another ironic example you would include in this piece?
Compare Barry’s irony to Dorothy Parker’s irony. Which piece is better? Why?
Students read “The Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin.
Working in pairs and using a blank fishbone graphic organizer, students analyze irony in the selection. Lead
a discussion of the graphic organizer results. See possible answers for fishbone graphic organizer, “The
Story of an Hour,” by Kate Chopin handout.
Questions
for
Students
What were your first thoughts as you began reading the story?
What is the overall effect of the irony in the story?
Give an example of irony in the story.
Tell how irony contributes to the story.
What kind of irony does this represent?
Would this story be believable in today’s society?
How does this compare with the use of irony in the Dave Barry column?