LESSON PLAN by _Marie Stump_____________________________________
Lesson: __Literary Devices__ Length __1 ½ - 2 weeks_Age or Grade Intended _English 10__
Academic Standard(s):
10.3.7
Evaluate the significance of various literary devices, including figurative language,
imagery, allegory (the use of fictional figures and actions to express truths about
human experiences), and symbolism (the use of a symbol to represent an idea or
theme), and explain their appeal.
Example: Evaluate the imagery in poetry, such “I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud” by
William Wordsworth and “Shall I Compare Thee to a Summer’s Day?” by William
Shakespeare.
10.5.1
Write biographical or autobiographical narratives or short stories that:
 describe a sequence of events and communicate the significance of the events to
the audience.
 locate scenes and incidents in specific places.
 describe with specific details the sights, sounds, and smells of a scene and the
specific actions, movements, gestures, and feelings of the characters; in the case
of short stories or autobiographical narratives, use interior monologue (what the
character says silently to self) to show the character’s feelings.
 pace the presentation of actions to accommodate changes in time and mood.
Performance Objectives:
Tenth-grade English students will, provided with a list of common literary devices and examples for each,
and after a class lecture/discussion of the listed items, choose song lyrics or a poem (of no more than two
pages in length) in which they will analyze and identify present literary devices and their impact upon the
piece, as outlined in a rubric given to them after the discussion of devices. Students will correctly identify at
least 85% of the devices present in their pieces and will provide detailed explanations (2-4 sentences) of the
impact of each. (This meets requirements of 10.3.7.)
Tenth-grade English students will, upon completion of the above objective, put into practice their
knowledge of literary devices by writing an autobiographical short story of 2-4 pages (following a provided
rubric that states requirements and scoring) that meets the listed requirements of 10.5.1 and includes at least
ten different kinds of literary devices, at least eight of which have been used correctly, with less then six
grammatical errors and three spelling errors.
Tenth-grade English students will, upon completion of the two above objectives, take a test that asks them
to identify examples of literary devices and produce examples of specific devices, correctly answering at
least 80% of the test items.
Assessment:
The analyses provided in the first objective will be evaluated by the teacher (based on the provided rubric)
within two class periods so students may ask questions and receive feedback prior to completing and
handing in the stories required in the second objective.
The autobiographical short stories written for the second objective will be read and graded for grammar,
content, style, and device usage based on the rubric given to the students. These will be returned at least one
day prior to the test in objective three so that students have an opportunity to ask questions and receive
feedback before the final assessment of the material.
The test in the third objective will be graded and scored based on an answer key created with the test.
Advanced Preparation by Teacher:
The teacher will need to create (or find) a list of common literary devices (defined and with examples) to
give to students at the beginning of the first objective, a rubric for the lyric or poem analysis required by the
first objective, a rubric for the short story required by the second objective, and a test over the discussed
literary devices (with accompanying answer key).
Procedure:
Introduction/Motivation: The teacher will find colorful (strange) examples – both modern and
outdated – of the devices on the list and read them aloud one at a time at the beginning of class.
After each, the teacher will ask questions, such as: “Has anyone ever heard this before?” “What
does it mean, or what do you think it means?” “Do you know what this is called?” The class will
discuss. After doing so, the teacher will ask if anyone can think of any other strange sayings or
similar examples. The class will discuss.
Step-by-Step Plan: This lesson utilizes linguistic, interpersonal, and intrapersonal intelligence.
First Day:
1. The teacher will follow the directions under Introduction/Motivation above to get students
interested in the topic. – This introduction fits into Level II of Bloom’s: Comprehension.
2. The teacher will pass out the list of common literary devices. He or she will go through and
read off the names of all of the listed devices without going over definitions or examples.
3. Students will split off into groups of three or four and look over the list for fifteen minutes,
making note of which devices are familiar, which are completely new but seem interesting,
and which are confusing and worth more in-depth discussion. The class will reconvene and
discuss what individual groups found. – This discussion fits into Level I of Bloom’s:
Knowledge.
4. The teacher will begin to ask individual students to volunteer to read one device, its
definition, and any examples listed. The devices will be read in order. After each is read,
the teacher will ask the entire class if there are any questions about that specific device and
if students can come up with any other examples. (Getting through the entire list might take
more than the first class period, depending on the schedule of the school and how many of
the devices students are unfamiliar with or have questions about. This should take no more
than two class periods, however.)
Second Day:
5. After going through the entire list of devices, the teacher will hand out the rubric for the
“One Line at a Time” project and go over it, making sure students know that the project is
due two days later. The teacher will explain the project and ask students to come to the next
class with the lyrics to a school appropriate song or poem. (If there is time left at the end of
class after assigning this task, the teacher may give students time to make flashcards of the
devices and definitions.) The teacher will give students a full day to work on the “One
Line” project in class, with some time for partner work. (This will allow each student to see
if others can find any devices that he or she missed and get feedback from peers. The
teacher will also be wandering around the room, ready to answer questions and clarify
device identifications as needed.) – The “One Line” project fits into Level III on Bloom’s:
Application.
6. After the in-class workday, students will have until the next class period to finish their
projects and be ready to turn them in. The teacher will collect projects at the beginning of
the class period.
Third Day:
7. The students will participate in a review of the previously-learned devices in which the
teacher gives examples and asks students to identify the correct device. The teacher will ask
complex questions such as “How would you classify this example: _____?” “Why do you
think a writer might choose to say ____ and what does it mean?” and “Why is this an
example of ____ and not of ____?” in an effort to keep students thinking while checking
their comprehension. (This could be turned into a game, also.) – This review fits into Level
IV of Bloom’s: Analysis.
8. The teacher will pass out the rubric for the “Wanna Talk About Me” project and go over it,
informing students that a draft of the short story is due in three class periods and the
finished product is due in a week, at the beginning of the class period in which the test will
be taken over devices.
9. Students will brainstorm ideas for their short stories individually for 10-15 minutes and
then discuss with a partner. The teacher will be walking around ready to answer questions
and address concerns. (If there is still time at the end of class, students may either begin to
write outlines and drafts or start/continue to work on flashcards for test review.)
10. The teacher will grade at least half of the “One Line” projects submitted before the next
class period. Make note of the examples that were not identified and correct those identified
incorrectly so that students can see what they should look for.
Fourth Day:
11. At the beginning of class, the teacher will provide a short example of a song or poem in
which groups of 3-4 students will compete to see who can identify the most examples of
devices correctly. Depending on class length, the teacher may provide additional short
examples after the first. A discussion and time for questions about devices or the “Wanna
Talk” assignment will follow the competition. (If extra time is available, the teacher might
use it for individual questions about what students have for their short stories [or individual
work time] or to continue reviewing and reinforcing device identifications for the test.)
Fifth Day:
12. The teacher will grade the remaining “One Line” projects before the next class period. He
or she will hand them back at the start of class and allow students time to look them over
and ask questions as needed. This is so that students have time to see if they need further
clarification on certain devices before the test.
13. Students will be able to work alone or with a partner. Each pair or individual will be given
a large poster, and colorful markers will be provided for the class to share. Students will be
told to map out at least fifteen devices and their relationships to each other. This can be
done either with a graphical representation (such as a web) or by drawing a comparison to
some form of illustration (for example: a flower whose stem is “tone,” whose leaves are
things that affect tone like “diction” and “imagery,” whose flower center is “figurative
language,” whose petals are “hyperbole,” “metaphor,” “simile,” and so on). The students
will present their illustrations either at the end of this class period or at the beginning of the
next. Participation points will be awarded as incentive.
14. Teacher should remind students to bring rough drafts of the “Wanna Talk” story to the next
class period.
Sixth Day:
15. If students did not have the opportunity to present their illustrations during the previous
class period, they should do so briefly at the beginning of class.
16. Students will be paired up randomly using name cards or sticks. Pairs will exchange short
story drafts and critique. Students should underline examples of devices and note
grammatical and spelling errors. Students should give each other feedback on the content
and style of the stories based on the previously provided rubric. The teacher will wander,
available to help or answer questions. Students will discuss their thoughts and opinions and
then break off to work individually for the remainder of class.
Seventh Day:
17. The teacher will allow time for last-minute individual questions over devices or the short
story.
18. Students will participate in a team review game of some sort (maybe Jeopardy or a board
race) to help them prepare for the test the following day.
Eighth Day:
19. Students will turn in their “Wanna Talk” short stories at the beginning of class.
20. Students will take a test over the literary devices, sitting quietly until everyone finishes.
Closure: The unit will end with a short test. There should be time at the end of the same class
period to briefly introduce the next lesson or unit, probably without giving homework (which would
allow students to have a brief break to mentally prepare to move on to the new lesson).
Adaptations/Enrichment: Individual adaptations will be tailored to the stipulations of the individual’s IEP.
General adaptations will consist of ensuring that those with learning disabilities are not partners for any of
the partner activities and are distributed among the groups during group or team work. Enrichment will
include providing a short, separate list of more complex, less common literary devices for students who
finish early or seem bored to look over and study. A bonus question or two worth a small number of extra
points over those devices on the test would provide incentive to study them.
Self-Reflection: If students continue to point out the use of literary devices as we continue through the rest
of the semester or year, then I will know that the lesson stuck and had an impact. I will also be able to gauge
the level of enthusiasm and engagement throughout the lesson. Depending on student scores on the short
story, I will be able to tell if I need to do another writing-oriented lesson or activity soon, and I will also be
able to use the percentage of students who miss each question on the test to tell if there were some devices
that I should have had better examples for or discussed in greater detail.
Quick List of Common Literary Terms
Alliteration—The repetition of the same initial consonant or vowel sounds in words that are
close to each other. For example:
* Bobby bleeds blue blood.
* Adam acts with Abby.
Allusion—A literary reference to a person, place, event, or other literary work, often without
specific indication. Allusions often refer to myths, the Bible, historic events, legends, geography,
or popular works of literature that were published previously. For example:
* Calling someone “Romeo” is an allusion to Shakespeare’s well-known play Romeo and
Juliet.
* The three-headed dog in J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone is an
allusion to Cerberus, the three-headed dog who guards the entrance to the Underworld in
Greek mythology.
Ambiguity— The use of a phrase, symbol, or action that can be interpreted multiple different
ways. For example:
* He likes to paint his live models with shoes off.
Analogy—An analogy is a comparison to a directly parallel case. When a writer uses an
analogy, he or she argues that a claim reasonable for one case is reasonable for the
analogous case. For example:
* Syrup is to pancakes as ketchup is to French fries.
Assonance—Repetition of a vowel sound within two or more words in close proximity. For
example:
* “lake” and “fate”
* “top” and “pot”
Connotation—Rather than the dictionary definition, the associations associated by a word.
Implied meaning rather than literal meaning. For example:
* “house” versus “home”
Denotation—The dictionary definition of a word, which does not take into account
historical or emotional associations. For example:
Diction – Word choice, often choosing one word over synonyms because of connotations. For
example:
* smart, intelligent, cunning, astute
* shirt, top, blouse
Euphemism—Choosing a gentler or more positive word or phrase over a harsher or more blunt
or painful one. For example:
* “custodian” over “janitor”
* “passed away” over “died”
Hyperbole—Conscious exaggeration used to make a point or show emotion. Not intended
literally, hyperbole is often humorous. For example:
* the “shot heard round the world”
Imagery—The use of sensory information (sights, smells, sounds) to convey emotion and
set mood.
Irony—When a reader is aware of a reality that differs from a character's perception of
reality (dramatic irony)/ The literal meaning of a writer's words may be verbal irony.
Generally speaking, a discrepancy between expectation and reality.
Metaphor— A figure of speech in which an implied comparison is made between two
unlike things that actually have something in common. For example:
* "The streets were a furnace, the sun an executioner."
-Cynthia Ozick, "Rosa"
Metonymy—Indication of one thing with something closely associated with it. For
example:
* calling the head of a committee a CHAIR, the king the CROWN, a newspaper the
PRESS, or old people the GRAY HAIRS.
Mood—An atmosphere created by a writer's word choice (diction) and the details selected.
Syntax is also a determiner of mood because sentence strength, length, and complexity
affect pacing.
Onomatopoeia—The use of a word whose pronunciation suggests its meaning. For
example:
* “buzz” and “hiss”
Oxymoron—Placing two contradictory terms next to each other. For example:
* "jumbo shrimp" or "pretty ugly"
Paradox—A seemingly contradictory statement or situation which is actually true. This
rhetorical device is often used for emphasis or simply to attract attention. For example:
* "War is peace."
"Freedom is slavery."
"Ignorance is strength."
-George Orwell, 1984
Parallelism—Sentence construction which places in close proximity two or more equal
grammatical constructions. For example:
* "When you are right you cannot be too radical; when you are wrong, you
cannot be too conservative."
-Martin Luther King, Jr.
Parody—An exaggerated imitation of a usually more serious work for humorous purposes.
For example:
* Family Guy is full of parodies of many different works.
Personification—Figurative Language in which inanimate objects, animals, ideas, or
abstractions are endowed with human traits or human form. For example:
* The sun smiled down at her.
* Love whispers softly.
Point of View—The perspective from which a fictional or nonfictional story is told. Firstperson (“I”), third-person (“he,” “she,” “it”), or third-person omniscient points of view are
commonly used.
Repetition—Word or phrase used two or more times in close proximity.
Setting—Locale and period in which the action takes place.
Simile—A figurative comparison of two things, often dissimilar, using the connecting
words: "like," "as," or "than." For example:
* Her eyes were like a clear blue sky.
Style—The choices in diction, tone, and syntax that a writer makes. In combination they
create a work's manner of expression. Style is thought to be conscious and unconscious and
may be altered to suit specific occasions. Style is often habitual and evolves over time.
Symbolism—Use of a thing, event, or person to represent or stand for some idea or event.
Symbols also simultaneously retain their own literal meanings. For example:
* The dove is a symbol for peace.
Theme—A central idea of a work of fiction or nonfiction, revealed and developed in the
course of a story or explored through argument.
Tone—A writer's attitude toward his or her subject matter revealed through diction,
figurative language, and organization of the sentence and global levels.
Understatement-Deliberately representing something as much less than it really is. For
example:
* “It’s just a flesh wound.”
Name: ___________________________________________________ Class period: _____________________
Literary Devices Test
Date: _________________
Read each example below and write the letter of the correct literary device beside it.
(Two points each)
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
F.
G.
H.
I.
J.
euphemism
hyperbole
alliteration
onomatopoeia
ambiguity
metaphor
simile
oxymoron
personification
assonance
_____ 1. Jack jumped for joy when Jenny arrived.
_____ 2. “little giant”
_____ 3. Her lips were like red raspberries.
_____ 4. “zip” or “bam”
_____ 5. “restroom” instead of “bathroom”
_____ 6. The tree was a soldier, standing guard over the house.
_____ 7. Jack and Matt ate snacks.
_____ 8. Your house is so big Mount Everest could fit in it!
_____ 9. The words jumped off the page.
_____ 10. We saw her duck.
Identify each of the following examples. (Three points each)
11. Harry was a good man; John was a great man. ___________________________
12. The vibrant leaves of fall covered the hills with a blanket of reds, oranges,
yellows, purples, and browns in myriad hues. __________________________
13. Terry talks to Jeff and Tom all the time. __________________________
14. The white rose on the doorstep brought tears to the young girl’s eyes, reminding
her of her past. _________________________
15. “It’s just a flesh wound.” ________________________
Come up with your own examples of each of the following. (Four points each.)
16. Personification:
17. Repetition:
18. Imagery:
19. Hyperbole:
20. Analogy:
Name: _____KEY_________________________________________ Class period: _____________________
Literary Devices Test
Date: _________________
Read each example below and write the letter of the correct literary device beside it.
(Two points each)
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
F.
G.
H.
I.
J.
euphemism
hyperbole
alliteration
onomatopoeia
ambiguity
metaphor
simile
oxymoron
personification
assonance
__C_ 1. Jack jumped for joy when Jenny arrived.
__H_ 2. “little giant”
__G_ 3. Her lips were like red raspberries.
__D_ 4. “zip” or “bam”
__A_ 5. “restroom” instead of “bathroom”
__F_ 6. The tree was a soldier, standing guard over the house.
___J_ 7. Jack and Matt ate snacks.
__B_ 8. Your house is so big Mount Everest could fit in it!
___I_ 9. The words jumped off the page.
__E_ 10. We saw her duck.
Identify each of the following examples. (Three points each)
11. Harry was a good man; John was a great man. _________parallelism______
12. The vibrant leaves of fall covered the hills with a blanket of reds, oranges,
yellows, purples, and browns in myriad hues. ________imagery_________
13. Terry talks to Jeff and Tom all the time. _________alliteration______
14. The white rose on the doorstep brought tears to the young girl’s eyes, reminding
her of her past. ________symbolism______
15. “It’s just a flesh wound.” ______understatment___
Come up with your own examples of each of the following. (Four points each.)
16. Personification:
Answers will vary.
17. Repetition:
Answers will vary.
18. Imagery:
Answers will vary.
19. Hyperbole:
Answers will vary.
20. Analogy:
Answers will vary.