Maiya Letourneau

0061648
English Lesson Plan 2
Professor Katherine Bowlby
O. Henry!
General Learning outcomes
2. Communicate ideas effectively and clearly, and to respond personally and critically
5. Interpret, select, and combine information using a variety of strategies, resources, and
technologies
10. Use a range of strategies to develop effective writing and other ways of representing and to
enhance their clarity, precision, and effectiveness

Specific Learning Outcomes

4.5 articulate their understanding of the author in relation to the impact of literary devices and
media techniques on the reader or viewer
6.2 make connections between the ideas and information presented in literary and media texts
and their own experiences.
7.8 make informed choices of language and techniques to enhance the impact of imaginative
writing and other ways of representing

Objective: The objective of this lesson is to teach students the use of verbal, situational and
dramatic irony.
Context: This is a two day lesson plan (120 hours) intended for grade 11 students.
DAY 1
Part 1: Concentric Circle Speed dating exercise (20 minutes)
Have the class organize themselves in a concentric circle and ask students to tell their
partner everything they know about irony, and provide an example either from their own
experience or from a movie, television show, or text that displays irony. After the 30 minutes is
up, ask the students to share their ideas and write them on the board. Give students the
dictionary definition of verbal irony, situational irony, and dramatic irony.

Part 2: Videos (15 minutes)

Show students the following three videos and ask them if they can identify which video showed
situational irony, which one showed verbal irony, and which one showed dramatic irony. Ask
them to explain their reasoning.

Situational irony: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQ3E616DZB0

Verbal irony: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2j2beHtZlqM
Dramatic irony: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oau-J4rfhco

Part 3: Brainstorming irony (25 minutes)

Hand out the irony chart (see last page) for students to fill out. They can use pictures, tell a joke,
a story, or create a mini comic-strip to fill the chart.
Part 4: Short story (homework)
Distribute the short story The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry and the following worksheet for
homework:
1. Define the following words using your dictionary:
Magi
meretricious
2. What do you think the irony is in this story?
3. What is the authors attitude towards Christmas and/or gift-giving in general?

Verbal Irony

Situational Irony

Dramatic Irony

DAY 2:
Part 1: Work with a partner (15 minutes)
Ask students to work with a partner and discuss the short story, whether or not they enjoyed it
and why, and the answers they came up with for homework.
Part 2: Class discussion (30 minutes)
Ask students to sit in a circle and have each student say one thing that they liked or disliked
about the short story. Ask prompting questions: Did the students find the story funny? Why or
why not? Do they have any other comments about the story?
Part 3: Be ironic! (15)
Ask students to share an ironic joke or story about their day. Students who are not yet
comfortable with the concept of irony can pass or share an example of irony from a story,
television show, or movie they are familiar with.