Hyperbole- Lesson Plans and Resources
Lesson Plan
Grade Level: upper elem. students
Goal: Students can identify hyperboles and determine when to use it in their writing.
Focus: Identifying the use of hyperboles
(Hyperbole (hi-pur'be-le) n. An
exaggeration or overstatement
intended to produce an effect without being taken literally.)
Hyperbole is a form of speech that could be described as 'extravagant exaggeration'. It is not
appropriate when writing essays or reports, but a little hyperbole (pronounced 'hi-per-bo-lee') is an
effective way to color the speech of a character in a short story, or
use it to make a point effectively in
a humourous piece of writing.
Examples:
I've told you a million times not to exaggerate.
Here's a link to millions of hyperboles.
Activities:
1. Students work in pairs to author a short story creating a character or characters that use(s) hyperboles constantly.
2. The teacher will give blanket statements in class that the students will complete with their original hyperbole. Example:
That student is so lazy that.......................... or that class was so boring (or exciting) that....................
3. Review the definition: Hyperbole simply means exaggeration.
Provide some Examples:
I could sleep for a year.
This box weighs a ton.
I've told you a million times not to exaggerate.
Your mother is so small she does chin-ups on the curb.
Share this Poem: The Hippo
A head or tail - which does he lack?
I think his forward's coming back!
He lives on carrots, leeks, and hay;
He starts to yawn - it takes all day
Some time I think I'll live that way.
Now give students directions to write a ten-line poem using hyperbole, or write ten examples of hyperbole.
4. Have students list as many hyperboles as they can. Discuss the meanings. Choose 1 and create a poem using the hyperbole. If you create a great list of hyperboles, allow students to post those on the web.
Evaluation: Students can do the above activities with a minimum of 80% accuracy.