Understanding Irony and its Uses, Grade 11, English, One Class Period

Introduction/Overview
Authors make use of irony when they want to highlight an ideology or a theme that
has no purpose of being exposed in the actual text. These texts are often confusing or require
second reading to discover. A student must be able to comprehend irony and use it to
underline strong themes that do not rely on obvious texts for support. This is an advanced
method of actually discovering themes and using texts to support their claim. Furthermore,
the student should learn to construct the learned ironic situations.
Learning Outcomes
The students will come to analyze texts and see that authors make use of what isnt
written just as much as what is. After having analyzed text for themes and evidence in
support of themes, the student should be well versed in supporting any uses of irony found.
The student should be able to formulate their own examples of irony and require readers to
dig deeper.
Curriculum Alignment
RL.2.6 - Acknowledge differences in the points of view of characters, including speaking in a
different voice for each character when reading dialogue aloud.
RL.5.6 - Describe how a narrator's or speaker's point of view influences how events are
described.
RL.6.6 - Explain how an author develops the point of view of the narrator or speaker in a
text. RL.7.6 - Analyze how an author develops and contrasts the points of view of different
characters or narrators in a text.
RL.8.6 - Analyze how differences in the points of view of the characters and the audience or
reader (e.g., created through the use of dramatic irony) create such effects as suspense or
humor
RL.9-10.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text including
figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the cumulative impact of specific word choices
on meaning and tone (e.g., how the language evokes a sense of time and place; how it sets a
form or informal tone.).
Materials Needed
The students will require access to online websites that are provided under
Technology Resources.
Asimov, Isaac. The Machine that Won the War. New York: Mercury Press Inc, 1961.
Print
Copy Machine: In the case that access to Asimovs short story outside of the
classroom is limited; students will require a physical copy.

Technology Resources
The tools necessary to navigate this lesson will rely on access to various online
websites and a PDF to read the short story chosen.
Computer Lab: to accommodate all students and ensure that they each have the
allotted classroom periods to work on their activities.
Google Docs: to be able to write their papers and to provide ease of editing for other
students.
Websites and Apps
Lexipedia: Students will make use of the application to define words or conjure up
possibilities of different interpretations for words used in texts.
Zork: The website will challenge students to make use of multiple intelligences and
require the student to establish creative ways of accomplish what essentially boils down to a
word puzzle/maze. In doing so, the students will uncover the many uses of irony that have
been inserted into the game.
Short Story: The link leads to a copy of Asimovs story and displays popular uses of
situational and verbal irony. If students are not able to access the story, copies are available.
Google Docs: The students will be able to work in synchronization with the ability to
contact and inform each other of ideas and problems that they encounter with pre-activities
and activities in the class.
Pre-activities
The students will be familiar with the vocabulary necessary to complete the lesson
and review by incorporating the vocabulary into their summaries.
The students will have read the short story Isaac Asimov's The Machine that Won the
War, which makes great uses of Irony and highlights the necessity of text and characters to
determine the hidden themes.
After which, the students will have written a summary and present their theorized
analysis of the ironic texts and label them specifically.
Activities
The students will share their thoughts on the text and what expectations they have. In
order to drive discussion, intersperse these questions throughout:
How did Asimov successfully subvert expectations?
In his use of Irony, did Asimov lead readers astray or was the audience prone to unfulfilled
expectations?

 The short story provides obvious uses of irony, but why are we the only ones who
understand how nonsensical the situation is?
Students will be introduced to the application, Lexipedia; which will provide them
with the resource to dissect vocabulary that helps establish examples of irony provided in text
and offer up explanations and reasons for the authors specific uses of such vocabulary.
The students will then be introduced to the game Zork and through it, they will find
it rife in irony without necessarily holding thematic elements
Finally, students will be tasked to work in small groups and mimic what Asimov did
and create their own stories that include irony. Special attention should be paid to instructing
students on the application of the lesson. While texts exhibiting Asimovs obvious irony are
allowed, students should push for making the additions of irony a task to uncover.
Assessment
Each group will be required to grade another groups project in terms of clarity, use,
and difficulty in deciphering. This will allow the instructor to reinforce the lesson while
also subjecting students to peer-critique and evaluation. The overall score should reflect the
groups shared conclusion of the works earned grade based on the three criterias mentioned
earlier. (Bolded for ease of finding.)
The instructor will monitor each groups contributions and note if students made an
attempt at including all three examples of irony, those with only one example will be
rewarded the lowest possible passing grade; however, special cases will be taken into
account. (Quality of example and short story)
Critical Vocabulary
Dramatic Irony: Irony that is inherent in speeches or a situation of a drama and is
understood by the audience, but not grasped by the characters.
Point of View: The narrators position in relation to the story being told.
Sarcasm: The use of irony to mock or convey contempt.
Satire: The use of humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize peoples
stupidity or vices, particularly in the context of contemporary politics and other topical
issues.
Situational Irony: When ones efforts produces the opposite results of what was expected.
Unreliable Narrator: A narrator whose credibility has been seriously compromised.
Verbal Irony: A contrast between what is said and what is actually meant.