Literary Techniques

Grade Level: 4-6

Teacher Guidelines ▶ pages 1 – 2 Instructional Pages ▶ pages 3 – 6 Activity Page ▶ pages 7 Practice Page ▶ page 8 Homework Page ▶ page 9 Answer Key ▶ page 10 - 11

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Classroom Procedure:1. Display the following: flashback, point of view,

irony, style, tone, symbolism, figurative language. Ask students: What do each of the terms have in common? What are the meanings of each term?

2. Allow for responses and discussion. (Each term is an element, strategy, or technique used with stories, poems, or dramas.) Ask students to share examples of each.

3. Ask: What is the purpose of literary techniques? Why use them in writing?

4. Allow for responses and discussion. Introduce Literary Techniques.

5. Distribute Literary Techniques content pages. Read and review the information with the students. Use the additional resources to enhance understanding.

6. Distribute Activity page. Read and review the instructions. Pair students. Distribute supplies. Circulate through the room as students work. Encourage students to be creative and to neatly copy examples for each type. (A pair of students may copy each type, and a second pair of students labels each.)

7. Once completed, students share an example, while other students identify the literary type.

8. Distribute Practice page. Check and review the students’ responses.

9. Distribute the Homework page. The next day, check and review the students’ responses.

10. In closing, ask students: Which of the literary techniques is your favorite and why?

11. Allow for responses and discussion. Ask students to share a favorite example.

Approximate Grade Level: 4 – 6

Objectives:The students will be able to define and identify common literary techniques used in stories, poems, and dramas. The students will be able to use some common literary techniques when writing.

Common Core State Standards:CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.4.10CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.5.10CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.6.10

Class Sessions (45 minutes):At least 2 class sessions.

Teaching Materials/Worksheets:Literary Techniques content pages (3), Activity pages (1), Practice page, Homework page

Student Supplies:Construction paper, scissors, glue, Internet access, handouts

Prepare Ahead of Time:Pair students for activity, supplies for activity. Copy handouts.

Options for Lesson:Students may work alone or in groups for the activity. Use current reading content, students identify literary types. Students write a story using one or more assigned literary techniques. Each student is assigned one or two literary types to research and present to the class. Students study a Shakespeare or other classic play or story, identify literary types. Assign additional literary types for students to research.

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Teacher NotesThe lesson is an overview of the many literary techniques or devices students will use when reading and interpreting stories, poems, novels, dramas, and more. The lesson includes frequently used techniques, and others can also be found in the additional resources. Many of the techniques are addressed in separate lessons as well. The lesson can be used as an introduction or as a review, or can be used throughout the school year as a reference source for students.

Additional Resources:

CONTENT:http://literary-devices.com/ (List of…)https://literarydevices.net/ (Extensive list of…)https://quizlet.com/11335/all-literary-devices-flash-cards/ (w/pronunciations)http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/guides/zpr49j6/revision (w/quiz)http://www.internet4classrooms.com/grade_level_help/literature_literary_devices_language_arts_fifth_5th_grade.htm (links)

WORKSHEETS: http://teachingreadingandla.pbworks.com/f/Literary+Devices.pdf (Printable list)http://www.ereadingworksheets.com/figurative-language/poetic-devices/ (Poetic)http://education.yourdictionary.com/for-students-and-parents/literary-terms-worksheet.htmlhttp://www.englishworksheetsland.com/grade7/3litelements.htmlhttps://kweustenfeldclassroom.wikispaces.com/Literary+Devices

VIDEOS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uCMniNKxLFk (4 min-song)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYMnD3Vs_yo (14 min)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-efa3wl27g (5 min-song)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ThmQBSBbRA (9 min-Imagery and…)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n9Y_9luKUM4 (10 min-unnarrated)

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Literary TechniquesStories, Poems, and DramasWhen you hear the word literature, what first comes to mind? Most people will think of stories and books, but it also includes poems and dramas (plays). You were read to when you were young, and most likely have read many stories yourself, including poems and dramas.

Literature are written works that are usually considered to be superior, and often are called works of art. Great literature will last a long time and is very good, and usually includes novels, poems, dramas, and short stories.

Millions and millions of books and stories have been written but not all can be given the label: literature. This does not mean the books are not very good, but most books do not have the intellectual or artistic value that is necessary to be called literature. Great literature will last for a very long time, but most “regular” books have a short lifespan, are read, and then forgotten. Literature is timeless.

There are many stories, poems, and dramas that were written a very long time ago and are still read regularly today by many people. Stories or novels include Charlotte’s Webb, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Harry Potter, Chronicles of Narnia, and many more. Poems include Old Mother Hubbard, The Cow, Mary’s Lamb, and more. Literary dramas have been written by famous playwrights like William Shakespeare who has written Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth, and several others.

Literature is timeless because it contains something most “regular” books do not have, which are literary techniques. Literary techniques, also called literary or fictional devices, are methods used by a writer to pass on information to a writer or audience to make the story, poem, or drama more complete, complicated, or interesting. They are used to develop the narrative or story the author is telling.

Many “regular” books use some of these techniques, but in literature, they are memorable, used more often, and the quality is much better. It is like a great painter using color better than a good painter.

There are over a hundred literary techniques, but the most common ones have been used by the greatest writers of literature for thousands of years.

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Common Literary TechniquesThe literary techniques below may be some you have heard of before, like similes and metaphors, and others which may be new to you like allegory or hyperbole. And whether you realized it or not however, you have probably encountered one or more of them when reading a story, poem, or drama.

ALLE

GORY

• Characters and plot illustrate an abstract principle, and communicate a moral or political message

• Like a symbol, but instead of using objects, places or people, the allegory uses the characters and the plot for the message

The fable, The Ant and the Grasshopper, includes an allegory. The story shows how hard work and preparation is needed to survive.

ALLU

SION • Indirect reference to something a writer thinks everyone

knows about, they understand when it is used in a story

• Often refer to things in popular culture or history

If you are called a Scrooge, it refers to a character in the story, A Christmas Carol.

ANAL

OGY • Comparison between two things, to give more meaning

or understanding to thing that is less known

• Similes, metaphors and parables are examples of analogies

The children were a thundering herd of buffalo. The story of The Boy Who Cried Wolf is a parable.

ARCH

ETYP

E • Character acting more like a symbol than a regular character.

• Usually found in fairy tales, myths, and allegories

• Sometimes the plot of a story could be the archetype

Cinderella is an archetype, representing the innocent victim. Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman are heroes representing courage or strength.

CLIC

HE • Expression used so often, it has no impact

• Unoriginal, can be developed with each new generation

Living happily ever after is a cliché, as is Once upon a time…

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COUP

LET • Two successive lines of poetry, usually rhyme, same

meter

• Second line “answers” the first line, found often in sonnets

I do not like green eggs and ham, /I do not like them, Sam I am.

EUPH

EMIS

M • Indirect way of stating something, when said in its original form it is harsh, vulgar, or socially unacceptable.

• Usually has a more positive connotation than the original

Instead of someone being “fired”, they are “downsized” but both mean the same thing, no job.

FLAS

HBAC

K • Writer inserts details from the past into the present to provide plot information, or insight into a character’s motivation

• May include scenes from childhood, past events, memories

A Christmas Carol uses flashbacks and flash forwards using the Ghosts of Christmas Past and Future.

FLAS

H

FORW

ARD • Inserts a detail about an event in the future that has yet

to happen, like foreshadowing, except it will be the exact event that will take place in the future

• The detail may not make sense to the reader

In some movies or shows, flash forwards are shown using spinning newspapers to show time passing.

FORE

-

SHAD

OWIN

G • Writer places clues in a story to prepare the reader for events that will happen later

• May clearly foretell an event or give a hint about it, which may give a feeling of suspense for readers

A boy tells his mother on a phone not to worry, he will be home soon, but then there is a rumbling of thunder, foreshadowing a storm.

HYPE

R-

BOLE • Extreme exaggeration is used to emphasize a point or

to create humorThere are millions of things a person needs to do.

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Which of the literary techniques is your favorite and why?

IMAG

ERY • Descriptive passage using language appealing to the

five senses and connects the imaginary world

• Reader can connect using their own experiences

The deep blue sea was a mirror for sun as it glistened off its surface.

FIG

UR

AT

IVE

LANG

UAGE • Language used to imply ideas indirectly and are not

literally true, often used in poetry

• Includes similes, metaphors, hyperbole, assonance, dissonance, personification, puns, and many others

Includes repetition of vowels or consonants: Sally sat by the seashore. The tree hugged me with its branches. (personification)

RED

HERR

ING • An introduction of an irrelevant subject or topic to throw

an argument off course or divert a reader’s attention.

• Often used in mystery writing using a false clue to a crime

Fingerprints of a suspect may be found at a crime scene, but the person may have not been there.

STAN

ZA • Used in poetry, a single thought expressed as a group of lines placed together, may include many stanzas

• Used with songs and dramas, sometimes numbered

A stanza may be a couplet with two rhyming lines: I love to write, day and night…

The literary techniques above are just 15 of the many available for writers to use, as well as readers to identify in stories, poems, and dramas. In addition to those listed, others include anagrams, anecdotes, antagonist, aphorisms, asides, ballads, cacophony, catharsis, colloquialism, double entendre, elegy, exposition, irony, idioms, Non-Sequitur, oxymoron, point of view, prose, style, syllogism, theme, tone, tragic flaw, transition, and many more.

You may not be able to identify each of the techniques today, but as you read more and more literature, and “regular” books, you will begin to learn and identify the many useful and valuable literary techniques all authors use in their writing.

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Activity Name __________________________ Date _________

Instructions

1. Supplies: Construction paper, scissors, glue, Internet access

2. Work cooperatively with your partner.

3. Cut apart each of the Literary Technique Types.

4. Use the Internet to find an example of each type

5. Copy the example onto the construction paper.

6. Label each example using the correct literary type.

7. Include drawings or other designs.

8. Once completed, you and your partner will share your examples with the class.

ANALOGY ARCHETYPE CLICHÉ

COUPLET EUPHEMISM FLASHBACK

FLASH FORWARD FORESHADOWING IMAGERY

HYPERBOLE FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE RED HERRING

STANZA ALLUSION ALLEGORY

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Practice Name __________________________ Date _________

Circle the correct literary technique for each example or description.

1 The bumblebee landed on the flower,

And then it sucked the nectar for power.Stanza Cliché

2The teacher gave us about a hundred hours of homework to do tonight. Analogy Hyperbole

3 The Wizard of Oz characters showed that everything a person really needs they already have as a part of them. Couplet Allegory

4By the time the baseball game is scheduled to start it will be raining. Flash Forward Red Herring

5 The announcer said the town was not poor, but was economically deprived. Personification Euphemism

6The children in the science class were like little Einstein’s. Allusion Foreshadowing

7 The teenagers have been friends for life. Noah and Amy walked together into their 1st grade classroom. Flashback Figurative

Language8

The town was saved by Ironman. Imagery Archetype

9 The aroma of the donuts seemed to jump out at me as I focused on the pink color of the icing and its sweet taste. Imagery Flashback

10 The man and woman locked the front door and thought they were safe, but the monster was already inside the house. Cliché Hyperbole

11The thunder began to play drums and the sky cried tears of joy. Allusion Personification

12 The school track star ran as fast as a horse, but was a turtle when walking home from school. Stanza Figurative

Language13 The father was upset when his son got a speeding ticket. The boy told

his father, “I went to the store to buy you a gift.” Red Herring Euphemism

14Roads are to cars like tracks are to trains. Analogy Allegory

15 The teacher gave the students a test, but everyone seemed to do poorly. There may be extra homework tonight. Flash Forward Foreshadowing

16 The little children played all day in the pool,

It was Saturday and they did not have school.Couplet Archetype

What five literary techniques are also types of figurative language:____________________________________________________________________________________

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Homework Name __________________________ Date _________

Match the definition with the correct literary technique.

1 Unoriginal expression used so often, it has no impact. A ALLEGORY2 May clearly foretell an event or give a hint about it. B ALLUSION3 Character acting more like a symbol, found in fairy tales. C ANALOGY4 A detail about an event in the future that has yet to happen. D ARCHETYPE5 Two successive lines of poetry, usually rhyme, same meter. E CLICHE6 Indirect reference to something everyone knows about. F COUPLET7 Often used in mystery writing using a false clue to a crime. G EUPHEMISM8 Details from the past used to provide plot information. H FLASHBACK9 Descriptive passage appealing to the five senses. I FLASH FORWARD

10 Characters or plot illustrate abstract principle, moral message. J FORESHADOWING11 Language used to imply ideas indirectly. K HYPERBOLE12 A single thought expressed as a group of lines together. L IMAGERY13 Extreme exaggeration used to emphasize a point, humorous. M FIG. LANGUAGE14 Comparison of two things, gives meaning to the lesser known. N RED HERRING15 Indirect way of stating something instead of its harsh form. O STANZA

Use a dictionary or other resource and define each of the following:

16. assonance _______________________________________________________________________

17. dissonance _______________________________________________________________________

18. pun _____________________________________________________________________________

19. sonnet ___________________________________________________________________________

20. connotation _______________________________________________________________________

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Practice Name __________________________ Date _________Answer Key

Circle the correct literary technique for each example or description.

1 The bumblebee landed on the flower,

And then it sucked the nectar for power.Stanza Cliché

2The teacher gave us about a hundred hours of homework to do tonight. Analogy Hyperbole

3 The Wizard of Oz characters showed that everything a person really needs they already have as a part of them. Couplet Allegory

4By the time the baseball game is scheduled to start it will be raining. Flash Forward Red Herring

5 The announcer said the town was not poor, but was economically deprived. Personification Euphemism

6The children in the science class were like little Einstein’s. Allusion Foreshadowing

7 The teenagers have been friends for life. Noah and Amy walked together into their 1st grade classroom. Flashback Figurative

Language8

The town was saved by Ironman. Imagery Archetype

9 The aroma of the donuts seemed to jump out at me as I focused on the pink color of the icing and its sweet taste. Imagery Flashback

10 The man and woman locked the front door and thought they were safe, but the monster was already inside the house. Cliché Hyperbole

11The thunder began to play drums and the sky cried tears of joy. Allusion Personification

12 The school track star ran as fast as a horse, but was a turtle when walking home from school. Stanza Figurative

Language13 The father was upset when his son got a speeding ticket. The boy told

his father, “I went to the store to buy you a gift.” Red Herring Euphemism

14Roads are to cars like tracks are to trains. Analogy Allegory

15 The teacher gave the students a test, but everyone seemed to do poorly. There may be extra homework tonight. Flash Forward Foreshadowing

16 The little children played all day in the pool,

It was Saturday and they did not have school.Couplet Archetype

What five literary techniques are also types of figurative language:similes, metaphors, hyperbole, assonance, dissonance, personification, puns

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Homework Name __________________________ Date _________Answer Key

Match the definition with the correct literary technique.

1 E Unoriginal expression used so often, it has no impact. A ALLEGORY2 J May clearly foretell an event or give a hint about it. B ALLUSION3 D Character acting more like a symbol, found in fairy tales. C ANALOGY4 I A detail about an event in the future that has yet to happen. D ARCHETYPE5 F Two successive lines of poetry, usually rhyme, same meter. E CLICHE6 B Indirect reference to something everyone knows about. F COUPLET7 N Often used in mystery writing using a false clue to a crime. G EUPHEMISM8 H Details from the past used to provide plot information. H FLASHBACK9 L Descriptive passage appealing to the five senses. I FLASH FORWARD

10 A Characters or plot illustrate abstract principle, moral message. J FORESHADOWING11 M Language used to imply ideas indirectly. K HYPERBOLE12 O A single thought expressed as a group of lines together. L IMAGERY13 K Extreme exaggeration used to emphasize a point, humorous. M FIG. LANGUAGE14 C Comparison of two things, gives meaning to the lesser known. N RED HERRING15 G Indirect way of stating something instead of its harsh form. O STANZA

Use a dictionary or other resource and define each of the following:

16. assonance In poetry, the repetition of the sound of a vowel.

17. dissonance In poetry, use of harsh-sounding, unusual, or impolite words.

18. pun A play on words.

19. sonnet A poem of fourteen lines using any of a number of formal rhyme schemes.

20. connotation The attitudes, feelings, and emotions caused by a word.