Opposing Terms

This lesson addresses the concept of oxymorons. An oxymoron is a figure of speech in which words with contradictory meanings are paired together. The lesson spans two class periods. On the first day, students will learn key points about oxymorons, encounter examples of them, explore how writers use this concept, and think about how oxymorons can impact a piece of writing. On the second day, students will review important information about oxymorons, apply this concept to their writing, and reflect on the significance of using oxymorons in the pieces they wrote. To conclude this instructional process, students answer an exit question about how they will use oxymorons in their future writing. The lesson's objectives are: students will understand the concept of oxymorons; students will understand why oxymorons are important tools for writers to understand and be able to use; and students will be able to use oxymorons in their writing and reflect on the significance of doing so.