The Phantom Tollbooth Lesson Plan

Wordplay

Kind of Activity:

Group Work

Objective:

To understand wordplay and be able to identify examples of it in the text

Common Core Standards:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.6.4; CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.6.4; CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.5.5.B; CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.5.5.C

Structure:

Wordplay is a literary technique in which the manipulation of language is the focus, usually for the purpose of amusement. Some methods of wordplay include:

• Taking idioms literally

• Intentionally confusing homonyms and homophones

• Using Puns

• Rhyme

Divide the class into groups of 3-4 students and ask them to:

1) Research the definition of idiom, homonym, homophone, and pun

2) Search the text assigned so...