This figurative language lesson on oxymoron includes a free organizer and digital resource. Students in 4th, 5th, and 6th grades will enjoy these engaging activities, which cover the definition and examples appropriate for upper elementary students.
Definition
An oxymoron is a figure of speech that combines contradictory or opposite words to create a unique effect.
Oxymoron Examples
- I am going to order some jumbo shrimp for dinner.
- He talks in riddles. He has me clearly confused.
- Phillip plays ten different instruments. He is a one-man-band.
- George has a fever and chills. He is in poor health.
- I am so hungry. The pizza looks awfully good.
- David is seriously funny when he starts telling jokes.
- The band is going to record live during the concert.
- The monster is pretty ugly.
Oxymoron Quotes from Famous People
- The budget was unlimited, but I exceeded it. – Donald Trump
- A business that makes nothing but money is a poor business. – Henry Ford
- We’re busy doing nothing. – Bing Crosby
- A joke is an extremely serious issue. – Winston Churchill
Free Oxymorom Activities
Free Mini Lesson on Oxymoron: Includes a Video, Slides, and Printables
Introduction to Oxymoron:
This lesson introduces students to oxymorons, serving as a fun vocabulary-building exercise for upper elementary and middle school students.
Interactive Learning:
Students begin by watching a video explaining the definition and providing oxymoron examples. They then pause the video to complete a digital or printable organizer. Afterward, they resume the video to check their responses, reinforcing their understanding of oxymoron.
Classroom-Friendly:
These activities are designed as individual lessons, making them perfect for assigning through Google Classroom. This setup ensures students can work independently and revisit the material as needed.
Check out the lesson video here. Be sure to get the handout first. It contains the organizer that goes with the video.
Want to Dig Deeper?
Activity #1: Matching Game
Have students create a memory game with the words provided. To play, students match the two words together to make the oxymoron.
Here is a list of words for the oxymoron memory game:
1. act naturally
2. alone in a crowd
3. amazingly awful
4. bad luck
5. bittersweet
6. climb down
7. deafening silence
8. definite maybe
9. found missing
10. friendly takeover
11. guest host
12. growing smaller
13. icy hot
14. loosely sealed
15. old news
16. only choice
17. random order
18. same difference
19. soft rock
20. student teacher
21. sweet sorrow
22. terribly good
23. true fiction
24. walking dead
25. wise fool
These words can be printed on cards, with one word on each. Students can then match the cards to create the oxymorons.
Activity #2: Class Book
Create a class book. Assign each student one oxymoron to draw and use in a sentence.
Activity #3: Oxymoron Scavenger Hunt
Have students search for oxymorons in literature, advertisements, or everyday conversations. They can compile their findings in a list or create a visual presentation highlighting the oxymorons they discover.
Activity #4: Oxymoron Poetry
Challenge students to write poems that include oxymorons. This activity encourages creative thinking and allows students to experiment with language in a poetic form.
Here are a couple of examples:
Silent echoes whisper loud,
Alone in a bustling crowd.
Bitter sweetness fills the air,
A feeling both familiar and rare.
Living dead roam the night,
Embracing darkness, shunning light.
Jumbo shrimp dance in the sea,
An oxymoronic sight to see.
Activity #5: Oxymoron Illustrations
Have students choose an oxymoron and create an illustration that visually represents the contradictory nature of the phrase. This activity combines artistic expression with language learning.
In conclusion, oxymorons are a fascinating aspect of language that add depth and complexity to our communication. Students can enhance their language understanding and improve their creative writing skills by exploring examples and engaging in activities highlighting oxymorons.
Take advantage of the free mini-lesson and activities to introduce oxymorons interactively and engagingly. Encourage your students to explore the world of oxymorons further, and watch as their language skills and appreciation for figurative language grow.
alone in a crowd
wise fool
definite maybe
icy hot
In conclusion, oxymorons are a fascinating aspect of language that adds depth and complexity to our communication. Students can enhance their language understanding and improve their creative writing skills by exploring examples and engaging in activities highlighting oxymorons.
Take advantage of the free mini-lesson and activities to introduce oxymorons interactively and engagingly. Please encourage your students to explore the world of oxymorons further and watch their language skills and appreciation for figurative language grow.
Check out the entire series on figurative language.
See the product that inspired this post.
The video lesson on oxymoron is a sample from Figurative Language Digital + Printable Video Lessons & Organizers.
3 comments
Thank you for sharing your resources!!! I can’t wait to use this in class!
Author
You are most welcome. Enjoy!
This is good clean fun and hopelessly great – thank-you for sharing 🙂