Figurative language is a topic that students learn at a young age and continue to practice each year. Therefore, it is absolutely essential that students understand each type of figurative language. Since each student is different, how well they understand each type also varies. Some students may have no problem differentiating between similes and metaphors while others will struggle. Furthermore, some understand hyperboles while others do not understand there is an exaggeration. Due to this, it is vital to provide plenty of practice with examples of hyperboles in literature!
What are hyperboles?
Hyperboles use extreme exaggerations to show emphasis. For example, “I ate 1,000 ice cream cones last night!” is a hyperbole. This is due to the fact that while someone ate a lot of ice cream, 1,000 ice cream cones were not consumed. Hyperboles are often used in literature in order to make a point. Additionally, they are often enjoyable for students to read.
Examples of Hyperboles in Literature
Oftentimes, students love read-alouds! Additionally, they love reading alone or with friends. Therefore, here are some great suggestions on books that are filled with hyperboles.
- The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt
Students are going to laugh so hard when they hear all the reasons the crayons quit. While crayons do not actually talk, students can often relate to feeling stressed out. Hence, this book not only teaches hyperboles but also how to handle tough situations.
- Dragons Love Tacos by Adam Rubin
Many students love fire-breathing dragons. However, this story is not filled with ordinary dragons. Instead, the dragons love all kinds of tacos! To make the dragon even sillier, fire-breathing is the result of spicy salsa. Students will love reading about these taco-loving dragons!
- How to Catch a Star by Oliver Jeffers
Students can often relate to this story due to loving how the night sky looks. In this story, readers learn how to “reach for the stars” in order to achieve all of their goals. The main character will show readers how it is so important to never give up on something one is passionate about.
Helpful Hands-On Ideas to Teach Hyperboles
Learning about hyperboles can be so much fun! Whether incorporating whole class, partner, or independent activities, students will be laughing and enjoying class.
Sentence Revision:
To do this, provide basic sentences to the class or partners. Then, allow students to rewrite the sentences by adding in a hyperbole. Be sure to allow time for students to share their creativity with the class!
Charades:
To do this, provide students a list of hyperboles. Then, have them partner up with someone. To play, they will act out the charade and have their partner guess what they are acting out. If students are struggling, they can even be given a list of options to pick from. You will be surprised at how creative students are! As students get more comfortable, they will even love to complete this activity as a whole class.
Bringing Books to Life with Examples of Hyperboles in Literature
There are so many hyperboles in books! Provide several options for partners or individuals to go through. Great suggestions include any by Shel Silverstein. Then, provide time for students to flip through the pages to find hyperboles. They can then draw or paint what the different hyperboles mean. Be sure to have students write the hyperbole on the paper and then they can be hung on the wall!
Creative Writing:
As students start to gain a deeper understanding of hyperboles, they are ready to apply their knowledge in writing. After providing a creative writing prompt, instruct students to include a certain number of hyperboles to really bring their writing to life. As an extra element, students can share their writing with a partner or the class. Other students can then identify as many hyperboles as possible!
Extra Practice Examples of Hyperboles in Literature
Due to how important it is to understand hyperboles, students may need extra practice. Thankfully, the Hyperbole Task Cards and Activities and Hyperbole Boom Cards are here to help students! Both are excellent ways to provide more practice at identifying hyperboles and understanding why they were used in the example. If you need to know more about Boom Cards click here!
For some students, figurative language is so much fun to learn. For others, it is incredibly stressful and confusing. Some students have a really hard time understanding the deeper meaning behind the example. This can often be the situation when learning hyperboles! However, these examples and lesson ideas will be great ways to help students love learning as many hyperboles as possible. Also, check out my other blog posts for help with idioms and personification!
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