An awareness of and ability to spot irony is an important element of good writing and thoughtful reading. Yet irony can also be hard for youngsters to truly understand because capturing it artfully is more than merely noting the juxtaposition of obvious opposites. When used at its best, it is a broad brush capable of rendering almost any emotion with a deft austerity that is as precious a delight as the sudden notice of a long overlooked flower.

This exercise is a simple one meant to give an excuse for students to play with the art of irony. Take them outside and have them find a place to sit. Ask them to look around and see if they can find two opposite ideas in their surroundings sitting right next to each other – warmth amid cold, light within dark, one thing sitting next to it’s opposite. Then ask them to write one or more short poems that state the ironies they observe and the thoughts that float into their heads.