Mini-Lesson:​ Finding Positive Humor (25 minutes)

Section Details Time/Materials

Hook Get students attention by putting the question on the board “Why is 2 min
it that you never see a hippo hiding in a tree?”
Document
GIve students 30 seconds to try to think of the answer. camera to
project quote.
(Answer: Because they are so good at it!)

Inform students that today we are going to be talking about humor,

particularly the difference between positive and negative humor.

Objective SWBAT understand the difference between positive and negative 2 min
humor by creating a t-chart.
Whiteboard
marker
(Review humor and t-chart)

Standard(s) SL 4.1 Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions n/a

(one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on
grade 4 topics or texts, building on other’s ideas and expressing their
own clearly.

Introduction Put the words “positive humor” and “negative humor” on the 2 min
to New whiteboard in a t-chart.
Material Chart paper
Ask students to help define the two words on the board, then inform Marker
them that they will be thinking of different types of humor that fit
under each category.

I Do Put an example of each on the whiteboard next to the chart paper. 3 min

Positive Humor - Silly pictures of animals Whiteboard

Negative Humor - Insulting someone and laughing marker

Ask students why each example would fit under the category of
positive or negative.

We Do Students work in groups for 5 minutes to come up with as many 10 Min

examples of positive and negative humor as they can. (Remind
students that even the examples of negative humor must use Piece of paper
appropriate language, and cannot target anyone in the classroom). and pencil for
Students will need to be able to give a follow-up answer explaining each group
why it fits under it’s assigned category.
 Come back together as a group and have students from each group Chart paper and
share an example from either category. marker

You Do Students will reflect on their own personal use of positive and/or 5 min
negative humor in their own life and in the classroom.
Reflection sheet
for all students

Closing Bring students back together to go over the objective once more. Call 1 min
on students to summarize what we have learned, and how we will
use it in the future.