Trending Truths

This engaging literary analysis worksheet is designed for students in Grades 9, 10, and 11 as they explore how satire is used to critique modern social media culture. Through close reading of a humorous essay, students identify exaggeration, irony, and absurd scenarios, analyze tone and author’s purpose, and evaluate how satire can both entertain readers and persuade them to reflect critically on societal behaviors and values.

Learning Goals

• Satire & Irony Identification (Grades 9-11)
  Students recognize exaggeration, irony, and absurdity as key satirical devices.
• Author’s Purpose & Tone
  Learners analyze how humor is used to critique social media validation and online culture.
• Media Literacy & Social Commentary
  Students evaluate how texts comment on real-world issues through indirect, humorous critique.
• Critical Reading & Interpretation
  Guided questions support deeper analysis beyond surface-level humor.

Instructional Benefits

• Teacher-Created Resource
  Designed by educators to align with secondary ELA standards and media literacy goals.
• High-Interest Topic
  Social media satire increases relevance and student engagement.
• Structured Analytical Prompts
  Questions scaffold understanding of literary devices and persuasive impact.
• Flexible Classroom Use
  Ideal for satire units, media literacy lessons, discussion prep, or analytical writing practice.

This printable worksheet gives students meaningful practice with analyzing satire, recognizing tone, and evaluating how literary devices shape social commentary. By examining how humor exposes flaws in online culture, learners strengthen critical thinking, media awareness, and interpretive reading skills. Suitable for classroom instruction or homeschool use, this no-prep resource supports thoughtful engagement with contemporary issues through literary analysis.

This worksheet is part of our Grade 10 Reading Comprehension collection.