Some say the poem “Jabberwocky” by 

Lewis Carroll is a nonsense poem, which implies the poem is

meaningless, but I believe it tells a fantastical story that students may enjoy. The poem could also be
used to illustrate the importance of word choice and defining words using context clues, word stems, and
prefixes.

Begin by reading the poem aloud, asking students to listen. During another reading, ask students to
record thoughts or questions about the poem. Read the poem again, directing students to listen for and
note interesting words or phrases.

Distribute copies of the poem and ask students individually or in pairs to summarize the action of the
poem. Review the history of the poem as a nonsense poem. Ask if they agree with this evaluation. Why or
why not?

Next, move students to a close reading, focusing in particular on the approximately twenty-four words in
the poem that were coined by Lewis Carroll. Focus on the word “chortle” from line 24 as it was recognized
and first appeared in a dictionary in 1902.

“Coinage of Words. ” The Saint Paul Globe. (St. Paul, Minn.), December 28, 1902, Page 27.
//chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn90059523/1902-12-28/ed-1/seq-27/

Consider discussing why this word of all those Carroll invented for the poem was recognized in this way.

Move to scrutinizing other words. If possible, assign one to each student or pair.

Ask students to:

 define the word;

 explain how they arrived at a definition using context clues, word stem, prefixes, or other
methodology;
 propose one or more synonyms that are accepted as words;
 consider the question: If there are synonyms, why might Lewis Carroll have chosen to create a
new word rather than using an existing one?

Finish by collecting synonyms to replace the original words in the poem. Read this new version aloud.
Ask students how the poem has changed in meaning and effect using the new words. What does this
illustrate about the importance of word choice in writing?