MASS

Effect
Teaching with

The Jabberwocky
Attitude

By Lewis Carrol
Engaging Poetry
Activity

Created by MASS Effect 2015 1.1

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 MASS
Thank you so much! Effect
Teaching with
Attitude

• This plan includes the handouts, the lesson plan for the
teacher, the Ontario curriculum expectations for Grade
6 language that are covered by this assignment and a
rubric template to add the expectations that you will
assessing. It is simple to match the expectations to the
grade or province/state that you are using this lesson in.
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lessons, rubrics and for report cards with simple cut
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• MASS Effect 2
 Jabberwocky
'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.
"Beware the Jabberwock, my son
The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun
The frumious Bandersnatch!"
He took his vorpal sword in hand;
Long time the manxome foe he sought –
So rested he by the Tumtum tree,
And stood awhile in thought.
C r e a t e d b y M A
And, as in uffish thought he stood,
The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,
Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,
And burbled as it came!
One, two! One, two! And through and through
The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!
He left it dead, and with its head
He went galumphing back.
"And hast thou slain the Jabberwock?
Come to my arms, my beamish boy!
O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!"
He chortled in his joy.
'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.
• Lewis Carroll (1833-1898)
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S S E f f e c t 2 0 1 5
 Jabberwocky
'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.
"Beware the Jabberwock, my son
The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun
The frumious Bandersnatch!"
He took his vorpal sword in hand;
Long time the manxome foe he sought –
So rested he by the Tumtum tree,
And stood awhile in thought.
C r e a t e d b y M A
And, as in uffish thought he stood,
The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,
Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,
And burbled as it came!
One, two! One, two! And through and through
The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!
He left it dead, and with its head
He went galumphing back.
"And hast thou slain the Jabberwock?
Come to my arms, my beamish boy!
O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!"
He chortled in his joy.
'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.
• Lewis Carroll (1833-1898)
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S S E f f e c t 2 0 1 5
 Poetry Lesson using
Jabberwocky by Lewis Carroll
1.
Make a copy of the unbolded (first) copy of Jabberwocky for each student. You
can also have the poem up on your Smartboard or other technology at the same
time.

2. Explain to your students that this is a poem written by the man who wrote Alice in
Wonderland and that this is a very famous and well known poem and is used by
Disney in their cartoon version of Alice in Wonderland. You can also include more
information on Lewis Carroll if you want to focus on the poet as well as the
poem.

3. Tell the students that you will read the poem to them and they can follow along.
Read the poem loud and confidently as though you understand the meaning of
every word. Your students will be confused as they hear and see words that hold
no meaning to them. The more dramatic you can be the better.

4. When done, ask the students what this poem means? What happens in it? Who are
the characters in it? Usually the students will try to answer these but cannot.
Ask them why they are having trouble with this poem? Does it have a rhyming
pattern? Isn’t it a poem? Someone will mention the words being nonsense.

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5. Appear to be very confused by this and then ask the students to highlight or
underline the words that they don’t know in the poem as you reread it aloud and they
follow on their copy. I’ve included a highlighted copy of what my students usually
have highlighted. Some will highlight words such as twas, foe or sought which you can
define for them as you read aloud the third time.

6. You can offer to help them with the first stanza and tell them you will give them
meaning to the words they don’t know.

7. .Using the first verse change it and read it out to them:

'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves

Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.

'Twas brilliant, and the slimy toads

Did hop and jump in the wood;
All blooming were the marigolds,
And the sun’s rays felt good.

8. Have the students write these substituted words on their paper. Remind them that
Carroll does have a rhyming pattern of ABAB and that you have followed that. Does
this make more sense to them?

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9. Have your class break into groups and their assignment is to continue changing the
words in the poem to have it tell a story. You can choose to make the proper names
stay at names or have them rename them.. Tell them that they will be completing the
poem and then reading it the class in a group. (choral reading) This may take a few
periods for them to make the changes and to practice their group reading.

10. Simply cut and paste the expectations you will be assessing into the rubric and include
leveled comments.

You will be surprised how different each poem is at the end. I

always mention at the end that I truly have no idea what the words
mean either, but it proves that being confident when speaking in
front of a group can make people believe you. This can lead into
media discussion about advertising.

Extension activity:
After this lesson I then read them a Dr. Suess book and we compare the styles
of two poets a hundred years apart.

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Ontario Curriculum Expectations Covered in this Assignment

Grade Six Language Curriculum

Oral Communication

1.2 demonstrate an understanding of appropriate listening behaviour by adapting

active listening strategies to suit a variety of situations, including work in groups.

1.3 identify a variety of listening comprehension strategies and use them

appropriately before, during, and after listening in order to understand and clarify
the meaning of increasingly complex oral texts.

1.5 interprets oral texts by using stated and implied ideas from the texts.

1.6 extend understanding of oral texts by connecting, comparing, and contrasting

the ideas and information in them to their own knowledge, experience, and insights;
to other texts, including print and visual texts; and to the world around them.

2.3 communicate orally in a clear, coherent manner, using appropriate organizing

strategies and formats to link and sequence ideas and information.

2.4 use appropriate words and phrases from the full range of their vocabulary
including inclusive and non-discriminatory language, and stylistic devices appropriate
to the purpose and context, to communicate their meaning accurately and engage
the interest of their intended audience. 8
2.5 identify a range of vocal effects, including tone, pace, pitch, volume, and a
variety of sound effects, and use them appropriately and with sensitivity
towards cultural differences to help communicate their meaning.

Reading

1.3 identify a variety of reading comprehension strategies and use them

appropriately before, during, and after reading to understand increasingly
complex texts.

1.5 develop interpretations about texts using stated and implied ideas to support
their interpretations.

1.6 extend understanding of texts by connecting, comparing, and contrasting the

ideas in them to their own knowledge, experience, and insights, to other familiar
texts, and to the world around them.

1.7 analyse increasingly complex texts and explain how the different elements in
them contribute to meaning.

1.8 make judgements and draw conclusions about ideas in texts and cite stated or
implied evidence from the text to support their views.

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2.4 identify various elements of style – including voice, word choice, and the use
of hyperbole, strong verbs, dialogue, and complex sentences – and explain how
they help communicate meaning.

3.2 predict the meaning of and rapidly solve unfamiliar words using different
types of cues, including:

• semantic (meaning) cues and visuals that activate existing knowledge of oral and
written language)
• syntactic (language structure) cues
• graphophonic (phonological and graphic) cues.

3.3 read appropriate texts with expression and confidence, adjusting reading
strategies and reading rate to match the form and purpose.

4.1 identify the strategies they found most helpful before, during, and after
reading and explain, in conversation with the teacher and/or peers, or in a
reader’s notebook, how they can use these and other strategies to improve as
readers.

Writing

1.1 identify the topic, purpose, and audience for a variety of writing forms.

1.2 generate ideas about a potential topic and identify those most appropriate for
the purpose.

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2.2 establish a distinctive voice in their writing appropriate to the subject and
audience.

2.3 use some vivid and/or figurative language and innovative expressions to
enhance interest.

3.3 read appropriate texts with expression and confidence, adjusting reading
strategies and reading rate to match the form and purpose.

4.1 identify the strategies they found most helpful before, during, and after
reading and explain, in conversation with the teacher and/or peers, or in a
reader’s notebook, how they can use these and other strategies to improve as
readers.

Use these expectations to cut and paste into the rubric

template.

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 Jabberwocky
Poetry
Rubric

Expectations Level 4 Level 3 Level 2 Level 1

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