lesson is based on the poem 'Jabberwocky' by Lewis Carroll

Lesson 3

This lesson is based on the poem 'Jabberwocky' by Lewis Carroll.

Jabberwocky - Teacher's Notes

Print out the original poem as a Word document and display using the data projector.

Read through with the class and discuss the possible reasons why the 'Word' program has chosen to underline certain words in green. These include grammatical mistakes and sentences beginning with 'and'. The program considers the latter to be incomplete sentences or 'fragments'.
The program cannot differentiate between a poem and a piece of narrative thus providing a useful starting point for a discussion on the different rules for narrative and poetry.
Consider the words underlined in red. Rules are also broken by the poem's vocabulary and the red underlining emphasises the poem's nonsense words. The program concludes that they are wrongly spelt!
Together the class or group can substitute alternative vocabulary that makes 'sense' and is acceptable to the program! Suggest that some attempt be made to keep to the rhyme scheme and to include some alliteration. The class may also decide to keep the nonsense proper nouns that are in the poem.

Jabberwocky by Lewis Carroll

'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;
All mimsy were the borogroves,
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.

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 has 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 borogroves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.

Jabberwocky by Year Six

'Twas sunny, and the sparkling waves
Did gyre and gavotte in the wind;
All silver were the shells,
And the clouds looked brave.

'Beware the Jabberwock, my son!
The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun
The furious Bandersnatch!'

He took his golden sword in hand:
Long time the dreaded foe he sought -
So rested he by the tall palm tree,
And stood awhile in thought.

And as in quiet thought he stood,
The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,
Came winding through the weird, dark wood,
And burbled as it came!

One, two! One, two! And through and through
The golden blade went snicker-snack!
He left it dead, and with its head
He went parading back

'And hast thou slain the Jabberwock?
Come to my arms, my beautiful boy!
O fabulous day! Hurrah! Hurrah!
He chortled in his joy.

'Twas sunny and the sparkling waves
Did gyre and gavotte in the wind;
All silver were the shells,
And the clouds looked brave.

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