Jabberwocky: Inferring

Submitted by: Sandra Stringham

School Affiliation: Collins School, Schaumburg, IL

Subject: Reading; Inferring

Grade Level: 1

Overview: By inferring, children will read and understand Lewis Carroll's poem: Jabberwocky. This is a culminating lesson for inferring. I recommend a 6-8 week study of the strategy, with this being the last week.

Rationale: Children need to understand that reading is about making meaning, not just decoding words.

Learning Objectives: Students will use the reading strategy of inferring to understand the poem. They will also use visualizing as well as decoding skills.

Materials:

• Lewis Carroll's Poem: "Jabberwocky" (see below)
• chart paper
• highlighter tape
  

Procedure:

Day 1

Write poem on chart paper. Read the poem to the class with as much as expression as possible. When finished, ask the class if you read with expression, with fluency, etc.? They will probably (and should) respond with a yes. Then ask them questions as to what happened. They will not be able to do this. Explain that reading is about meaning and not just decoding words. Tell them: During the next week, we will will work on understanding the poem together.

Have the students then find words in the poem that they know. Highlight them with highlighter tape. Most of the words highlighted will probably be high frequency words.

Day 2 and Day 3

Using a T-chart, write the words that are unknown to the children on the left hand side of the T-chart: words such as "brillig" "slimy toves" etc. Together, discuss what the words could mean. Write the inferred meaning on the right hand side of the T-chart. This should take two class periods.

At the end of the first day, read the poem using the "inferred meaning" words.

On the 3rd day, read it again as written, then read it with the inferred meanings, then continue working on the inferred meanings. At the end of the class period, read the poem again with the inferred meanings.

Day 4

Read the poem with the "nonsense" words, then read it again with the inferred meanings. As the children to draw a picture of what they believe is happening in the poem. Ask for labels, but label the picture for them if they forget or are unable. You are looking for characters, setting, problem/solution: literary elements. Explain to the children that you want to see these things in their picture.

When they have finished, read the poem again to them, except this time, read it from a published book/poetry book, so they can see illustrations.

Discuss whether or not their inferences brought meaning to the poem.

Assessment: Anecdotal notes during inferring lessons.

Picture with labels will give you a more formal assessment of understanding.

Further assessment is needed during reading conferences: Are they continuing to make meaning by using the strategy (inferring)?

Teacher Comments: This lesson was done last January/February of 2003 at an at-risk 1st grade classroom. The point of the lesson is for students to use their reading strategies of decoding and comprehension to make meaning. My class was able to do this and then use the skills continually throughout the remainder of the year.

Attachment: Poem

The 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.

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 arm, 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