![Example Legend Plot Diagram for "Jabberwocky"](http://cdn.storyboardthat.com/storyboard-srcsets/kristy-littlehale/example-legend-plot-diagram-for--jabberwocky-.png "Example Legend Plot Diagram for "Jabberwocky"")
Activity Overview
Sometimes, it is difficult for students to connect with themes in poetry until they put them into a real-world context. Consider the following activity for students to storyboard.
At its core, “Jabberwocky” is a tale of heroism, and the battle between a good son and an evil creature. It is believed that Lewis Carroll was inspired to write the poem by the legend of the Lambton Worm. Many legends begin as stories, sometimes based on facts, or well-known events in a particular area. Sometimes, the legends are also based on landmarks. Have students create their own legendary creature that menaces civilization, and a hero to save the day. Have them document their legend in a storyboard plot diagram like the one below.
Example Legend Plot Diagram
Exposition
Once upon a time in the small mountain town of Wisdom Lake, there was a girl who longed to explore the world around her. Orphaned at 3, Laura just wanted to get away from her evil Aunt Pearl, who wouldn’t let her go past the boundary of the property line and made her do chores all day.
Conflict
On the top of Wisdom Mountain, which overlooked Wisdom Lake, there was gleaming white rock in the shape of a pyramid. The locals said the rock held magic powers, and whoever could climb up to it would be able to find eternal freedom. The problem was, it was guarded by a one-eyed red monster they called the Cyclomanderion. Many had died trying to capture the stone; none had successfully defeated the Cyclomanderion.
Rising Action
One day, Laura was walking quietly out to the barn to feed the horses. Suddenly, she saw a sparkle above her on the mountain. She squinted, and the sparkling thing moved. She listened and heard someone yell, “Help!” Laura looked around – the village was silent. No one else heard. She knew she had to help whoever it was, so she grabbed a training whip from the horse barn and began to run.
Climax
Laura made it to the base of the mountain in minutes. Slowly, she began to pick her way upwards, holding onto rocks and carefully placing her feet on solid ground. As she worked her way up, she continued to hear the screams for help. Finally, after what seemed like hours, Laura pulled herself up over the last stone and found herself face-to-face with the most terrifying creature she’d ever seen. Behind the creature was the stone, shining furiously into Laura’s eyes.
Falling Action
Laura grabbed her whip and threw herself over the edge at the creature. The Cyclomanderion got into an attack position, and Laura could see that behind it was a scared little boy. She roared and cracked the whip at the creature, but it ducked. As she reared back to strike again, the whip struck the stone and the stone exploded, throwing Laura, the creature, and the child over the side of the mountain.
Resolution
When Laura awoke, she was in a field. She looked over and found the child sleeping peacefully beside her. On the other side of her, she watched as a large red scorpion scuttled away. She looked towards the mountain, but it was gone. In its place stood a magnificent tree with glowing white fruit. To this day, we don’t understand what turns the fruit so white, but we know it has something to do with the Cyclomanderion and his white pyramid on the mountain.
Template and Class Instructions
(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)
Student Instructions
Create a plot diagram for an original legend building upon ideas from “Jabberwocky”.
- Plan out an original story using Exposition, Conflict, Rising Action, Climax, Falling Action, and Resolution.
- Create an image that represents an important moment or set of events for each of the story components. This is YOUR story, so get creative!
- Write a description of each of the steps in the plot diagram.
Lesson Plan Reference
Rubric
(You can also create your own on Quick Rubric.)
| Proficient 25 Points | Emerging 21 Points | Beginning 17 Points | Try Again 13 Points | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Descriptive and Visual Elements | Cells have many descriptive elements, and provide the reader with a vivid representation. | Cells have many descriptive elements, but flow of cells may have been hard to understand. | Cells have few descriptive elements, or have visuals that make the work confusing. | Cells have few or no descriptive elements. |
| Grammar/Spelling | Textables have three or fewer spelling/grammar errors. | Textables have four or fewer spelling/grammar errors. | Textables have five or fewer spelling/grammar errors. | Textables have six or more spelling/grammar errors. |
| Evidence of Effort | Work is well written and carefully thought out. Student has done both peer and teacher editing. | Work is well written and carefully thought out. Student has either teacher or peer editing, but not both. | Student has done neither peer, nor teacher editing. | Work shows no evidence of any effort. |
| Plot | All parts of the plot are included in the diagram. | All parts of the plot are included in the diagram, but one or more is confusing. | Parts of the plot are missing from the diagram, and/or some aspects of the diagram make the plot difficult to follow. | Almost all of the parts of the plot are missing from the diagram, and/or some aspects of the diagram make the plot very difficult to follow. |
Activity Overview
Sometimes, it is difficult for students to connect with themes in poetry until they put them into a real-world context. Consider the following activity for students to storyboard.
At its core, “Jabberwocky” is a tale of heroism, and the battle between a good son and an evil creature. It is believed that Lewis Carroll was inspired to write the poem by the legend of the Lambton Worm. Many legends begin as stories, sometimes based on facts, or well-known events in a particular area. Sometimes, the legends are also based on landmarks. Have students create their own legendary creature that menaces civilization, and a hero to save the day. Have them document their legend in a storyboard plot diagram like the one below.
Example Legend Plot Diagram
Exposition
Once upon a time in the small mountain town of Wisdom Lake, there was a girl who longed to explore the world around her. Orphaned at 3, Laura just wanted to get away from her evil Aunt Pearl, who wouldn’t let her go past the boundary of the property line and made her do chores all day.
Conflict
On the top of Wisdom Mountain, which overlooked Wisdom Lake, there was gleaming white rock in the shape of a pyramid. The locals said the rock held magic powers, and whoever could climb up to it would be able to find eternal freedom. The problem was, it was guarded by a one-eyed red monster they called the Cyclomanderion. Many had died trying to capture the stone; none had successfully defeated the Cyclomanderion.
Rising Action
One day, Laura was walking quietly out to the barn to feed the horses. Suddenly, she saw a sparkle above her on the mountain. She squinted, and the sparkling thing moved. She listened and heard someone yell, “Help!” Laura looked around – the village was silent. No one else heard. She knew she had to help whoever it was, so she grabbed a training whip from the horse barn and began to run.
Climax
Laura made it to the base of the mountain in minutes. Slowly, she began to pick her way upwards, holding onto rocks and carefully placing her feet on solid ground. As she worked her way up, she continued to hear the screams for help. Finally, after what seemed like hours, Laura pulled herself up over the last stone and found herself face-to-face with the most terrifying creature she’d ever seen. Behind the creature was the stone, shining furiously into Laura’s eyes.
Falling Action
Laura grabbed her whip and threw herself over the edge at the creature. The Cyclomanderion got into an attack position, and Laura could see that behind it was a scared little boy. She roared and cracked the whip at the creature, but it ducked. As she reared back to strike again, the whip struck the stone and the stone exploded, throwing Laura, the creature, and the child over the side of the mountain.
Resolution
When Laura awoke, she was in a field. She looked over and found the child sleeping peacefully beside her. On the other side of her, she watched as a large red scorpion scuttled away. She looked towards the mountain, but it was gone. In its place stood a magnificent tree with glowing white fruit. To this day, we don’t understand what turns the fruit so white, but we know it has something to do with the Cyclomanderion and his white pyramid on the mountain.
Template and Class Instructions
(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)
Student Instructions
Create a plot diagram for an original legend building upon ideas from “Jabberwocky”.
- Plan out an original story using Exposition, Conflict, Rising Action, Climax, Falling Action, and Resolution.
- Create an image that represents an important moment or set of events for each of the story components. This is YOUR story, so get creative!
- Write a description of each of the steps in the plot diagram.
Lesson Plan Reference
Rubric
(You can also create your own on Quick Rubric.)
| Proficient 25 Points | Emerging 21 Points | Beginning 17 Points | Try Again 13 Points | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Descriptive and Visual Elements | Cells have many descriptive elements, and provide the reader with a vivid representation. | Cells have many descriptive elements, but flow of cells may have been hard to understand. | Cells have few descriptive elements, or have visuals that make the work confusing. | Cells have few or no descriptive elements. |
| Grammar/Spelling | Textables have three or fewer spelling/grammar errors. | Textables have four or fewer spelling/grammar errors. | Textables have five or fewer spelling/grammar errors. | Textables have six or more spelling/grammar errors. |
| Evidence of Effort | Work is well written and carefully thought out. Student has done both peer and teacher editing. | Work is well written and carefully thought out. Student has either teacher or peer editing, but not both. | Student has done neither peer, nor teacher editing. | Work shows no evidence of any effort. |
| Plot | All parts of the plot are included in the diagram. | All parts of the plot are included in the diagram, but one or more is confusing. | Parts of the plot are missing from the diagram, and/or some aspects of the diagram make the plot difficult to follow. | Almost all of the parts of the plot are missing from the diagram, and/or some aspects of the diagram make the plot very difficult to follow. |
How Tos about Connecting with a Theme of “Jabberwocky”
Introduce theme mapping to connect 'Jabberwocky' to students' lives
Help students relate 'Jabberwocky' to their own experiences by encouraging them to identify central themes like heroism, bravery, or facing the unknown. This makes the poem more meaningful and boosts engagement by showing its relevance beyond the classroom.
Guide students to brainstorm real-life examples of heroism
Ask students to list moments of courage or heroism from history, current events, or their own lives. Connecting these examples to the poem's themes helps make abstract ideas concrete and memorable for your class.
Facilitate a class discussion comparing 'Jabberwocky' and student examples
Lead a conversation where students share their real-life hero stories and compare them with the poem's events and characters. This discussion encourages critical thinking and personal connections to literature.
Have students create theme maps linking 'Jabberwocky' to personal stories
Ask students to draw or digitally create a map that visually connects key moments from 'Jabberwocky' to their own or famous acts of heroism. Theme mapping deepens understanding and offers a creative outlet for student expression.
Encourage sharing and reflection to reinforce theme connections
Invite students to present their theme maps to the class and reflect on how the poem’s messages apply to their lives. This step strengthens comprehension and builds classroom community.
Frequently Asked Questions about Connecting with a Theme of “Jabberwocky”
What is a good classroom activity to help students understand the theme of 'Jabberwocky'?
A creative classroom activity is to have students create their own legendary creature and hero inspired by 'Jabberwocky', then document the story using a storyboard plot diagram with exposition, conflict, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution.
How can students connect 'Jabberwocky' to real-world contexts?
Students can connect 'Jabberwocky' to real-world contexts by inventing their own legend or myth and mapping it with a plot diagram, which helps them relate poetry themes like heroism and good versus evil to familiar storytelling structures.
What is a plot diagram and how can it be used in teaching legends?
A plot diagram is a visual tool that outlines key story elements (exposition, conflict, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution). Teachers can use it to guide students in planning and organizing their own legends or adaptations.
Why is it helpful for students to create their own legendary creatures when studying 'Jabberwocky'?
Having students create their own legendary creatures encourages creativity, deepens understanding of literary themes, and makes abstract concepts in poetry more concrete and engaging.
What are some tips for guiding students to write a modern adaptation of a legend?
Encourage students to use familiar settings or local landmarks, develop unique heroes and creatures, follow the plot diagram structure, and include creative images or descriptions for each story part to bring their legend to life.
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Jabberwocky
![Jabberwocky by Lewis Carroll - Literary Elements in "The Jabberwocky"](http://cdn.storyboardthat.com/storyboard-cells/2375996/cell-col-0-row-0-w400.png "Jabberwocky by Lewis Carroll - Literary Elements in "The Jabberwocky"")
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