Ready Steady Read Together
Alice in Wonderland: Poetry Lesson 2
What do you think you know?
What?
Who?
Why?
Where?
How?
When?
Book Talk: Let's explore this illustration.
Explore
What do you know and think?
“Beware the Jabberwock, my son!”
How might this extract link to the illustration?
Explore
From: Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll © 1993. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
Today's Question(s)
A) Summarise each verse using one or two sentences.
B) How can you tell the Jabberwock is dangerous?
Explore
Let me read today's text
Follow as I read
Explore
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.
From: Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll © 1993. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
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.
From: Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll © 1993. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
Vocabulary
Explore
Hover for definitions!
shun
sought
foe
galumphing
slain
chortled
Explore
From: Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll © 1993. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
I will model the first.
Find the word or phrase Read the sentence Talk about it to a partner
shun
Explore
Find Read Talk
“Beware the Jabberwock, my son! The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun
The frumious Bandersnatch!”
Reveal Vocabulary
From: Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll © 1993. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
shun
Your turn
foe
Find the word or phrase Read the sentence Talk about it to a partner
sought
galumphing
slain
chortled
Use your text
Explore
Vocabulary Check & Re-read
Explore
Reveal Vocabulary
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.
Explore
From: Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll © 1993. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
Reveal Vocabulary
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.
Explore
From: Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll © 1993. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
Fluency
Explore
Let me use my reader's voice...
’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!”
What did you notice?
Volume
Pace
Smoothness
Phrasing
Expression
Explore
From: Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll © 1993. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
My Turn
Your Turn
Echo Read
’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!”
Explore
From: Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll © 1993. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
Sound like a reader!
Stand up!
Choral Read
’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!”
Explore
From: Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll © 1993. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
Strategy Focus
Explore
Strategy: Main Point
A) Summarise each verse using one or two sentences.
What's the main idea of the text?
Teach
Let me show you
Reveal Text Marks
’Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.
Reveal Explainer
Within the book, Humpty Dumpty explains the meaning of some of the nonsense words from the first verse to Alice. He explains that some of these words are formed by combining two existing words. For example, slithy comes from lithe and slimy and mimsy comes from flimsy and miserable.
Using his explanations, brillig means about four o’clock in the afternoon, when people start to broil dinner. Toves are curious creatures like a cross between badgers, lizards and corkscrews. They spin round and round (gyre) and make holes (gimble) in the grass around a sundial (wabe). Borogoves are thin, shabby birds, resembling live mops, with their feathers sticking out all around them. Mome raths are green pig-like creatures which are lost and cannot find their way. They make a noise somewhere between bellowing and whistling, with a sneeze in the middle (outgrabe).
Using this, we can summarise the first verse: The poem begins in a strange and confusing world filled with unusual creatures and actions.
A) Summarise each verse using one or two sentences.
Teach
From: Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll © 1993. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
Strategy Stop
What else could you use to answer today's question(s)?
Teach
Your Turn
A) Summarise each verse using one or two sentences.
B) How can you tell the Jabberwock is dangerous?
Pairedreading first
Find the answers
Text mark
Explore
Acceptable Answers
Verse 2
“Beware the Jabberwock, my son!
The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun
The frumious Bandersnatch!”
Reveal Main Point
A father warns his son to be cautious of the Jabberwock and other dangerous and frightening creatures.
Verse 3
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.
Reveal Main Point
The boy takes his sword and goes on a long search for the Jabberwock and before resting by a tree.
Acceptable Answers
Verse 4
And as in uffish thought he stood,
The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,
Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,
And burbled as it came!
Reveal Main Point
While the boy was thinking, the Jabberwock appears, making strange noises as it moves through the forest.
Verse 5
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.
Reveal Main Point
The boy fights and kills the Jabberwock, then returns home with its head.
Acceptable Answers
Verse 6
“And hast thou slain the Jabberwock?
Come to my arms, my beamish boy!
O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!”
He chortled in his joy.
Reveal Main Point
His father celebrates the boy’s victory, hugging him and laughing joyfully, full of pride.
Verse 7
’Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.
Reveal Main Point
The poem ends by repeating the opening stanza about the strange, nonsensical world filled with curious creatures.
Acceptable Answers
Text Mark Evidence beware the Jabberwock, my son
direct warnings
B) How can you tell the Jabberwock is dangerous?
Text Mark Evidence - the jaws that bite - the claws that catch
dangerous features that could cause harm
Text Mark Evidence he took his vorpal sword in hand
weapons are needed to fight it
Text Mark Evidence the Jabberwock, with eyes of flame
frightening appearance
Click on the evidence to reveal acceptable answers
Text Mark Evidence long time the manxome foe he sought
described as an enemy
Practise & Apply
Quiz Time
Start
Picture Me
Which image is the best match for ‘chortled’?
Fill the Gaps
chortled
galumphing
slain
One, two! One, two! And through and through
The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!
He left it dead, and with its head
He went back.
“And hast thou the Jabberwock?
Come to my arms, my beamish boy!
O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!”
He in his joy.
Click if correct
Discuss then check
Link Me
Link each word with its correct definition:
A) looked for and tried to find
1) shun
B) to avoid something on purpose
2) foe
C) an enemy or opponent
Check
3) sought
Click if correct
D) laughed joyously
4) chortled
Sequence Me
Put the following events in the correct order:
A) The boy sets off with his sword in search of the Jabberwock.
B) The Jabberwock appears in the forest.
C) The boy fights and kills the Jabberwock.
D) The father warns the boy about the Jabberwock.
Click if correct
Check
Feedback: Who did what well?
FindRead Talk
EchoRead
ChoralRead
ReadingStrategy
Answers & Text Marks
Other...
To be a book lover, you could...
read every day.
Reveal
Even 15 minutes a day can make a big difference!
Copyright Notice
This document has been supplied under a CLA Licence with specific terms of use. It is protected by copyright and, save as may be permitted by law, it may not be further copied, stored, re-copied electronically or otherwise shared, even for internal purposes, without the prior further permission of the Rightsholder. Extracts sourced from: Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll © 1993 Schools must purchase the original text for full content.
galumphing
slain
chortled
RSRT Y5 L2 Alice in Wonderland
Literacy Counts
Created on March 25, 2026
Start designing with a free template
Discover more than 1500 professional designs like these:
View
Vision Board
View
SWOT Challenge: Classify Key Factors
View
Explainer Video: Keys to Effective Communication
View
Explainer Video: AI for Companies
View
Corporate CV
View
Flow Presentation
View
Geographical Challenge: Drag to the map
Explore all templates
Transcript
Ready Steady Read Together
Alice in Wonderland: Poetry Lesson 2
What do you think you know?
What?
Who?
Why?
Where?
How?
When?
Book Talk: Let's explore this illustration.
Explore
What do you know and think?
“Beware the Jabberwock, my son!”
How might this extract link to the illustration?
Explore
From: Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll © 1993. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
Today's Question(s)
A) Summarise each verse using one or two sentences.
B) How can you tell the Jabberwock is dangerous?
Explore
Let me read today's text
Follow as I read
Explore
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.
From: Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll © 1993. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
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.
From: Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll © 1993. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
Vocabulary
Explore
Hover for definitions!
shun
sought
foe
galumphing
slain
chortled
Explore
From: Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll © 1993. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
I will model the first.
Find the word or phrase Read the sentence Talk about it to a partner
shun
Explore
Find Read Talk
“Beware the Jabberwock, my son! The jaws that bite, the claws that catch! Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun The frumious Bandersnatch!”
Reveal Vocabulary
From: Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll © 1993. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
shun
Your turn
foe
Find the word or phrase Read the sentence Talk about it to a partner
sought
galumphing
slain
chortled
Use your text
Explore
Vocabulary Check & Re-read
Explore
Reveal Vocabulary
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.
Explore
From: Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll © 1993. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
Reveal Vocabulary
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.
Explore
From: Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll © 1993. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
Fluency
Explore
Let me use my reader's voice...
’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!”
What did you notice?
Volume
Pace
Smoothness
Phrasing
Expression
Explore
From: Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll © 1993. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
My Turn
Your Turn
Echo Read
’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!”
Explore
From: Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll © 1993. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
Sound like a reader!
Stand up!
Choral Read
’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!”
Explore
From: Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll © 1993. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
Strategy Focus
Explore
Strategy: Main Point
A) Summarise each verse using one or two sentences.
What's the main idea of the text?
Teach
Let me show you
Reveal Text Marks
’Twas brillig, and the slithy toves Did gyre and gimble in the wabe; All mimsy were the borogoves, And the mome raths outgrabe.
Reveal Explainer
Within the book, Humpty Dumpty explains the meaning of some of the nonsense words from the first verse to Alice. He explains that some of these words are formed by combining two existing words. For example, slithy comes from lithe and slimy and mimsy comes from flimsy and miserable. Using his explanations, brillig means about four o’clock in the afternoon, when people start to broil dinner. Toves are curious creatures like a cross between badgers, lizards and corkscrews. They spin round and round (gyre) and make holes (gimble) in the grass around a sundial (wabe). Borogoves are thin, shabby birds, resembling live mops, with their feathers sticking out all around them. Mome raths are green pig-like creatures which are lost and cannot find their way. They make a noise somewhere between bellowing and whistling, with a sneeze in the middle (outgrabe). Using this, we can summarise the first verse: The poem begins in a strange and confusing world filled with unusual creatures and actions.
A) Summarise each verse using one or two sentences.
Teach
From: Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll © 1993. Licensed under CLA. Do not copy or share.
Strategy Stop
What else could you use to answer today's question(s)?
Teach
Your Turn
A) Summarise each verse using one or two sentences.
B) How can you tell the Jabberwock is dangerous?
Pairedreading first
Find the answers
Text mark
Explore
Acceptable Answers
Verse 2
“Beware the Jabberwock, my son! The jaws that bite, the claws that catch! Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun The frumious Bandersnatch!”
Reveal Main Point
A father warns his son to be cautious of the Jabberwock and other dangerous and frightening creatures.
Verse 3
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.
Reveal Main Point
The boy takes his sword and goes on a long search for the Jabberwock and before resting by a tree.
Acceptable Answers
Verse 4
And as in uffish thought he stood, The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame, Came whiffling through the tulgey wood, And burbled as it came!
Reveal Main Point
While the boy was thinking, the Jabberwock appears, making strange noises as it moves through the forest.
Verse 5
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.
Reveal Main Point
The boy fights and kills the Jabberwock, then returns home with its head.
Acceptable Answers
Verse 6
“And hast thou slain the Jabberwock? Come to my arms, my beamish boy! O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!” He chortled in his joy.
Reveal Main Point
His father celebrates the boy’s victory, hugging him and laughing joyfully, full of pride.
Verse 7
’Twas brillig, and the slithy toves Did gyre and gimble in the wabe; All mimsy were the borogoves, And the mome raths outgrabe.
Reveal Main Point
The poem ends by repeating the opening stanza about the strange, nonsensical world filled with curious creatures.
Acceptable Answers
Text Mark Evidence beware the Jabberwock, my son
direct warnings
B) How can you tell the Jabberwock is dangerous?
Text Mark Evidence - the jaws that bite - the claws that catch
dangerous features that could cause harm
Text Mark Evidence he took his vorpal sword in hand
weapons are needed to fight it
Text Mark Evidence the Jabberwock, with eyes of flame
frightening appearance
Click on the evidence to reveal acceptable answers
Text Mark Evidence long time the manxome foe he sought
described as an enemy
Practise & Apply
Quiz Time
Start
Picture Me
Which image is the best match for ‘chortled’?
Fill the Gaps
chortled
galumphing
slain
One, two! One, two! And through and through The vorpal blade went snicker-snack! He left it dead, and with its head He went back. “And hast thou the Jabberwock? Come to my arms, my beamish boy! O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!” He in his joy.
Click if correct
Discuss then check
Link Me
Link each word with its correct definition:
A) looked for and tried to find
1) shun
B) to avoid something on purpose
2) foe
C) an enemy or opponent
Check
3) sought
Click if correct
D) laughed joyously
4) chortled
Sequence Me
Put the following events in the correct order:
A) The boy sets off with his sword in search of the Jabberwock.
B) The Jabberwock appears in the forest.
C) The boy fights and kills the Jabberwock.
D) The father warns the boy about the Jabberwock.
Click if correct
Check
Feedback: Who did what well?
FindRead Talk
EchoRead
ChoralRead
ReadingStrategy
Answers & Text Marks
Other...
To be a book lover, you could...
read every day.
Reveal
Even 15 minutes a day can make a big difference!
Copyright Notice
This document has been supplied under a CLA Licence with specific terms of use. It is protected by copyright and, save as may be permitted by law, it may not be further copied, stored, re-copied electronically or otherwise shared, even for internal purposes, without the prior further permission of the Rightsholder. Extracts sourced from: Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll © 1993 Schools must purchase the original text for full content.
galumphing
slain
chortled