Jabberwocky Activity
Objective: Context Clues are defined as clues within a sentence that explain another word’s meaning. As
you complete this activity, think about how “The Jabberwocky” teaches you how to use context clues to
figure out the meaning of a word without a dictionary.
Directions:
Step 1: Please read the poem “The Jabberwocky” and summarize its meaning in a paragraph.
Step 2: Read it again and underline or highlight any words you do not know.
Step 3: Please translate the words you do not know into your own definition
Step 4: Explain what this activity teaches you about the use of context clues.
Step 1: Summary
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Steps 2 and 3: Translation
“THE JABBERWOCKY” by Lewis Carroll (from Through the Looking Glass, book II of
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland
Original Text Your Translation
‘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
Jujub bird, and
shun
The frumious
Bandersnatch!”
He took his
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
vorpal sword
in hand:
Long time the
manxome foe
he soughtSo rested he by
the Tumtum
tree,
And stood
awhile in
thought.
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And, as in
uffish
though 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
snickersnack!
He left it
dead, and
with its head
He went
galumping
back.
“And hast
thou slain
the
Jabberwock?
Come to my
arms, my
beamish
son!
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.
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Step 4: Explain how this activity teaches you to use context clues to figure out the meaning of new
words.
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