Alice's Adventures in Wonderland tells the story of a young girl named Alice who falls down a rabbit hole and enters a fantastical world filled with talking animals and peculiar characters.
Reading and Writing Workshop: Exploring Wonderland--A Reading and Writing Adventure
Begin by reading the work either in groups or as a class. If group reading, divide the work into sections and assign each group a section. As groups, they will read their section, write a summary of each chapter, and then each group reports on their chapters sequentially. As students read, they should complete the Novel Tracker. After reading and reporting on the entire novel, the workshop might consist of a single session or more. The goal is to engage participants in an exploration of life in an American religious colony through primary sources, and writing exercises that foster a deeper understanding of concepts such as English society, cultural norms, conflict, and resilience.
Objective: This workshop is divided into structured sessions, each focusing on reading, discussion, and writing activities to support student learning and context. The workshop incorporates public domain primary resources to deepen understanding and inspire creative expression. Students will also 1) Analyze the themes and character dynamics of the novel, 2) Examine primary sources to contextualize the novel's setting and societal norms. and
3) Develop creative writing pieces inspired by the novel and its historical context.
*This workshop follows a structured approach integrating reading, writing, and discussion based on Sons and Lovers by D.H. Lawrence. It incorporates public domain memoirs, real-life stories, fiction, poetry, and scripts to deepen comprehension and inspire creative writing.
Session 1: Introduction to Wonderland – Context & Themes
Opening Focus Lesson
Session 2: Victorian Influences & Real-Life Inspirations
Opening Focus Lesson
Session 3: The Absurd & Nonsense Literature
Opening Focus Lesson
Session 4: Wonderland’s Political & Social Commentary
Opening Focus Lesson
Session 5: Wonderland and Modern Adaptations
Opening Focus Lesson
Final Session: Creative Writing Showcase
This revised plan removes all time constraints, allowing flexibility while maintaining a structured and engaging approach to Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.
Begin by reading the work either in groups or as a class. If group reading, divide the work into sections and assign each group a section. As groups, they will read their section, write a summary of each chapter, and then each group reports on their chapters sequentially. As students read, they should complete the Novel Tracker. After reading and reporting on the entire novel, the workshop might consist of a single session or more. The goal is to engage participants in an exploration of life in an American religious colony through primary sources, and writing exercises that foster a deeper understanding of concepts such as English society, cultural norms, conflict, and resilience.
Objective: This workshop is divided into structured sessions, each focusing on reading, discussion, and writing activities to support student learning and context. The workshop incorporates public domain primary resources to deepen understanding and inspire creative expression. Students will also 1) Analyze the themes and character dynamics of the novel, 2) Examine primary sources to contextualize the novel's setting and societal norms. and
3) Develop creative writing pieces inspired by the novel and its historical context.
*This workshop follows a structured approach integrating reading, writing, and discussion based on Sons and Lovers by D.H. Lawrence. It incorporates public domain memoirs, real-life stories, fiction, poetry, and scripts to deepen comprehension and inspire creative writing.
Session 1: Introduction to Wonderland – Context & Themes
Opening Focus Lesson
- Inquiry-Based Lesson: Explore Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland within its historical and literary context.
- Primary Resource: Lewis Carroll’s original text with illustrations by John Tenniel.
- Reading Workshop: Read selected chapters of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and compare them with Victorian-era children’s literature.
- Writing Workshop: Response prompt: How does Carroll’s portrayal of childhood reflect or challenge Victorian norms?
- Remediation Groups: Vocabulary from the text.
- Strategy Lessons: Understanding satire and fantasy elements.
- Discussion Prompt: How do Alice’s experiences reflect real-life childhood challenges?
- Short written reflection: How do themes in Alice relate to contemporary childhood experiences?
Session 2: Victorian Influences & Real-Life Inspirations
Opening Focus Lesson
- Demonstration Lesson: Compare real-life Victorian influences on Alice.
- Primary Resource: Excerpts from The Diary of Lewis Carroll.
- Reading Workshop: Read about Lewis Carroll’s relationship with Alice Liddell and Victorian storytelling.
- Writing Workshop: Write a fictional journal entry from Alice’s perspective.
- Discussion: How do real-life inspirations shape fiction?
- Writing Strategies: First-person narrative writing.
- Feedback Exchange: Partners review journal entries and discuss historical accuracy.
- Quick verbal reflections: How does knowing an author’s background affect our reading?
Session 3: The Absurd & Nonsense Literature
Opening Focus Lesson
- Interactive Read-Aloud: Read Lewis Carroll’s nonsense poem Jabberwocky.
- Primary Resource: Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There (1871).
- Reading Workshop: Compare Jabberwocky with Edward Lear’s limericks.
- Primary Resource: Edward Lear’s A Book of Nonsense (1846).
- Writing Workshop: Students create their own nonsense poems.
- Group Work: Analyze structure, rhyme, and wordplay in nonsense poetry.
- Poetry Exchange: Partners read each other’s nonsense poems.
- Short written response: What is the purpose of nonsense in literature?
Session 4: Wonderland’s Political & Social Commentary
Opening Focus Lesson
- Inquiry-Based Lesson: Analyze satire in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.
- Primary Resource: Victorian political cartoons.
- Reading Workshop: Compare Wonderland’s characters with real Victorian figures.
- Writing Workshop: Write a short satirical piece about a modern-day issue using Wonderland’s style.
- Discussion: How does satire challenge authority?
- Writing Focus: Crafting satirical dialogue.
- Feedback: Partners review each other’s satirical writing.
- Quick verbal reflections: What did you satirize and why?
Session 5: Wonderland and Modern Adaptations
Opening Focus Lesson
- Shared Reading: Compare an excerpt from Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland with a modern adaptation.
- Primary Resource: The Nursery Alice (1890) – Lewis Carroll’s simplified retelling.
- Reading Workshop: Compare different adaptations of Alice.
- Writing Workshop: Rewrite a scene in modern language.
- Discussion: How do adaptations reflect cultural changes?
- Writing Focus: Translating classic language into modern storytelling.
- Group Work: Adapt a Wonderland scene into a short script.
- Performance: Read adapted scenes aloud.
Final Session: Creative Writing Showcase
- Students share their favorite works from the workshop.
This revised plan removes all time constraints, allowing flexibility while maintaining a structured and engaging approach to Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.