When teaching poetry, it is often helpful to refresh or introduce students with technical words. “Metaphor", "alliteration", "personification", "imagery", "apostrophe", and "assonance" are a few important terms.
After you have read the poem, ask your students to do a scavenger hunt using the Storyboard Creator. Give them the list again and have them create a storyboard that depicts and explains the use of each literary element in the poem. They will have an absolute blast and gain mastery of the words.
| DESCRIPTION | EXAMPLE | |
|---|---|---|
| Alliteration | Repetition of consonant sounds at the beginnings of words in a sentence or line | “the claws that catch!” |
| Internal Rhyme | Rhyming that occurs within a single line | “He left it dead, and with its head” |
| Metaphor | An implied comparison between two things | “The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame” |
| Imagery | The use of descriptive or figurative language to create vivid mental imagery that appeals to the senses | “One, two! One, two! And through and through / The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!” |
| Consonance | The repetition of consonant sounds within a line | “Come to my arms, my beamish boy!” |
| Portmanteau | A word whose form and meaning come from a blending of two or more words | “Galumph” (gallop, jump) |
(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)
Student Instructions
Create a storyboard that shows five examples of literary elements in "Jabberwocky".
Set up student storyboards around the classroom and have students move in small groups to view each other's work. Encourage discussion and ask students to give specific feedback on the examples used. This collaborative approach helps students learn from their peers and reinforces understanding of literary elements.
Give each student a specific role, such as “Literary Element Expert” or “Illustration Analyst”, when reviewing classmates' storyboards. This fosters active engagement and ensures constructive, focused feedback that deepens learning.
Share sentence stems like “I noticed you used…” or “Your example of alliteration made me think of…” to help students give meaningful, respectful feedback. Clear prompts make the process accessible and supportive for all learners.
Invite students to revise their storyboards after the gallery walk, using peer comments to strengthen explanations or visuals. This step encourages a growth mindset and reinforces mastery of literary elements.
'Jabberwocky' by Lewis Carroll features key literary elements such as alliteration, metaphor, imagery, internal rhyme, consonance, and portmanteau. These techniques help create the poem’s whimsical and vivid style.
Use a scavenger hunt activity with the Storyboard Creator. Give students a list of literary elements and have them find, explain, and illustrate examples from the poem, making learning interactive and fun.
A portmanteau is a word made by blending two words and their meanings. In 'Jabberwocky', an example is "galumph" (gallop + jump).
'Jabberwocky' is rich in figurative language and invented words, making it ideal for teaching concepts like metaphor and alliteration in an engaging, memorable way for students.
Have students create a storyboard showing examples of five literary elements from the poem, labeling each type and illustrating examples using scenes and characters.