Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland is a classic novel written by Lewis Carroll and first published in 1865. The story follows a young girl named Alice, who falls down a rabbit hole into a magical world called Wonderland where she encounters many different characters and experiences bizarre situations.


This scene takes your students through Wonderland, from the rabbit hole to the Queen of Hearts’ croquet court and allows them to investigate key characters and settings from the novel.

# Learning objectives


1: To understand the background of the novel.{.info}

2: To describe key characters from the novel.{.info}

3: To explore the themes of reality and fantasy.{.info}

# Background{.objective .objective1}



Lewis Carroll was the pen name of Charles Lutwidge Dodgson who was an English author, mathematician and photographer born in Daresbury, Cheshire, England. One of eleven children, he grew up telling imaginative stories to entertain his brothers and sisters. His storytelling continued throughout his time at Oxford University where he grew close to members of the Liddell family. Alice Liddell encouraged him to submit his manuscript for Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland for publish and the novel proved extremely popular.

Students should discuss why they think the novel proved to be so popular and consider the elements of the story that they enjoy.

When they enter the scene, they will search for the White Rabbit who will mark the entrance to the rabbit hole, leading them to the next part of the journey.



# Characters{.objective .objective2}

Here, students will be introduced to some of the key characters in the novel: the White Rabbit, the Cheshire Cat, The Caterpillar, The Mad Hatter, March Hare and the Dormouse, The King and Queen of Hearts and the Mock Turtle and the Gryphon. They will learn how some of them, the White Rabbit and Alice for example, may have been based on real people in the author’s life. Alice being Alice Liddell and the White Rabbit, her father.

When they enter the scene, they can explore the woodland and look for locations, references and imagery relating to the characters in the novel.

As they reach the Mad Hatter’s tea party table, they should lift the lids off the teapots until they find the Doormouse fast asleep!



# Reality vs Fantasy{.objective .objective3}

Students will be introduced to the themes of reality vs fantasy in the novel.

When they enter the scene, they should identify elements which are considered fantastical and think about why. They can consider the type of language used (for example, riddles), and some of the scenarios Alice finds herself in; are these scenarios that the students have experienced in their lives?

They can consider how these fantastical elements contrast with the Victorian reality of the time the novel was published.

The scene offers an interactive game of croquet where they will be able to move the croquet balls and play croquet in the Queen’s court. This draws their attention to the unrealistic elements of the croquet game in the novel, where flamingos served as mallets and the balls were hedgehogs.

# Teacher Resources

# Assignment: 

 

Write a book review of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.  


- What kind of language did Lewis Carroll use? 

- What did you enjoy? 

- Were there any parts that you did not enjoy? 

- Would you recommend this novel to others and why/why not? 

# Download Teacher Notes



[](https://data.avncloud.com/activities/803250/files/Alices%20Adventures+in+Wonderland+Teachers+Notes+1.pdf?date=1685462611&size=1223674&md5=e19419df7e39141e8df77e02d5078e97)



**Student Quiz Answers Document**



[](https://data.avncloud.com/activities/803251/files/Alices%20Adventures+in+Wonderland+Teachers+Notes+2.pdf?date=1685462758&size=608225&md5=db1b37afde3c3fd196c318eeb77f7344)



**Download Student Quiz Document**



[](https://data.avncloud.com/activities/803253/files/Alices%20Adventures+in+Wonderland+Teachers+Notes+3.pdf?date=1685462835&size=80440&md5=68c116a0136ea03996d53036e50a313c)