Objectives

• Analyse how Carroll uses Alice's physical transformations in Chapters 1–4 to dramatise the instability of identity during adolescence.
• Identify and interpret Carroll's use of language play, riddles, and non-sequiturs in Chapters 5 and 7 as a critique of adult authority and communication.
• Explain how Carroll constructs power through the Queen of Hearts and the court in Chapters 8 and 11–12, using specific quotations as evidence.
• Write an evidenced analytical paragraph using the point–evidence–analysis structure, selecting quotations from named chapters.
• Evaluate how Carroll uses the dream framework (Chapters 1 and 12) to both enable and contain Alice's rebellion against adult logic.

The sequence

1. Lesson 1: Who Is Alice? Identity and Transformation in Chapters 1–2

   55 min · ch. 1, 2

   Do now

   Without opening the book, jot down three things you know — or believe you know — about Alice in Wonderland. After that, write one question you have regarding Alice as a character. You have four minutes; please refrain from talking for now.

   Teacher input

   Model a close reading of the passage in Chapter 1 where Alice wonders, "Who in the world am I? Ah, that's the great puzzle!" (Ch.1, after drinking from the bottle and beginning to shrink). Think aloud: annotate the word "puzzle" — Carroll portrays identity as a game without a guaranteed solution. Notice the shift from third-person narration to Alice's direct speech, and how her list of girls she might or might not be ("I'm sure I'm not Ada… and I'm sure I can't be Mabel") illustrates the very instability she describes. Guide students in transforming a single observation into a structured sentence of analysis.

   Independent task

   Students read the passage in Chapter 2 where Alice, now towering at nine feet tall, sheds a pool of tears before shrinking back down. The narrator notes her surprise at 'finding that she remained the same size' (Ch.2, opening two pages). Students will compose a full analytical paragraph that explores what Alice's continual physical transformations imply about Carroll's perspective on growing up, incorporating at least two quotations from Chapters 1 or 2. The paragraph should begin with a clear topic sentence and end with a sentence that ties the evidence to the theme of identity.

   Exit ticket

   In one sentence, explain what the word 'puzzle' in Chapter 1 tells us about how Carroll wants the reader to think about Alice's identity — do not simply paraphrase the word; say what idea it opens up.

2. Lesson 2: Nonsense as Argument: Language and Power in Chapters 5 and 7

   55 min · ch. 5, 7

   Do now

   Read the Caterpillar's opening line to Alice in Chapter 5: 'Who are you?' Write down two reasons why this question is more challenging for Alice to answer in this context than it would be during a typical conversation. You have four minutes, and you may refer to the text.

   Teacher input

   Model the analysis of the Mad Hatter's riddle "Why is a raven like a writing-desk?" in Chapter 7, where the Hatter admits he has no answer. Show how Carroll uses this unanswerable riddle as a structural joke about adult authority: the adults in Wonderland ask questions they can't answer, yet still demand respect. Annotate the Hatter's line "I dare say you never even spoke to Time!" — note how the capitalization of "Time" transforms it from an abstract concept into a character that the Hatter claims to have authority over, highlighting the randomness of that authority.

   Independent task

   Students will re-read the exchange between Alice and the Caterpillar, starting with his opening question, "Who are you?", and ending with Alice's departure at the conclusion of Chapter 5. They will also review the Tea-Party scene in Chapter 7, from Alice's arrival to her exit in disgust. Following this, students will write two analytical paragraphs—one for each chapter—arguing that Carroll intentionally highlights communication failures to mock the authority of adults. Each paragraph must include at least one quoted line of dialogue, identify the speaker, and explain what the communication breakdown reveals about who holds power and why that power is ridiculous.

   Exit ticket

   Write one sentence explaining how the Mad Hatter's unanswerable riddle in Chapter 7 does something more than create comedy — what does Carroll use it to say about authority?

3. Lesson 3: Off With Their Heads: Power and Arbitrary Rule in Chapters 8 and 9

   55 min · ch. 8, 9

   Do now

   Look at the Queen of Hearts' opening line in Chapter 8: 'Off with their heads!' Consider what this reveals about her way of ruling before you read any further. Then, jot down one question regarding whether any character in this chapter stands up to her.

   Teacher input

   Model a close reading of the croquet game in Chapter 8, focusing on the sentence: 'The players all played at once without waiting for turns, quarrelling all the while, and fighting for the hedgehogs.' Explore how Carroll uses the breakdown of game rules — the rules that typically provide structure and meaning to games — as a metaphor for the Queen's arbitrary rule. Annotate 'without waiting for turns' and 'quarrelling all the while': the Queen's authority creates chaos rather than order, illustrating Carroll's satirical commentary on power exercised without reason.

   Independent task

   Students should read the passage in Chapter 9 where the Mock Turtle shares his educational experiences with Alice — 'Reeling and Writhing… and then the different branches of Arithmetic — Ambition, Distraction, Uglification, and Derision' — and analyze it alongside the Queen's approach to managing the croquet game in Chapter 8. They will write three analytical paragraphs arguing that Carroll uses both scenes to critique Victorian institutions of power and education. Each paragraph must include a quotation, an observation about Carroll's word choice or structural decisions, and a connection to the theme of power. Students should reference both chapters in their analysis.

   Exit ticket

   In two sentences, explain how Carroll's invented school subjects in Chapter 9 — 'Uglification' and 'Derision' — work as satire: what real thing is Carroll mocking, and how does the joke land?

4. Lesson 4: A Trial Without Justice: Chapters 11–12 and the Dream Frame

   55 min · ch. 11, 12

   Do now

   Without looking at the text, jot down what you think a fair trial should encompass. After that, check out Chapter 11 and read the first page. Identify one way in which the trial of the Knave of Hearts deviates from your expectations.

   Teacher input

   Model the analysis of the King's instruction in Chapter 11: 'Rule Forty-two. All persons more than a mile high to leave the court.' Illustrate how Carroll employs this made-up rule—enforced only when Alice starts to question the court's authority—to highlight that Wonderland's legal system creates rules to stifle dissent instead of ensuring justice. Annotate 'the oldest rule in the book' (the King's claim): demonstrate how the reliance on age as a source of authority, without any real proof, serves as Carroll's satirical depiction of how institutions safeguard their own interests.

   Independent task

   Students will revisit Alice's dramatic moment when she exclaims, "You're nothing but a pack of cards!" in Chapter 12, beginning with "At this the whole pack rose up into the air" and continuing to the chapter's conclusion. They are tasked with writing two analytical paragraphs: the first should explore what Alice's outburst indicates about her growth throughout the novel; the second should analyze what Carroll accomplishes by presenting the entire narrative as a dream. Each paragraph must include at least one quote from Chapters 11 or 12 and one from an earlier chapter, which students can select. Both paragraphs should conclude with a sentence that ties the evidence back to one of the following themes: justice, identity, or escape.

   Exit ticket

   Write one full sentence explaining why Carroll ends the novel with Alice waking from a dream rather than escaping Wonderland through a door or tunnel — what does the dream ending do that a physical escape could not?

5. Lesson 5: Writing the Essay: Carroll's Wonderland as Satire of Adult Authority

   60 min · ch. 1, 2, 5, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12

   Do now

   Read back your exit ticket from Lesson 4. In three minutes, write a single sentence that could act as the thesis — the main argument — of an essay responding to the question: 'How does Carroll use Wonderland and its inhabitants to satirise adult authority?' Ensure your thesis takes a clear stance, rather than merely summarizing events.

   Teacher input

   Model the construction of an essay introduction using the question above. On the board, draft a thesis that captures Carroll's approach, stating, "Carroll uses the structural logic of a dream—where rules exist only to be broken—to reveal the arbitrary nature of Victorian adult authority." Next, guide students on how to outline the three key points the essay will address: (1) the role of language and nonsense in Chapters 5 and 7; (2) themes of power and the court in Chapters 8 and 11; and (3) the dream framework in Chapter 12. Emphasize that an introduction should not simply recount the plot but instead outlines the argument.

   Independent task

   Students will write a complete essay of 500–700 words addressing the question: "How does Carroll use Wonderland and its inhabitants to satirize adult authority?" The essay should start with an introduction that presents a clear thesis. It will include three body paragraphs, each focusing on a different chapter or pair of chapters (students must reference at least three of the following: Chapters 5, 7, 8, 11, 12). The conclusion should refer back to the dream frame introduced in Chapter 12. In each body paragraph, students need to include at least one embedded quotation, noting the chapter number in brackets, along with a commentary on Carroll’s word choice or structural decisions, and a sentence that connects the evidence to the main argument of the essay. Students can refer to their annotated texts and the paragraphs developed in Lessons 1–4 as a basis for their work, but the essay must be fully composed during this lesson.

   Exit ticket

   Read back your conclusion and write one sentence answering this question honestly: does your conclusion simply repeat your introduction, or does it say something new about what Carroll achieves by placing his satire inside a child's dream — and if it repeats, what one idea could you add to make it do more work?

Activities

Assessment

• Lesson 1 exit ticket: checks whether students can move from paraphrase to analysis using the word 'puzzle' from Chapter 1 — the marker is looking for a claim about what the word implies, not a restatement of its meaning.
• Lesson 2 paragraph pair: checks whether students can identify a specific communicative failure in Chapters 5 and 7 and link it to the theme of power — the marker is looking for named speakers, embedded quotations, and a causal argument.
• Lesson 3 exit ticket: checks whether students understand how Carroll's invented vocabulary ('Uglification', 'Derision') functions as satire — the marker is looking for identification of the real target (Victorian education or institutional authority) and an explanation of the satirical mechanism.
• Lesson 4 paragraph pair: checks whether students can connect a close reading of the trial (Chapter 11) to the dream ending (Chapter 12) and to an earlier chapter — the marker is looking for cross-chapter argument, not isolated summary.
• Lesson 5 thesis sentence (do-now): checks whether students can formulate a position rather than a description — the marker is looking for a claim that names Carroll's method and its effect, not a plot summary dressed as an argument.

Standards covered

Common Core 11 12

• RL.11-12.1 — Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
• RL.11-12.4 — Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyse the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone.
• RL.11-12.6 — Analyse a case in which grasping a point of view or cultural experience requires distinguishing what is directly stated from what is really meant.
• W.11-12.1 — Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.

AP Literature

• Literary Argumentation (LAN-1) — Develop a thesis that makes a defensible claim about an interpretation of literature.
• Textual Evidence (LAN-1.D) — Identify and use relevant evidence to support a literary argument, including embedded quotation with analysis.
• Figurative Language (FIG-1) — Explain the function of specific word choices, including connotative and figurative language, in shaping meaning and tone.
• Narration (NAR-1) — Explain how the narrator's perspective and structural choices (including the dream frame) contribute to the meaning of the text as a whole.

AQA

• AO1 — Read, understand and respond to texts; maintain a critical style and develop an informed personal response; use textual references, including quotations, to support and illustrate interpretations.
• AO2 — Analyse the language, form and structure used by a writer to create meanings and effects, using relevant subject terminology where appropriate.
• AO3 — Show understanding of the relationships between texts and the contexts in which they were written and received (Victorian attitudes to childhood, education, and authority).

Edexcel

• AO1 — Articulate informed, personal and creative responses to literary texts, using associated concepts and terminology, and coherent, accurate written expression.
• AO2 — Analyse ways in which meanings are shaped in literary texts, with reference to Carroll's use of nonsense, inversion, and the dream narrative.
• AO5 — Demonstrate understanding of the significance and influence of the contexts in which literary texts are written and received.

IB Lit

• Criterion A — Knowledge, understanding and interpretation: demonstrate understanding of Carroll's satirical intent and the novel's literary context.
• Criterion B — Analysis and evaluation: analyse how Carroll's stylistic choices — including Carroll's use of nonsense dialogue, invented rules, and the dream frame — create meaning.
• Criterion D — Organisation: structure an essay with a clear line of argument sustained from introduction to conclusion.