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    Poets of Nature, Revelry, and Rhyme Nature, Revelry, and Rhyme    

Lesson 2: The Walrus and The Carpenter Stanzas 1-9

by Lewis Carroll

Performer: Librivox - Jon Sindell


The sun was shining on the sea,

Shining with all his might:

He did his very best to make

The billows smooth and bright--

And this was odd, because it was

The middle of the night.



The moon was shining sulkily,

Because she thought the sun

Had got no business to be there

After the day was done--

"It's very rude of him," she said,

"To come and spoil the fun!"



The sea was wet as wet could be,

The sands were dry as dry.

You could not see a cloud, because

No cloud was in the sky:

No birds were flying overhead--

There were no birds to fly.



The Walrus and the Carpenter

Were walking close at hand;

They wept like anything to see

Such quantities of sand:

"If this were only cleared away,"

They said, "it would be grand!"



"If seven maids with seven mops

Swept it for half a year.

Do you suppose," the Walrus said,

"That they could get it clear?"

"I doubt it," said the Carpenter,

And shed a bitter tear.



"O Oysters, come and walk with us!"

The Walrus did beseech.

"A pleasant walk, a pleasant talk,

Along the briny beach:

We cannot do with more than four,

To give a hand to each."



The eldest Oyster looked at him,

But never a word he said:

The eldest Oyster winked his eye,

And shook his heavy head--

Meaning to say he did not choose

To leave the oyster-bed.



But four young Oysters hurried up,

All eager for the treat:

Their coats were brushed, their faces washed,

Their shoes were clean and neat--

And this was odd, because, you know,

They hadn't any feet.



Four other Oysters followed them,

And yet another four;

And thick and fast they came at last,

And more, and more, and more--

All hopping through the frothy waves,

And scrambling to the shore.

    Poets of Nature, Revelry, and Rhyme Nature, Revelry, and Rhyme    

Lesson 2: The Walrus and The Carpenter Stanzas 1-9

by Lewis Carroll

Performer: Librivox - Jon Sindell

Directions

Study the poem for one week.

Over the week:

  • Read or listen to the poem.
  • Review the synopsis.
  • Study the vocabulary words.
  • Read about the poet.
  • Complete the enrichment activities.
  • Discuss the review questions.

Synopsis

The sun shines in the middle of the night as the Walrus and the Carpenter walk along the beach and discuss how to remove all the sand. The Walrus and the Carpenter invite the Oysters to walk with them. The eldest Oyster refuses, but many other Oysters agree.

Vocabulary

Billows: A large sea wave.
Sulkily: In a pouty manner.
Walrus: A large sea mammal with two large tusks.
Carpenter: A person who makes and repairs wooden objects and structures.
Oyster: A sea animal consisting of soft flesh encased in a hinged shell.
Frothy: Covered with a mass of small bubbles.

Concepts

  1. Charles Lutwidge Dodgson (Lewis Carroll) was born in 1832 in Guildford, England. See his picture below.
  2. Zoom in and find Carroll's country of birth (UK) on the map of Europe below.
  3. The son of a country parson, Carroll had ten brothers and sisters. As a young child, Carroll became ill, resulting in deafness in one ear. Carroll also suffered from a stammer.
  4. Carroll was homeschooled until he was twelve, at which time he went away to school. He went on to study mathematics at Oxford. From when he was a child, he wrote short stories and poetry and submitted them to magazines.
  5. He eventually assumed the pen name 'Lewis Carroll', and is most famous for writing 'Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.' He was also a renowned poet.

Enrichment

Activity 1: Recite the Title, the Poet's Name, and the Poem

  • Each day this week, recite aloud the title of the poem, the name of the poet, and the poem.

Activity 2: Study the Poem Picture / Can You Find It?

  • Study the poem picture, and describe how it relates to the poem.

Find the following in the picture:

  • Sun
  • Moon
  • Sea
  • Wood
  • The Carpenter
  • The Walrus
  • Tusks
  • Loaf of Bread

Activity 3: Narrate the Poem

  • After reading or listening to the poem, narrate the poem events aloud using your own words.

Activity 4: Color the Poem   

  • Click the crayon above, and complete page 4 of 'Poetry Coloring Pages for Second Grade.'

Activity 5: Sketch the Poem Animals

  • Sketch a walrus and an opened oyster, as shown below.

Review

Question 1

What is the title of the poem?
1 / 7

Answer 1

The title of the poem is 'The Walrus and The Carpenter.'
1 / 7

Question 2

What is the name of the poet who wrote 'The Walrus and The Carpenter?'
2 / 7

Answer 2

The name of the poet is Lewis Carroll.
2 / 7

Question 3

What happens in the poem?
3 / 7

Answer 3

The Walrus and the Carpenter invite the Oysters to walk with them on the beach. The eldest Oyster refuses, but many other Oysters agree.
3 / 7

Question 4

Where does the poem take place?
4 / 7

Answer 4

The poem takes place on a beach in the middle of the night.
4 / 7

Question 5

Who are the characters in the poem?
5 / 7

Answer 5

The characters in the poem are the Walrus, the Carpenter, and the Oysters.
5 / 7

Question 6

Why is the moon mad at the sun?
6 / 7

Answer 6

The moon is upset that the sun is shining in the middle of the night.
6 / 7

Question 7

Why do you think the eldest Oyster refuses to walk with the Walrus and the Carpenter?
7 / 7

Answer 7

Answers vary.
7 / 7

  1. What is the title of the poem? The title of the poem is 'The Walrus and The Carpenter.'
  2. What is the name of the poet who wrote 'The Walrus and The Carpenter?' The name of the poet is Lewis Carroll.
  3. What happens in the poem? The Walrus and the Carpenter invite the Oysters to walk with them on the beach. The eldest Oyster refuses, but many other Oysters agree.
  4. Where does the poem take place? The poem takes place on a beach in the middle of the night.
  5. Who are the characters in the poem? The characters in the poem are the Walrus, the Carpenter, and the Oysters.
  6. Why is the moon mad at the sun? The moon is upset that the sun is shining in the middle of the night.
  7. Why do you think the eldest Oyster refuses to walk with the Walrus and the Carpenter? Answers vary.

References

  1. 'Lewis Carroll.' Wikipedia. Wikipedia.org. n.p.

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