Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World

Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World
Grade Level or Special Area: 4th grade
Written by:


Michelle D. Selig, Mountain View Core Knowledge School, Canon City,
CO
Length of Unit:

Nine lessons of 40 minutes each


I.
ABSTRACT
This is a unit that uses the Core Classic Gulliver’s Travels to introduce the reader to the writings
of J. Swift. The students will read the book independently and then complete a variety of
activities on a weekly basis to examine the story in detail and truly understand what was
happening.

II.
OVERVIEW
A.
Concept Objectives
1.
The students will understand that fiction is written in a world of scientific,
political, and religious changes.
2.
The students will understand that fiction is often written for other purposes than
just entertaining the reader.
3.
The students will read the stories of different eras and understand what is
happening in the story.
B.
Content from the Core Knowledge Sequence
1.
Language Arts: Grade 4, page 89
a.
Fiction
i.
Stories
a)
from Gulliver’s Travel’s: Gulliver in Lilliput and
Brobdingnag (Jonathan Swift)
C.
Skill Objectives
1.
The students will create and use time lines that show people and events in
sequence by years, decades, centuries.
2.
The students will use a full range of strategies to comprehend a fictional story.
3.
The students will explain their ideas and views in an organized, neat, and well-
defended manner.
4.
The students will recognize an author’s point of view.
5.
The students will read, respond to and discuss, using specific examples, various
forms of fiction.

III.
BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE
A.
For Teachers
1.
Unabridged version of Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift (I found the
Penguin Classics version very readable with lots of background information)
B.
For Students
1.
Reading skills developed over the past 4.5 years
2.
Familiarity with the world map

IV.
RESOURCES
A.
Bringing the Classics to Life: Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift and adapted Carolyn
Gloeckner (ISBN 1-55576-065-1) (Culminating Activity)
B.
Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift (ISBN 0-14-143949-1) (Lesson One, Culminating
Activity)
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C.
“Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift” website compiled by Lee Jaffe
http://www.jaffebros.com/lee/gulliver/index.html (Lesson One)
D.
Core Classic: Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift, abridged by Michael J. Marshall
(ISBN 1-890517-00-3) (Lessons Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, and Seven)

V.
LESSONS
Lesson One: Jonathan Swift Writes Gulliver’s Travels
A.
Daily Objectives
1.
Concept Objective(s)
a.
The students will understand that fiction is written in a world of
scientific, political, and religious changes.
2.
Lesson Content
a.
Jonathan Swift, the author of the novel, Gulliver’s Travels
3.
Skill Objective(s)
a.
The students will create and use time lines that show people and events
in sequence by years, decades, centuries.
B.
Materials
1.
Appendix A
2.
Appendix B
(overhead slide)
3.
Appendix C
(class set)
C.
Key Vocabulary
1.
Time line: an organized presentation of historical events to show when they
happened in relationship to each other
D.
Procedures/Activities
1.
Ask the following questions:
a.
Do you think that there is any place in the world that has not been
discovered and explored?
b.
Where would you go if you had the chance to go exploring?
2.
Introduce the novel, Gulliver’s Travels, to the class. Explain that this is a series
of short stories telling the adventures of a man by the name of Mr. Lemuel
Gulliver.
3.
Explain that it is important that we know who the author was and what the world
was like at the time the novel was written as well as the circumstances
surrounding its publication.
4.
Give a brief synopsis of Jonathan Swift’s life. Refer to Appendix A.
5.
Pass out Appendix C to each student.
6.
Explain the value of timelines for understanding events and how they relate to
each other.
7.
Using the overhead slide, explain how to fill out the Jonathan Swift time line.
Fill out several blanks together. Walk around the room while the students fill out
the rest of the time line.
8.
Go over the timeline together so you know they have the information correct. Be
sure that they are able to read the information given by the time line correctly.
E.
Assessment/Evaluation
1.
Appendix C will be graded using Appendix B

Lesson Two: Finding a New World
A.
Daily Objectives
1.
Concept Objective(s)
a.
The students will understand that fiction is often written for other
purposes than just entertaining the reader.
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b.
The students will read the stories of different eras and understand what is
happening in the story.
2.
Lesson Content
a.
from Gulliver’s Travel’s: Gulliver in Lilliput and Brobdingnag
(Jonathan Swift)
3.
Skill Objective(s)
a.
The students will use a full range of strategies to comprehend a fictional
story.
b.
The students will read, respond to and discuss, using specific examples,
various forms of fiction.
B.
Materials
1.
Core Classic Gulliver’s Travels (class set)
2.
Appendix D
(class set)
C.
Key Vocabulary
1.
Satire: a style of writing that uses ridiculous ideas or events to poke fun at
something else
D.
Procedures/Activities
1.
Go over the time line worksheet with the students to be sure that they understand
the relationship between Swift’s life and the events of the world.
2.
Explain the literary term, satire. Be sure to give them some examples of satire
that they will recognize. Movies are usually really good sources.
3.
Pass out a book to every student
4.
Popcorn read Chapter One with the class. Popcorn reading is done by having one
student begin reading with everyone else following along in their books. When
the student has read at least two complete sentences, they can at any time call on
another student to read. If that called upon student is unable to pick up the story
immediately, they must stand and the first student calls on someone else. This
continues until the time is up, the reading is done, or the entire class has read.
5.
Assign the reading of chapters 2 – 4 and Appendix D as homework. We work on
novels every Monday so the students have a week to complete the reading and
the appendix.
E.
Assessment/Evaluation
1.
Appendix D will be graded.

Lesson Three: Thrust into a Foreign Land
A.
Daily Objectives
1.
Concept Objective(s)
a.
The students will read the stories of different eras and understand what is
happening in the story.
2.
Lesson Content
a.
from Gulliver’s Travel’s: Gulliver in Lilliput and Brobdingnag
(Jonathan Swift)
3.
Skill Objective(s)
a.
The students will use a full range of strategies to comprehend a fictional
story.
b.
The students will read, respond to and discuss, using specific examples,
various forms of fiction.
B.
Materials
1.
Appendix E
(class set)
2.
Appendix F
(class set)
3.
Core Classic Gulliver’s Travels (class set)
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C.
Key Vocabulary
1.
Language: a series of sounds that over time have taken on meaning to a
particular group
D.
Procedures/Activities
1.
Begin class by talking to the class in a foreign language. If you can’t speak a
foreign language, just speak in gibberish. As the students are hopefully sitting
there looking very confused, try getting them to follow so very simple
instructions using both phrases and gestures. Explain that Gulliver must have
been very confused because he couldn’t understand what was being said. Tell
them that they are going to get the chance to experience creating a new language
and trying to communicate in that language. Pass out Appendix E and break
them in to groups of two. They will have 10 minutes to create words that would
normally be said on meeting new people, and then have several groups attempt to
communicate. After they have experienced this discuss how they think Gulliver
must have felt not being able to communicate.
2.
Go through the Appendix that was passed out last week to make sure that the
students understand what they read. I use the questions from the appendices as a
jumping off point for a class discussion of what they read.
3.
Assign the reading of chapters 5 – 8 and Appendix F as homework. We work on
novels every Monday so the students have a week to complete the reading and
the worksheets
E.
Assessment/Evaluation
1.
Appendix F will be graded.

Lesson Four: Gulliver on Trial
A.
Daily Objectives
1.
Concept Objective(s)
a.
The students will understand that fiction is often written for other
purposes than just entertaining the reader.
2.
Lesson Content
a.
from Gulliver’s Travel’s: Gulliver in Lilliput and Brobdingnag
(Jonathan Swift)
3.
Skill Objective(s)
a.
The students will use a full range of strategies to comprehend a fictional
story.
b.
The students will explain their ideas and views in an organized, neat, and
well-defended manner
B.
Materials
1.
Local paper with trial coverage
2.
Appendix G
3.
Core Classic Gulliver’s Travels (class set)
C.
Key Vocabulary
1.
Coverage: what has been reported about an event
2.
Press: those people that report newsworthy events in either the print or broadcast
media
D.
Procedures/Activities
1.
Go through Appendix F that was passed out last week to make sure that the
students understand what they read. I use the questions from the appendices as a
jumping off point for a class discussion of what they read.
2.
Using the local paper, show the students an example of the coverage of a trial.
Remind them about the need to include the what, when, where, who, and how in
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a newspaper story. Have them find the answers to these questions in the sample
article from the paper
3.
Pass out Appendix G. Point out the picture in the lower right corner. It is a copy
of the picture that appeared in the 1726-7 version of the book.
4.
Have the students write a newspaper account of the “crimes” of Gulliver, writing
as Lilliputian reporter. Use Appendix G to write the final draft of the article.
5.
Announce that there will be a quiz over the first adventure on
________________________.
E.
Assessment/Evaluation
1.
Evaluate the newspaper article using the rubric in Appendix H.

Lesson Five: A Voyage to Lilliput
A.
Daily Objectives
1.
Concept Objective(s)
a.
The students will understand that fiction is written in a world of
scientific, political, and religious changes.
b.
The students will understand that fiction is often written for other
purposes than just entertaining the reader.
c.
The students will read the stories of different eras and understand what is
happening in the story
2.
Lesson Content
a.
from Gulliver’s Travel’s: Gulliver in Lilliput and Brobdingnag
(Jonathan Swift)
3.
Skill Objective(s)
a.
The students will use a full range of strategies to comprehend a fictional
story.
B.
Materials
1.
Appendix I
(class set)
2.
Appendix J
(class set)
3.
Core Classic Gulliver’s Travels (class set)
C.
Key Vocabulary
None new
D.
Procedures/Activities
1.
Pass out Appendix I.
2.
Allow time for formal assessment of the Voyage to Lilliput.
3.
Popcorn read Chapter One with the class. Popcorn reading is done by having one
student begin reading with everyone else following along in their books. When
the student has read at least two complete sentences, they can at any time call on
another student to read. If that called upon student is unable to pick up the story
immediately, they must stand and the first student calls on someone else. This
continues until the time is up, the reading is done, or the entire class has read.
4.
Assign the reading of chapters 2 – 4 and Appendix J as homework. We work on
novels every Monday so the students have a week to complete the reading and
the appendix.
E.
Assessment/Evaluation
1.
Formal assessment of The Voyage to Lilliput
2.
Appendix I will be graded




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Lesson Six: My Master’s Daughter
A.
Daily Objectives
1.
Concept Objective(s)
a.
The students will understand that fiction is written in a world of
scientific, political, and religious changes.
b.
The students will understand that fiction is often written for other
purposes than just entertaining the reader.
c.
The students will read the stories of different eras and understand what is
happening in the story.
2.
Lesson Content
a.
from Gulliver’s Travel’s: Gulliver in Lilliput and Brobdingnag
(Jonathan Swift)
3.
Skill Objective(s)
a.
The students will create and use time lines that show people and events
in sequence by years, decades, centuries.
b.
The students will use a full range of strategies to comprehend a fictional
story.
c.
The students will explain their ideas and views in an organized, neat, and
well-defended manner.
d.
The students will recognize an author’s point of view.
e.
The students will read, respond to and discuss, using specific examples,
various forms of fiction.
B.
Materials
1.
Appendix L
(class set)
2.
Core Classic Gulliver’s Travels (class set)
C.
Key Vocabulary
1.
Perspective: what exactly is seen by an individual person
D.
Procedures/Activities
1.
Go through Appendix J that was passed out last week to make sure that the
students understand what they read. I use the questions from the appendices as a
jumping off point for a class discussion of what they read
2.
I tell the students that I wish I had the machine from the movie, “Honey, I Shrank
the Kids.” Hopefully, at least a few of the kids have seen the movie and can help
you describe the movie to the rest of the class. I then explain that it is very hard
for us to understand what it would be like to be exposed to people and items that
are so much bigger than you. We are going to pretend that we are tiny and are
trying to describe something huge above us. We go outside and lay on the
playground under the equipment. We spend several minutes just laying there
looking at the view above them. With their clipboard and paper, they then sit
there and write a paragraph describing what they saw as a tiny person and some
possible uses for what they saw.
3.
Assign the reading of chapters 2 – 4 and Appendix L as homework. We work on
novels every Monday so the students have a week to complete the reading and
the appendix.
E.
Assessment/Evaluation
1.
Evaluate the paragraph using the rubric in Appendix K.





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Lesson Seven: Life in Court
A.
Daily Objectives
1.
Concept Objective(s)
a.
The students will understand that fiction is written in a world of
scientific, political, and religious changes.
b.
The students will understand that fiction is often written for other
purposes than just entertaining the reader.
c.
The students will read the stories of different eras and understand what is
happening in the story
2.
Lesson Content
a.
from Gulliver’s Travel’s: Gulliver in Lilliput and Brobdingnag
(Jonathan Swift)
3.
Skill Objective(s)
a.
The students will use a full range of strategies to comprehend a fictional
story.
b.
The students will explain their ideas and views in an organized, neat, and
well-defended manner.
c.
The students will recognize an author’s point of view.
d.
The students will read, respond to and discuss, using specific examples,
various forms of fiction.
B.
Materials
1.
Student handbook
(Several copies to be shared)
2.
Copy of a local law
(several copies to be shared) (I talked to a local attorney
to get this)
3.
Core Classic Gulliver’s Travels (class set)
C.
Key Vocabulary
1.
Code of law: a list of rules that all people in that group must follow
2.
Consequences: results of making a choice
D.
Procedures/Activities
1.
Go through Appendix L that was passed out last week to make sure that the
students understand what they read. I use the questions from the appendices as a
jumping off point for a class discussion of what they read
2.
Point out the rule for making laws on page 167 of the Core Classic Gulliver’s
Travels. Pass out copies of the student handbook and copies of some local law.
Discuss how long some of those rules are and how detailed they are.
3.
Break into small groups and write a rule for the student handbook that covers
exactly how students should behave in the classroom that is only 26 letters long
4.
Go over those rules as a class. Evaluate them together to see if they make sense
and cover all possible problems and provide consequences.
5.
Assign the reading of chapters 5 – 7 and Appendix M as homework. We work on
novels every Monday so the students have a week to complete the reading and
the appendix.
E.
Assessment/Evaluation
1.
Appendix M will be graded.

Lesson Eight: Final Review
A.
Daily Objectives
1.
Concept Objective(s)
a.
The students will understand that fiction is written in a world of
scientific, political, and religious changes.
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b.
The students will understand that fiction is often written for other
purposes than just entertaining the reader.
c.
The students will read the stories of different eras and understand what is
happening in the story
2.
Lesson Content
a.
from Gulliver’s Travel’s: Gulliver in Lilliput and Brobdingnag
(Jonathan Swift)
3.
Skill Objective(s)
a.
The students will create and use time lines that show people and events
in sequence by years, decades, centuries.
b.
The students will use a full range of strategies to comprehend a fictional
story.
c.
The students will explain their ideas and views in an organized, neat, and
well-defended manner.
d.
The students will recognize an author’s point of view.
e.
The students will read, respond to and discuss, using specific examples,
various forms of fiction
B.
Materials
1.
Enlarged versions of Appendix M
C.
Key Vocabulary
None new
D.
Procedures/Activities
1.
Before class begins use Appendix M to create large versions of the activities that
will allow several students work on them at a time.
2.
Go through Appendix L that was passed out last week to make sure that the
students understand what they read. I use the questions from the appendices as a
jumping off point for a class discussion of what they read.
3.
Divide the class into six groups. Each group will complete a matching activity
that reviews the following six categories: setting of Lilliput, characters of
Lilliput, plot of the travels to Lilliput, the characters of Brobdingnag, the setting
of Brobdingnag, and the plot of the travels to Brobdingnag. The activity stations
will be set out at various points throughout the room. It will take them between 3
and 5 minutes at each station.
4.
Announce that the final test on Gulliver’s Travels will be on ________________.
E.
Assessment/Evaluation
1.
Participation in review

Lesson Nine: Final Assessment
A.
Daily Objectives
1.
Concept Objective(s)
a.
The students will understand that fiction is written in a world of
scientific, political, and religious changes.
b.
The students will understand that fiction is often written for other
purposes than just entertaining the reader.
c.
The students will read the stories of different eras and understand what is
happening in the story.
2.
Lesson Content
a.
from Gulliver’s Travel’s: Gulliver in Lilliput and Brobdingnag
(Jonathan Swift)


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3.
Skill Objective(s)
a.
The students will create and use time lines that show people and events
in sequence by years, decades, centuries.
b.
The students will use a full range of strategies to comprehend a fictional
story.
c.
The students will explain their ideas and views in an organized, neat, and
well-defended manner.
d.
The students will recognize an author’s point of view.
e.
The students will read, respond to and discuss, using specific examples,
various forms of fiction
B.
Materials
1.
Appendix N
(class set)
C.
Key Vocabulary
None new
D.
Procedures/Activities
1.
Allow time for formal assessment using Appendix N.
E.
Assessment/Evaluation
1.
Formal assessment is graded

VI.
CULMINATING ACTIVITY
A.
Students write their own next adventure for Mr. Gulliver
1.
Have the students write a story telling the next place that Mr. Gulliver went. Try
to really limit the restrictions that you place on the students and their creativity.
This has been one of the most fun parts of the unit. The students love showing
their creativity, and they will step up to the plate.
2.
Have the students read their travels aloud.
3.
Describe the different worlds that Swift wrote about that are not covered by the
Core Classic: The Floating Island of Laputa, Balnibarbi, Glubbdubdrib, and the
country of the Youyhnhnms.
4.
Use Appendix O, a story rubric, to grade the story.

VII.
HANDOUTS/WORKSHEETS
A.
Appendix A: Jonathan Swift Bio
B.
Appendix B: Jonathan Swift Timeline
C.
Appendix C: Worksheet on TimeLine of Swift life and Gulliver’s Travels
D.
Appendix D: Chapter 1-4 worksheet
E.
Appendix E: New Language worksheet
F.
Appendix F: Chapter 5-8 worksheet
G.
Appendix G: Lilliputian News
H.
Appendix H: Rubric to grade newspaper article
I.
Appendix I: Formal Assessment of “The Voyage to Lilliput”
J.
Appendix J: Worksheet on Ch 1-4
K.
Appendix K: Rubric to grade paragraph
L.
Appendix L: Worksheet on Chapter 5 -7
M.
Appendix M: Review matching cards
N.
Appendix N: Gulliver’s Travels Test
O.
Appendix O: Rubric for grading story

VIII. BIBLIOGRAPHY
A.
“Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift” website compiled by Lee Jaffe
http://www.jaffebros.com/lee/gulliver/index.html
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B.
Swift, Jonathan, Bringing the Classics to Life: Gulliver’s Travels adapted Carolyn
Gloeckner, A/V Concepts, NY 1992 (ISBN 1-55576-065-1)
C.
Swift, Jonathan, Core Classic: Gulliver’s Travels, abridged by Michael J. Marshall, Core
Knowledge Foundation, 1997. (ISBN 1-890517-00-3)
D.
Swift, Jonathan Gulliver’s Travels, Penguin USA, May 2003. (ISBN 0-14-143949-1)
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