The Lion, The Witch and The Wadrobe

THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: 

THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE

Overview: The Pevensie children are sent to Professor Digory Kirke’s house during World War II. While exploring the house, Lucy, the youngest, steps through a wardrobe and into the magical land of Narnia that has been enslaved by the White Witch. It is up to the Pevensie children – Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy – to save the land with the help of the Great Lion, Aslan.

Number of classes: 3 reading + 3 activities

Objective:  To read and enjoy “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe”.

Resource material: “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe” by CS Lewis

Activities 2 & 6: “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe” Disney movie (2005) and it’s trailer.

Activity 3: Chart papers, colours.

Story summary: In 1940, four children, Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy, are evacuated from London and sent to live in the country to escape the War. When the four children are exploring the house, Lucy looks into a magical wardrobe and arrives at Narnia, a magical world, where she meets Mr Tumulus, a faun. The faun tells her that the land is under the control of the White Witch, and that everything has been frozen over. Meanwhile, Edmund goes through the wardrobe as well. He meets the White Witch who feeds him enchanted Turkish Delight, and asks him to go back home and bring her his siblings. She promises him that he can rule over them if he did so. He meets Lucy at Mr Tumulus’s and they go home together, but he when Lucy tells her siblings about Narnia, Edmund claims she is making it all up. One day, while playing in the closet, the children get magically transported to Narnia, where they need to rescue the inhabitants of Narnia from the clutches of the White Witch. Edmund is on the Witch’s side. However, all the animals in Narnia claim that Aslan’s on the move, and that gives them all hope. Can they defeat the White Witch with the Great Lion’s help, or will one of them have to be sacrificed instead?  

Preparation for the class: Read CS Lewis’s “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe”. It is likely that many of your students will have seen the movie adaptation of the book. Be aware of major differences between the movies and the books. You can compare the two versions before you start telling your students the story. Your students may try telling you the plot of the movie. Correct them and re-direct them to the books if they do so.

Read chapters 1-4 and 11-16 well. These will form the bulk of your storytelling sessions.

Class description: Show the class the cover of the book and ask them what they think the story is about. If most of your students have not seen the movie, you can do either Activity 1 or Activity 2 to get students interested in the story. The story follows a linear pattern.

Alternately, you can divide the class into small groups with a fluent reader in each group. Students can then take turns reading. This way, children will be able to read more of the book.

Related activities: 

(Recommended - *)

Activity 1: Guess the connection (Before Reading) (Class Discussion)

On the first day of class, before the students come into the classroom, list a group of names that are related to the book and cover them with a piece of paper. Uncover them one at a time and ask the students to guess how these names are related. If they have seen the movie, children might be able to guess quite easily. Here are some names you can use:

Edmund Mr Tumunus Aslan Clive and Staples

Activity 2: Trailer (Before Reading) (Class Discussion)

Before reading the book, show students the trailer of the 2005 Disney version of the movie, “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe”. Ask students what they think the story is about. What do they think is the children’s destiny, and how will they fulfil it?

Activity 3: A Banner for Narnia (After Reading) (Group Activity)

Divide the class into groups of four. Give each group a chart paper and colours. Tell them that they are the new rulers of Narnia and that they need to design a banner/flag, keeping in mind the country’s (Narnia’s) history. They need to highlight characters, places and events from the story into the flag/banner.

Activity 4: Stepping through the cupboard (After Reading) (Individual Activity) *

Ask the children to design their own fantasy world. How would they reach this world? What sort of creatures would they find there? Ask them to write a short story about their trip to their world and back. Remind students that their stories need to be in the first person!

Activity 5: Memory Game (After Reading) (Group Activity)

Discuss the words students might find difficult. Write the words on the board for the benefit of the class. Once students are familiar with the words, erase the words on the board. Divide the class into small groups, with not more than three students in each group. Give them exactly 3 minutes to put down as many words as they can remember from the discussion. Each correctly spelled word gets a point. Here are some words you can use:

Dominions Spiteful Festoons Turkish Delight

Gilded Consideration Trowels Turrets

Shetland Fumble Hatchet Abide

Inquisitive Wrench Decoy Plague

Nymphs Fraternize Centaur Cordial

Dryads Treason Satyr

Activity 6: Comparing the movie and the book (After Reading) (Class Discussion)

Before the children come to class, write the following question on the board:

“Write down two/three reasons why a film maker might make adjustments when he makes a movie into a book.”

Give them five minutes to write down their points. Discuss these points with the class – you can write some of them on the board. Next, read out the first chapter of “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe”. Then, play them the first section of the Disney movie based on the book. Once students have had a taste of both, have a discuss the book and the movie. What does the movie leave out? What does it rearrange? Are there any additions in the film? Why do the children think they are there?

Activity 7: Character Analysis (After Reading) (Individual Activity)*

Discuss the four Pevensie children with the class. What are some of their individual characteristics? Do Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy change over the course of the story?

Refer to Activity Sheet. Students need to write the traits of the characters with adequate proof from the book to prove their point.

Activity 8: Character Comparison (After Reading) (Individual Activity)

Give the students five minutes to choose a character from the book they most identify with. What are the similarities and differences?

Refer to activity sheet.

Activity 9: Allegories and Symbolism (After Reading) (Class Discussion)*

CS Lewis was a well known Christian writer. The Chronicles of Narnia is clearly a religious allegory. Explain to the class what an allegory is. See if the class can identify the hidden symbols in the text. Aslan is clearly symbolic of Jesus Christ, and he needs to be sacrificed to save Narnia. Winter and the White Witch are some other obvious symbols in the book. Ask the students to go through the book again and spot other symbols, both religious and otherwise.

Activity 10: Research (After Reading) (Group Activity) 

The Pevensie children are relocated to the country during the Second World War. This is a good opportunity for children to research the Second World War in groups of three or four. Each group can research an aspect of the war and present their findings to the class.

Time moves very differently in Narnia and in the Real world. Alternately, students can research time travel, and whether or not it is possible.

Recommended reading:  If you liked this book, you will also like:

“The Chronicles of Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew ” by CS Lewis

“The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian ” by CS Lewis

“The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader ” by CS Lewis

“Animal Farm ” by George Orwell.

Want some more of Narnia? Check out the Activities ..