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A Journey to the Centre of the Earth: read and explore
Professor Otto Lidenbrock, an eccentric German scientist, discovers a cryptic message…
About this reading
- Author
- Jules Verne
- Form
- novel
- Catalog year
- 1864
Choose this reading by interest and comfort with the language. This catalog does not assign a school grade. Preview the text before reading with a child; classic works can contain unfamiliar language and historical attitudes.
Read A Journey to the Centre of the EarthPreview the language: Chapter 1
MY UNCLE MAKES A GREAT DISCOVERY Looking back to all that has occurred to me since that eventful day, I am scarcely able to believe in the reality of my adventures. They were truly so wonderful that even now I am bewildered when I think of them. My uncle was a German, having married my mother's sister, an Englishwoman. Being very much attached to his fatherless nephew, he invited me to study under him in his home in the fatherland. …
Choose a phrase from this opening. What does it suggest, and which words support your interpretation? Read on to test your first impression.
A reading activity for A Journey to the Centre of the Earth
- Before opening the text, read the title and this catalog description: “Professor Otto Lidenbrock, an eccentric German scientist, discovers a cryptic message…” Write one question you hope the reading will answer.
- Read a short passage. Choose one sentence that helps you understand what is happening and explain which words support your interpretation.
- Choose one unfamiliar word. Guess its meaning from the surrounding words, then check a dictionary or discuss it with a reading partner.
- Return to your original question. Explain what the passage answered and what you still need to read to find out.
These are suggested discussion tasks, not a scored assessment or a claim that finishing the text establishes mastery.
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Source edition: Project Gutenberg record for A Journey to the Centre of the Earth. This link identifies the catalog source; it does not imply endorsement.
Use this activity with a learner
Educators and independent learners
Learning goal: Read A Journey to the Centre of the Earth by Jules Verne, then support an interpretation with words from the text.
Before you begin: Preview the language and historical context. Select a passage appropriate for your learners.
Check understanding: Ask for one observation, the evidence that supports it, and a question to investigate next.
Catalog inclusion does not assign a school grade. Preview historical language and themes before using a work with children.
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