Teaching Coraline

Instructions for You

Objective: Have you ever felt like someone or something was looking over your shoulder? Maybe you've had an ominous feeling that something bad was about to happen. In Coraline, our main girl has several moments when subtle hints are thrown her way and unusual comments cause her to raise an eyebrow. You know what we call this in literature, right? Foreshadowing, a.k.a. when the author gives us a little hint that things are about to get creepy.

But how much foreshadowing do your students recognize? That is what we want to find out with this activity. It's like a pop quiz, but your class will never even know it's happened—they'll be having so much fun sleuthing the text during this class period, that they won't even notice you beaming as they become foreshadowing superstars.

Materials Needed: Students will need copies of Coraline, as well as writing utensils and paper; you will need a computer/Smartboard, or overhead projector

Step 1: First things first, you need to do a little Coraline refresher with your class—they can't dive into foreshadowing without actually knowing what happens, after all. This doesn't have to get super detailed, but you should make notes on the board (or have students take them themselves) of major plot points, being sure to keep them in order. Need a refresher? Check out our summaries.

Step 2: Grab your biggest magnifying class because it's time to become Head Detective as you guide your students through this foreshadowing scavenger hunt. First, though, you probably want to make sure they all know what foreshadowing is. Guess what? We have an excellent definition (if we do say so ourselves) for you to share with them.

Once everyone knows what foreshadowing is, break your class into ten groups. Each group will be given a clue to get them going, and then they each have to find four more instances of foreshadowing (for a total of five examples). In each case, they'll need to identify both what the hint is, and how it eventually pans out.

Distribute the following clues (one to each group) to help your class dig into the text, and really hone their chops at recognizing foreshadowing in action:

• It all begins here with the discovery of something and we know that Coraline's life will change because of it. What is it? (Answer: Read the first sentence of the text.)
• They make a point of telling her not to go near it, but she finds it on the third day. What is it? (Answer: Miss Spink and Miss Forcible's comments in Chapter 1, page 3)
• Nobody goes in there, and you have to ask permission, so we know it is an important place. Where is it? (Answer: Talking to her father in Chapter 1, page 6)
• "Oops, you forgot to do something, Mom," says Coraline. "Why should I?" Mom replies. What is it and why will it change Coraline's life? (Answer: Mom has the keys, but did she use them twice? Chapter 1, page 7)
• "Intensely uncomfortable,"—these are Coraline's words. What is she talking about and how does this intensely uncomfortable thing show up later in the text? (Answer: It may be black and it may scuttle, but it isn't a rat. Chapter 1, page 8)
• They are singing her song. What are they and what do they say to warn her? (Answer: Chapter 1, last page)
• A spot of tea might help make things better, but beware the dregs (tea leaves). What do Miss Forcible and Miss Spink say that tells us Coraline might need to beware? (Answer: Check the bottom of the tea cup in Chapter 2, page 17)
• A gift from two ladies, but it has a hole. Maybe it is broken? Perhaps not. What is it and why does the black cat comment on it? (Chapter 4, page 36)
• Checking on the mice, Coraline finds they are not well. What happens and what is the root of the problem? Does it have something to do with the key around Coraline's neck? (Chapter 13, page 149)
• "I am just going out to play," Coraline comments as she gathers her dolls and her teapots. Miss Spink agrees, but cautions her about something. What does this tell us about the object, and how it might be important in a few pages? (Chapter 13, page 153)

As your students work in groups, make yourself available to answer any questions and check in to make sure they're really grasping the concept of foreshadowing. This is a great opportunity to catch misunderstandings before they're firmly rooted.

Step 3: Sharing is caring, right? At the end of class, set aside a few moments for groups to share the five foreshadowing moments they've identified. It might be interesting to note these on the board for all to see and then ask your class if they notice any patterns. Do some parts of the book seem to be particularly filled with hints? Are there sections of the book that are heavily foreshadowed? This is a chance to look at how one book works from an unusual angle, encouraging critical and creative thinking.

Instructions for Your Students

In Coraline, clues keep popping up that give Coraline a creepy feeling in the pit of her stomach. Have you ever felt that way? You know, like something is about to happen and it isn't going to be good—but you can't put your finger on what it might be or how you might stop it? So frustrating and bizarre.

When it comes to Coraline, though, we have the benefit of 20/20 hindsight. And this means that all of those moments that give Coraline (or us as readers) the heebie-jeebies can be followed to see where they lead. In life, we may not always connect something that happens back to a strange feeling we had earlier, but in a book, we can do just this. So grab your magnifying glass and let's connect some dots.

Step 1: First things first, you need to do a little Coraline refresher together with your class—you can't dive into hunting for clues without having what happens fresh in your mind, after all. So crack open the spine of your book and throw your hand in the air to help make sure all the major plot points are present and accounted for.

Step 2: Pop quiz: What's foreshadowing? Okay, just kidding—no quiz. But if you don't know the answer to that question, you should probably take a few notes as your teacher breaks this one down for you. After all, foreshadowing is the official fancy literary name for the hints authors drop in their books… and the very thing you're trying to get to the bottom of today.

Step 3: Grab your biggest magnifying class, and with your group—starting with the clue from your teacher—identify five examples of foreshadowing in Coraline. In each case, you and your team need to identify both what the hint is, and how it eventually pans out. Be prepared to share your examples with the rest of the class and your teacher at the end of the period.

Pro tip: While Chapter 1 has lots of foreshadowing included in it (it's kind of how first chapters roll—they just love dropping clues about the rest of the story), it's by no means the only place you can find it. To really showcase your literary detective skills, then, dig into examples later in the book. Super star.