Lesson Plan: Journey by Train

Subject: English Literature
Class: 6th Grade
Duration: 45 minutes
Topic: Prose - "Journey by Train" from Around the World in Eighty Days by Jules Verne (Unit 1, Term III)

1. Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, the teacher aims to help students:

Understand the concept of adventure literature and classic travel narratives
Analyze character traits like calmness, problem-solving, and determination
Learn about 19th-century train travel in India
Develop reading comprehension through descriptive narrative passages
Recognize the importance of planning and adaptability when facing obstacles
Build vocabulary related to travel, transportation, and geography
Appreciate historical and cultural context of colonial-era India
Understand the narrative structure of problem-and-solution in storytelling

2. Learning Outcomes

Students will be able to:

Stay calm and composed when facing unexpected problems or delays
Think creatively to find alternative solutions when plans change
Plan ahead and anticipate possible obstacles in their activities
Show flexibility and adaptability in challenging situations
Make quick decisions when necessary while considering consequences
Appreciate punctuality and the value of time management
Respect different cultures and ways of life encountered during travel
Demonstrate resourcefulness by finding solutions with available resources

3. Introduction (5 minutes)

Engaging Questions:

"Have you ever traveled by train? What did you see outside the window during your journey?"
"Imagine you're on an important trip and suddenly the train stops in the middle of nowhere. What would you do?"
"How would you feel if you discovered you had to walk 50 miles to reach your destination?"
"Have you heard of the story 'Around the World in Eighty Days'? What do you think it's about?"
"What means of transportation were available 150 years ago when there were no cars or airplanes?"

4. Reading and Understanding (8 minutes)

New Vocabulary with Meanings:

Word	Meaning	Example Usage
Punctually	Exactly on time; promptly	The train started punctually from Bombay
Locomotive	A railway engine	The locomotive threw out smoke over plantations
Clearing	An open space in a forest	The train stopped in a clearing
Hasty	Quick; hurried	They had a hasty breakfast at Burhampoor
Foreseen	Predicted; anticipated in advance	Mr. Fogg said the obstacle was foreseen
Howdahs	Seats for riding on the back of an elephant	They equipped the elephant with howdahs
Point-blank	Bluntly; directly	The owner refused point-blank at first
Wager	A bet or gamble	Mr. Fogg was traveling on a wager
Obstacle	Something that blocks progress	The unfinished railway was an obstacle

5. Mind Map

              JOURNEY BY TRAIN
                     |
    ┌────────────────┼────────────────┐
    │                │                │
CHARACTERS       THE JOURNEY       THE PROBLEM
    │                │                │
┌───┴───┐      ┌────┴────┐      ┌────┴────┐
│       │      │         │      │         │
Phileas  Passe- SECTION I SECTION II Railway THE SOLUTION
Fogg    partout  │         │      not      │
│       │      │         │      finished  │
Calm    Amazed Bombay   Train      │      │
Logical French →       stops    50-mile  Buying
Rich    servant Salcette in      gap     elephant
English-    │      │      clearing    │      Kiouni
man    Shocked Island  │         │         │
│      by      │      │      Between   For 2000
On a   elephant Khandesh Rothal  Kholby   pounds
wager  price   region   │      &         │
│         │      │      │      Allahabad Guide
Friend      │   Cotton,  No         │      hired
of Sir      │   coffee   railway    │         │
Francis     │   pepper   beyond     │      Riding
           │   Temples   │         │      through
           │   Jungles Conductor Tickets  forest
           │   Wildlife announces sold but  │
           │   (tigers,  end     no track Set out
           │   elephants)  │         │      at 9
           │      │      │      Sir    o'clock
           │   Tapty   Passengers Francis
           │   River   must get  angry,
           │      │      off     Fogg calm
           │   Sutpour    │         │
           │   Mountains "Monsieur, Had
           │      │      no more  gained
           │   Burham-  railway!" 2 days
           │   poor       │      earlier
           │   (breakfast) │         │
                        Search  Could
                        for     sacrifice
                        transport them

6. Consolidation and Presentation (8 minutes)

Summary of the Lesson:

"Journey by Train" is an exciting excerpt from Jules Verne's classic adventure novel Around the World in Eighty Days. The story follows the journey of Mr. Phileas Fogg, a wealthy and punctual Englishman, who has wagered that he can travel around the world in exactly eighty days—a seemingly impossible feat in the 1870s.

Section I begins with the train departing punctually from Bombay (now Mumbai) with Fogg, his French servant Passepartout, and Sir Francis Cromarty aboard. Verne provides vivid descriptions of the Indian landscape—the Island of Salcette, the cultivated Khandesh region, and vast plantations of cotton, coffee, nutmeg, clove, and pepper. The locomotive steams through jungles where snakes, tigers, and elephants react to the passing train. The journey takes them along the Tapty River toward the Sutpour Mountains, with a brief stop at Burhampoor for breakfast.

Section II introduces the central conflict: the train suddenly stops in a forest clearing fifteen miles beyond Rothal. The conductor announces that passengers must disembark because the railway is not finished—there's a fifty-mile gap between Kholby and Allahabad. Sir Francis Cromarty is furious that tickets were sold for an incomplete route. However, Mr. Fogg remains characteristically calm, revealing that he had "foreseen" this obstacle and had already gained two days earlier in his journey, which he could now sacrifice.

Section III presents the solution: after searching without success for conventional transportation, Passepartout discovers an elephant named Kiouni. Mr. Fogg attempts to hire the elephant, offering increasingly large sums (10, 20, then 40 pounds per hour). When the owner continues to refuse, Fogg decides to purchase the elephant outright, eventually paying an astonishing two thousand pounds. They hire a young guide, equip the elephant with saddle-cloths and howdahs, and set out at nine o'clock through the dense forest.

The story demonstrates themes of resourcefulness, adaptability, calmness under pressure, and the willingness to spend money to save time—all essential qualities for adventure and success.

7. Reinforcement (5 minutes)

Additional Information:

About Jules Verne: A French author (1828-1905) considered the father of science fiction; his novels predicted many technological advances
Historical Context: In the 1870s, railways were still being built in India under British colonial rule; incomplete sections were common
The Wager: Fogg bet £20,000 (equivalent to millions today) that he could circle the globe in 80 days when most thought it impossible
Railway Development: The Indian railway system was one of the largest construction projects of the 19th century
Elephant Transportation: Elephants were commonly used for travel in forested areas where roads didn't exist
Victorian Travel: Travel in the 1870s was adventurous and unpredictable; there were no phones, accurate maps, or guaranteed schedules
Geographic Details: The route described passes through Maharashtra (Khandesh, Sutpour Mountains) toward Uttar Pradesh (Allahabad)
Character Analysis: Mr. Fogg's calmness and preparation contrast with Sir Francis's anger and Passepartout's amazement

8. Evaluation

a) Lower Order Thinking Question (Knowledge/Comprehension)

Question: "Why did the train stop in the middle of the forest, and what problem did this create for the passengers?"

Expected Answer: The train stopped because the railway was not finished—there was a fifty-mile gap between Kholby and Allahabad where no tracks had been laid. This created a problem because passengers had tickets from Bombay to Calcutta but had no way to continue their journey through this section. They needed to find their own transportation to cover the fifty-mile gap.

b) Middle Order Thinking Question (Application/Analysis)

Question: "Compare the reactions of Sir Francis Cromarty and Mr. Phileas Fogg to the railway problem. What does their different behavior reveal about their characters and approach to problems?"

Expected Answer: Sir Francis was furious and complained about the incomplete railway and misleading tickets, showing frustration and anger when plans went wrong. In contrast, Mr. Fogg remained calm and stated the obstacle was "foreseen," explaining he had already gained two days which he could sacrifice. This reveals that Sir Francis reacts emotionally to problems, while Fogg thinks logically and plans ahead with contingencies. Fogg's character shows preparation, calmness under pressure, and strategic thinking, while Sir Francis represents a more typical emotional response to unexpected obstacles.

c) Higher Order Thinking Question (Synthesis/Evaluation)

Question: "Evaluate Mr. Fogg's decision to pay two thousand pounds for an elephant. Was this a wise decision considering his goal? What does this teach us about problem-solving when facing time constraints? How can we apply this principle to our own lives when facing deadlines?"

Expected Answer: Mr. Fogg's decision was wise within the context of his goal. He was racing against time with a £20,000 wager at stake, making the £2,000 elephant purchase a strategic investment rather than wasteful spending. Time was more valuable than money for his purpose. This teaches us that effective problem-solving requires: prioritizing what matters most (in his case, time over money), being willing to invest resources to overcome obstacles, staying calm to think clearly, and acting decisively when opportunities arise. In our lives, we can apply this by: understanding our priorities (exams, deadlines, goals), being willing to invest effort or resources to achieve them, not panicking when obstacles arise, and finding creative solutions. For example, if we have an important exam, investing time in extra study (sacrificing leisure) is like Fogg sacrificing money—we prioritize what matters most for our goal.

9. Remedial Teaching

Strategy for Slow Learners:

Story Mapping: Create a simple map showing the journey from Bombay to where the train stopped, marking key locations
Three-Part Structure: Break the story into Problem-Reaction-Solution using three large cards
Character Cards: Use character cards with pictures showing Fogg (calm face), Sir Francis (angry face), and Passepartout (surprised face)
Transportation Timeline: Show pictures of trains, elephants, and other 19th-century transport methods
Money Visualization: Use play money to demonstrate the increasing amounts Fogg offered (10→20→40→2000 pounds)
Simplified Retelling: Tell the story in very simple language: "Train stopped. No more tracks. Need elephant. Buy expensive elephant."
Question After Each Section: Read one section, ask 2-3 simple questions, then move to the next section
Acting Out: Have students role-play the scene where Fogg negotiates for the elephant

10. Writing Activity (8 minutes)

Writing Task: "Imagine you are Passepartout, the French servant. Write a diary entry (150-180 words) describing this day's adventure. Include:

Your amazement at traveling through India by train
The shock when the train stopped and there was no more railway
Your surprise at finding the elephant
Your reaction to Mr. Fogg paying such a huge amount for the elephant
Your feelings as you set off on elephant-back through the forest"

Guidelines:

Write in first person as Passepartout ("I")
Show your personality—amazed, shocked, and expressive
Use descriptive words about the sights you saw
Include at least 3 vocabulary words from the lesson
Show the contrast between the comfortable train and the adventurous elephant ride

11. Follow-up Activities

Homework Assignment:

Research Task: Find out about the Indian railway system today. Write 5 sentences comparing train travel in the 1870s (from the story) with train travel today.

Additional Activities:

Route Planning: Using a map of India, trace the route from Mumbai (Bombay) through Maharashtra to Allahabad (now Prayagraj) in Uttar Pradesh.
Problem-Solution Chart: Create a chart listing three problems you've faced recently and the solutions you found or could have found.
Historical Timeline: Research and create a timeline showing when railways were introduced in India and how they developed.

Extended Learning:

Reading Extension: Read more chapters from Around the World in Eighty Days and share the most exciting part with the class.
Creative Writing: Write an alternative ending where Mr. Fogg finds a different solution (bullock cart, horses, walking) instead of buying the elephant.
Math Connection: Calculate: If the elephant cost 2000 pounds and could travel 15 miles in one day, what was the cost per mile? Compare this with train ticket costs.
Character Analysis: Write a character sketch (150 words) of Mr. Phileas Fogg based on his behavior in this chapter.

Assessment Criteria:

Comprehension of plot and sequence (25%)
Understanding of character motivation and traits (20%)
Vocabulary usage and language skills (20%)
Creative expression and perspective-taking (20%)
Analytical thinking and problem-solving understanding (15%)

Resources Needed:

Map of India showing the route (Bombay to Allahabad)
Pictures of 19th-century trains and elephants
Images of Indian landscapes, temples, and wildlife mentioned
Timeline of Indian railway history
Play money for demonstrating the negotiation
Pictures of Jules Verne and book cover

Cross-Curricular Connections:

Geography: Indian states, rivers, mountain ranges, colonial-era place names
History: British colonial rule in India, railway development, 19th-century travel
Mathematics: Distance calculations, money exchange, time management
Science: Steam locomotives, how trains work
Social Studies: Cultural exchange, adventure travel, transportation evolution
Life Skills: Problem-solving, calmness under pressure, resource manageme

Thursday, January 8, 2026

Class:7 -Term III - Unit 1 - Prose - Journey by train