Study the Classics: A Christmas Carol
Get in the festive holiday mood with Charles Dickens' classic novella, A Christmas Carol. This short self-paced novel study will build English and Language Arts skills in character analysis, theme, and film and adaptation study.
Mary Probst
Average rating:
4.8
Number of reviews:(84)
What's included
6 pre-recorded lessons
6 weeks
of teacher support1 year access
to the contentAssignments
1 hour per week. Each lesson will include 1-2 assignments that encourage practical use of the skills learned in that class and develop deeper understanding of the text.Letter Grade
includedClass Experience
US Grade 6 - 9
Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" is maybe the most well-known and adapted holiday stories in the English language. Although it's a short and easily accessible story, it has deep meaning, character development, and symbolism. In this self-paced course, learners will read this classic tale, then reinforce their understanding with quizzes, assignments, and literary analysis. Each lesson will cover one chapter of the book and consist of an introductory video, a short quiz, and 1-3 assignments that help learners better understand Dickens' work. There will also be a lesson focused on analyzing an adaptation of the learner's choice.
Learning Goals
Determine a theme or central idea of a text and
how it is conveyed through particular details;
provide a summary of the text distinct from
personal opinions or judgments.Describe how a particular story’s or drama’s plot
unfolds in a series of episodes as well as how the
characters respond or change as the plot moves
toward a resolution.
Syllabus
Standards
Aligned with Common Core State Standards (CCSS)6 Lessons
over 6 WeeksLesson 1:
Stave One
Learners will explore Dickensian London through a slideshow and gain historical context for the story. Then, learners will create a baseline understanding of Scrooge's character, exploring how he has become a fixture of popular culture. We will emphasize how the structure of the novel affects the meaning. 2 assignments
Lesson 2:
Stave Two
With the Ghost of Christmas Past, learners will interpret the symbolism of memory and how it affects Scrooge on his journey. Learners will also learn about literary foils and compare Scrooge to Fezziwig. 2 assignments
Lesson 3:
Stave Three
As the Ghost of Christmas Present whisks Scrooge to Christmas celebrations across England, learners will work to interpret how this spirit has changed Scrooge's mindset. We will dive deeper into historical context to understand the specific legal and philosophical references made in this section. 1 assignment
Lesson 4:
Stave Four
While Scrooge reckons with the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come, learners will map out how each spirit has changed Scrooge. They will debate which spirit they think had the most effect on him, and write a paragraph explaining their thoughts. 2 assignments
Other Details
Supply List
Access to "A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens (this can be a paper copy, an ebook, or an audiobook.) It is in the public domain and should be easy to find for free!
External Resources
In addition to the Outschool classroom, this class uses:
Joined June, 2020
4.8
84reviews
Teacher expertise and credentials
Bachelor's Degree in Education from Brigham Young University
- Bachelor's degree in English Education from Brigham Young University
- Over ten years experience teaching English/Language ArtsReviews
Self-Paced Course
$9
weekly or $50 for all content6 pre-recorded lessons
6 weeks of teacher support
Choose your start date
1 year of access to the content
Choose your start date
Ages: 11-14
