Title: A Christmas Carol
1A Christmas Carol
2Lesson Objectives
- At the end of this lesson we know who Charles
Dickens was, and what life was like in England
during his lifetime.
3Who is Dickens?
- What do you know about Charles Dickens?
4A Brief History on Charles Dickens
- Please click here to watch a clip about Charles
Dickens.
5Life in Dickensian England
- In your table groups, discuss the following
questions - What do you suppose life was like for the average
child during Charles Dickens lifetime? - How would things be different from our lives now?
- Lets share our ideas with the class, and compile
a group answer.
6Life in Dickensian England would have been...
7Would you survive?
- Please click here to play an interactive game
about surviving in Dickensian England.
8- Could you survive life in Dickensian England?!
9Researching
- If you were asked to do a research project, what
steps would you take in conducting your research? - 1)
- 2)
- 3)
- 4)
- 5)
- 6)and so on......
10Note taking
- Taking clear and efficient notes is very
important when conducting research. - You want to be able to know what your main points
are, and then be able to back them up with
details.
11Note taking
- One thing to remember while taking notes is that
you can copy down important ideas, but you should
not cut and paste the text directly. - You must get into the habit of putting
information into your own words. - Take point form notes. Do not copy word-for-word!
- Copying and pasting is called plagiarism, and it
is illegal. It can result in you getting a zero,
and could get you into a lot of trouble.
12Plenary Task
Questions are due NEXT LESSON!
- On your own, you are to conduct research into
life in England in the 1800s. - Childhood/Family Life
- Role of Men
- Role of Women
- Food/Diet
- Health
- Living conditions
- London/City life
- Crime
- Leisure/Fun
- Work/Jobs
You will be assigned three of the following
topics to research.
13Plenary
- After compiling research notes, you are to create
5 trivia questions, in a Who Wants to be a
Millionaire style (which means with four
possible answers, only one of which is correct). - All questions, will be give to Miss Carson, who
will then create a Who Wants to be a
Dickensiannaire style quiz. - We will complete the quiz, in teams, in a later
lesson.
14A Christmas Carol
- Lesson 2 Intro to the Story
15Lesson Objectives
- At the end of this lesson we will have made
predictions about the text, and have started
reading the first chapter.
16- In table groups, come up with a list of things
that you typically associate with the following
themes at Christmas
Table 1 Food Table 2 Drink Table 3
Entertainment Table 4 People Table 5
Plants Table 6 Weather Table 7 Animals Table
8 Gifts Table 9 - Activities
17- With the list of things youve created as a
group, come up with a haiku poem about Christmas.
What is a haiku? It is a non-rhymed verse poem,
conveying an image or feeling in two parts spread
over three lines, usually with a seasonal
reference. There are 5 syllables in the first
sentence, 7 in the second and 5 again in the
last sentence.
Waking up early, Brewing coffee for my Dad, Gifts
are taunting me!
18- share some of our Christmas Haikus with the
class!
19A Christmas Carol
- What do you know about the story?
20Whats in a name?
- What are your expectations of the following
characters, based on their names
Scrooge
What has the name Scrooge become associated
with, since Dickens created the character? What
does this tell us about the importance of the
story we are about to read?
21Whats in a name?
- What are your expectations of the following
characters, based on their names
Marley
22Whats in a name?
- What are your expectations of the following
characters, based on their names
Cratchit
23Whats in a name?
- What are your expectations of the following
characters, based on their names
Tiny Tim
24Chapter 1
- As a class, read and listen to the text as read
here - (link in to downloaded part
- http//www.audiobooks.org/Books/A_Christmas_Carol.
html ) - As you are listening, highlight any unfamiliar
words in your workbook. - Using a dictionary, try to find the definition of
the words. - Why do you suppose you were unfamiliar with some
of the words used by Dickens? What does this
suggest about the English language?
25A Christmas Carol
- Lesson 3 Characterization
26Lesson Objectives
- At the end of this lesson we will have studied
how Scrooge is described.
27Characterization
- Choose one of the following emotions, and write a
description to embody the emotion as a person.
ANGER
If LOVE were a person, what would he/she look
like?
PEACE
If RAGE were a person, what would he/she look
like?
If GREED were a person, what would he/she look
like?
JEALOUSY
HAPPINESS
CALM
STRESS
CHARITY
HONESTY
Be sure to includeFacial expressions and
features, body shape and size, clothing, posture,
body language and gestures.
28Lets read!
- Please follow along
- Pay close attention to how Scrooge is described.
29How is Scrooge described?
- Looking back at the section of the text in which
Scrooge is described, what sort of words are
used? Lets compile a class list here
30Task
- Using the words used to describe Scrooge, and
what we know of him from our reading so far,
sketch an image of Scrooge in your workbooks. - Label him with the features described by Dickens.
31Characterization
- Last lesson we discussed how Scrooge has now
become linked with grumpiness and a dislike for
Christmas. Therefore it can be said he
personifies these type of characteristics. - How does Dickens effectively show us that Scrooge
is a grumpy old miser in his description alone?
32Plenary
- What is Scrooges attitude towards Christmas?
- How can his attitude be linked to Victorian
attitudes at the time?
33A Christmas Carol
34Lesson Objectives
- At the end of this lesson we will have written an
empathetic response as Scrooge.
35Create three questions that you would want to
ask Scrooge about his feelings at this point in
the novel.
The encounter with his nephew?
How he feels in general about Christmas?
Ask the questions to SCROOGE! Scrooge MUST give
realistic answers based on evidence from the book!
About his general outlook on life?
36Scrooge
Think (on your own) What three adjectives could
you use to describe Scrooge best?
Pair Find two quotes that you could use from the
book to support your points about Scrooge.
37(No Transcript)
38Lets read!
- Follow along with the next section of the text.
39Questions to consider
- We stop reading as Scrooge is locking up the
shop, and heading home. - Imagine what Scrooge would be thinking on his way
home about the events of the day about
Christmas about his life. - Write a monologue as Scrooge, starting with
I hate Christmas.
40Plenary
- Lets have some volunteers read their monologues
aloud. - Which monologues did you feel were most
effective? What qualities did the effective
monologues have?
41A Christmas Carol
42Lesson Objectives
- At the end of this lesson we will have learnt
what pathetic fallacy is, and commented on how
Dickens creates tension and suspense in the
novel.
43Starter
- What is pathetic fallacy?
44Pathetic Fallacy
- The treatment of inanimate objects as if they had
human feelings, thought, or sensations. - For example
There has fallen a splendid tear From the
passion-flower at the gate. She is coming, my
dove, my dear She is coming, my life, my
fate. The red rose cries, "She is near, she is
near" And the white rose weeps, "She is
late" The larkspur listens, "I hear, I
hear" And the lily whispers, "I wait."
45Stave One
- Lets continue our reading of Stave One, up to
the point with the knocker. - How is the knocker an example of pathetic
fallacy? - Continue reading until the end of the Stave.
46Questions to consider
- How does Dickens build a sense of tension and
suspense, prior to the appearance of Marleys
ghost? - What does Marleys ghost look like? Sketch an
image of Marley. - Why does he wear chains? What do the chains
represent?
47Questions to consider
- Is Marley happy in death? Why or why not?
- What message does he have for Scrooge?
- What message is Dickens trying to give to
society?
48Mankind was my business, The common welfare was
my business...
49Questions to consider
- What prediction does Marleys ghost make for
Scrooge? - How does Scrooge react to the visit by Marleys
ghost?
50Re-enactment
- In your table groups, re-read the last section of
stave one (starting with the ringing of the
bells). - As a group, write a script for the end of the
stave. You should be sure to focus on sound
effects that could be used to give dramatic
effect to the action of the novel.
For example
The sound of bells ringing Clanking sounds,
as if chains are being dragged The ghost
emergesScrooge Its humbug still! I wont
believe it! The ghost faces Scrooge
51One or two groups Should perform their script
52What is Scrooge feeling at the end of Stave One?
53A Christmas Carol
- Lesson 6 End of Stave One Recap
54Lesson Objectives
- At the end of this lesson we will have considered
the type of narration used by Dickens, and
compared a film adaptation of the story to the
text.
55First person narration
The story is told by only one character at a
time, who explicitly refers to him-or herself
using words and phrases involving "I and/or
"we.
56- What advantages does first person narration
provide?
57Third person narration
Each and every character is referred to by the
narrator as "he", "she", "it", or "they. The
story is told from a god-like point of view.
58- What advantage does third person narration
provide?
59What style of narration does Dickens use?
60Recap
- Whats happened so far in the novel?
- What is the purpose of Marleys visit to Scrooge?
Consider the following quote ?How could we
devise a paragraph, using P.E.E. Around this
quote?
Mankind was my business, The common welfare was
my business...
Complete handout entitled Marleys Ghost
61Question to Consider...
- How does Dickens hook the reader into the story,
in Stave One? What makes you want to read on?
62A Close Analysis
- Turn to page 9 of your text, and find where the
text starts with The door to Scrooges
counting-house was open... and read to Bah!
said Scrooge, Humbug!
- Write down in your books the impression the text
gives you of - Scrooges treatment of Cratchit
- How Cratchit feels about his surroundings
63A Close Analysis
- Lets recap Scrooges nephews arrival at the
counting-house... - Return to page 9, where we left off. Well need
one person to read all of the speeches made by
Scrooge and one to read all the speeches made by
Fred. We shall only read to page 10.
What impression does Dickens want you to get of
Scrooge, based on his interaction with his nephew?
64Text vs Film
- How do you suppose a film version of the novel
will differ from the text? - What could they illustrate effectively in a film?
- What could the text give an audience, that a film
version cannot?
65Watch the opening sequence of the 1999 film
version (up to the end of Stave One).
66Charting the similarities and differences between
the text and the film
67Marleys ghost
- Lets take a close look at how the ghost is
described (page 17)
Marley in his pigtail, usual waistcoat, tights,
and boots the tassels on the latter bristling,
like his pigtail, and his coat-skirts and the
hair upon his head. The chain he drew was clasped
about his middle. It was long, and wound about
him like a tail and it was made (for Scrooge
observed it closely) of cash-boxes, keys,
padlocks, ledgers, deeds, and heavy purses
wrought in steel. His body was transparent...he
felt the chilling influence of its death-cold
eyes, and marked the very texture of the folded
kerchief bound about its head and chin...though
the Ghost sat perfectly motionless, its hair, and
skirts, and tassels were still agitated as by the
hot vapour from an oven.
68Plenary
Marleys ghost Do you get a better impression of
the horror of the ghost in the film or in the
text? Why?
69Homework
Be specific. Youve taken notes on how various
characters and events are described. Make
reference to how Dickens described each character
and how the film portrayed them.
- Write a letter to David Jones, the director of
this version of A Christmas Carol, stating
whether or not you think he has done a good job
of bringing the novel to life. You should comment
on - The good points
- Were there any things you felt the film did more
effectively than the novel? - Setting, characters, the portrayal of emotion,
special effects - The bad points
- Were there any things you felt the novel did more
effectively than the film? - Setting, characters, the portrayal of emotion,
special effects,