Book-A-Minute Classics
Name ______________________________________
A Christmas Carol
By Charles Dickens
Ultra-Condensed by Samuel Stoddard and David J. Parker
Ebenezer Scrooge
Bah, humbug. You'll work thirty-eight hours on Christmas Day, keep the heat at five degrees,
and like it.
Ghost of Jacob Marley
Ebenezer Scrooge, three ghosts of Christmas will come and tell you you're mean.
Three Ghosts of Christmas
You're mean.
Ebenezer Scrooge
At last, I have seen the light. Let's dance in the streets. Have some money.
Now, it’s your turn. Write a Book-A-Minute summary of a well-known book that you have read.
It should be able to be performed in one minute or less. (R.L. 8.2 Theme and provide an
objective summary of the text.)
Title ______________________________________________________________________
Author ____________________________________________________________________
Ultra-condensed version of the story:
Four Corners Notes: While reading the story, find examples from the plot, characters, setting, conflict, climax,
tone, etc. that help to develop the theme listed. (R.L. 8.2 Determine the theme and analyze its development
over the course of the text, including its relationship to story elements.) 1
2
3
4
“Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile.”
--Albert Einstein
“I am my brother’s keeper” --Eugene V. Debs
“Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key
to success.” --Albert Schweitzer
“Most people are about as happy as they make up their
minds to be.” --Abraham Lincoln
Disney wants to release a parallel story to A Christmas Carol. Describe three new ghosts they could
create for a Scrooge-like story. Who would the main character be? Which 3 ghosts would visit your
protagonist? On separate paper, write a one-page pitch in the form of a letter to persuade Disney to use
your plot for the parallel story. (W 8.3 Develop a topic with relevant, well-chosen facts, definitions,
concrete details, quotations or other information or examples,)
1
2
3
4
Who is your protagonist?
Why would this person make a good Scrooge-like character?
Describe Ghost Number 1:
Why would this ghost need to visit the protagonist?
Describe Ghost Number 2:
Why would this ghost need to visit the protagonist?
Describe Ghost Number 3:
Why would this ghost need to visit the protagonist?
Letter to Disney should be typed on separate paper. Use the address below for Disney, and follow the
format for a business letter on p. 645-648 of the green Grammar and Composition book. You must
include a mock envelope, properly addressed with a fake stamp/sticker.
(W.8.1.d: Establish and maintain a formal style.) 1
2
3
4
Disney Enterprises, Incorporated
500 S. Buena Vista Street
Burbank, CA 91521
Vocabulary Development from Literature
Choose 8 words as you are reading A Christmas Carol that are either new to you, used in an atypical
context, used figuratively, present a strong connotation, or clearly impact the tone of the story. Write
the word in the chart—with a page number, find the dictionary definition, then explain the word in the
context in the text.
(R.L. 8.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in literature text, including
figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning and
tone, including analogies or allusions to other texts. ) 1 2
3
4
(R. L. 8.5 Compare and Contrast the structure of two or more texts and analyze how the differing
structure of each text contributes to its meaning and style.) 1 2 3 4
After reading the prose version of A Christmas Carol, find two other versions of the same story. These
may be children’s books, a dramatization, a cartoon, a full-length movie. Compare and contrast at least
three versions of the story and focus on the character of Scrooge. Analyze how each version portrayed
the antagonist and how that contributed to the overall meaning and style of each piece.
1.
First Scrooge character element analyzed: ___________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
First version:
Charles
Dickens prose version
read in class
Second version:
Third Version
Analysis of first character element:
Analysis of first character element:
Analysis of first character element:
2. Second Scrooge character element analyzed: ________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Dickens’ Prose
Analysis of 2nd character element:
Analysis of 2nd character element:
Analysis of 2nd character element:
3. Third Scrooge character element analyzed: ___________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Dickens’ Prose
Analysis of 3rd character element:
Analysis of 3rd character element:
Analysis of 3rd character element:
Word
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Page
number
Dictionary definition
Word explained in context