STUDY GUIDE
A CHRISTMAS CAROL
-
A one week Study Guide about Charles Dickens and his times for 4th to 6th graders.
A one week study guide including a performance of A CHRISTMAS CAROL.
Monday: Part A. Introduction. Includes who was Charles Dickens? When did he live and
where did he live? What was he famous for? What was London, England like in 1843? How was
England similar and different from America? Who was the Queen of England and how did
people behave? Did everyone go to school? Children worked in terrible conditions and worked
hard every day. What were workhouses? The treadmill? The Poor Law? What was it like to live
there and work there?
Part B: Project: After learning about life in London, England during Charles Dickens time,
please write a composition about how you would have liked or not liked to have lived there
during that time?
Tuesday: Part A. Review of compositions content and general discussion about what the
students liked or would have liked about living in London, England in 1843. Introduction to how
people spoke in Victorian England. Some of the words and phrases in English mean the same
thing in America and some words and phrases are completely different and sound different. For
example: What is “a forfeit ?” What does a “copper” mean? “Not arf,?” “twopence?” “WalkER?” Can you think of any words or expressions in America that are not used in England?
Part B. What is an accent? In America people from different areas of our country speak
English but sometimes it sounds different from the way we speak. This is also true in England.
Let us all try a British accent!
(If a student does not wish to try to do an accent, they will be asked to write a line of dialogue
that might sound British for their schoolmates to try.) What is a cockney accent? Let’s learn how
to speak with a cockney accent. Exercise: “Henry had a hundred healthy heavy hens.” When you
take away the H’s that each word begins with, you will begin to sound like a cockney. It is fun to
try both accents. Each student will be given a line from A CHRISTMAS CAROL to say with a
British accent or a cockney accent. Why? Many characters in A CHRISTMAS CAROL such as
“Mrs. Cratchit”, “Old Joe,” and the “Turkey-Boy” have a cockney accent, and other characters in
the play such as “Fred,” Scrooge’s nephew and “Scrooge” himself, have British accents that are
not cockney.)
A list of British words and terms found in A CHRISTMAS CAROL will be given to each
student and an explanation of each one.) Lets all write a line or two as if we were British or had
a cockney accent. Homework: Try a few cockney words and lines from A CHRISTMAS
CAROL out on your family when you go home tonight.
Wednesday: Part A.
Why was “Mr. Scrooge” so mean? The author Charles Dickens in many of his novels and stories
has his main character go on many journeys to learn lessons that will be good for them. (Carl
will give examples) “Mr. Scrooge” is visited by his friendly nephew “Fred” who invites him to
Christmas dinner but “Mr. Scrooge” is very rude to “Fred” and says No. ‘Mr. Scrooge” is also
-2visited by a scary ghost named ‘Marley.” who tries to help him. Mr. Scrooge is also mean to
“Bob Cratchit” who works for him. “Bob Cratchit” is very poor but is happy at Christmas for
many reasons. What are some of the reasons that “Bob Cratchit” is happy even though he has
very little money and very little food to buy for his large family? Even though “Bob Cratchit”
has very little money he is rich in many ways. Can you think of ways that “Bob Cratchit” and his
family are happy? “Mr. Scrooge” once had a girlfriend named “Belle” who decided not to marry
him. It made him very sad. He did not like Christmas.
Part B:
Can you think of a reason why someone would not like Christmas? In America we have Santa
Claus. In England they call Santa Claus, “Father Christmas.” Carl will explain how Christmas
was celebrated before and after A CHRISTMAS CAROL was written. In A CHRISTMAS
CAROL “Mr. Scrooge” is visited by three ghosts. Each ghost tries to teach “Mr. Scrooge” a
lesson. What are some lessons that we can learn about Christmas? Are these lessons the same as
the lessons Mr. Scrooge learns?
Assignment: Composition:
(Many can be read aloud to the class.)
After we discuss the compositions good points, a discussion about Christmas itself and what it
means to us can be discussed. (Example: Being cheerful and helping others, making a donation
to help people who are ill or need food, being a good friend, a good son or daughter, helping
Mom and Dad, being nice to your brothers and sisters.)
Thursday: Part A:
What do you think was the most important lesson “Mr. Scrooge” learned about Christmas and
his life? How did he change? What made him change his mind and heart about people and
Christmas? Can people change? Have you ever thought one way about something and changed
your mind because you could see that you were wrong and wanted to make things right and
good? Can you give us an example?
Part B:
What was the food like in England in Charles Dickens’ time? What is gruel? “Twelfth-cake?”
A Christmas desert was often cooked in “a copper” and called “a pudding.” Often the main meal
at Christmas was a Christmas goose. What do you have for Christmas dinner? Have any of you
had a Christmas goose? Do you like to help your mother or father make Christmas cookies?
“Mrs. Cratchit” made a desert that lit on fire!
Carl will bring in a sample of a British desert for all of the children to enjoy.
Do you know any Christmas carols? What are your favorites?
Carl plays the piano and will play carols and perhaps get some of the children to sing along.
Friday: A performance of Charles Dickens’ A CHRISTMAS CAROL