A Christmas Carol LessonThis lesson uses the acronym STEAL to teach characterization as students read A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. Time Frame: 10 ELA blocks of about 30 min each.
Fairy Tales offer a common theme for early learners. Students are able to follow along with the story and characters and what is happening. Help students identify the main parts of a story (characters, setting, theme, problem, events, solution) in stories that they read. Then have students create their own fairy tale story.Materials: Fairy Tale TemplateBook(s): The True Story of the Three Little Pigs by Jon Scieszka, The Stinky Cheese Man by Jon Scieszka, The Paperbag Princess by Robert N. Munsch, Once Upon a Cool Motorcycle Dude by Kevin O'MalleyLesson Plan:1. After reading familiar fairy tales and storie with students, have them identify characters, setting, theme, problem, events, and solution. 2. Share some "other" fairy tale stories from the books suggested above. 3. Let students brainstorm and come up with ideas they would like to use for their own fairy tale stories. Have them use the Fairy Tale Template to help them organize their storyies and share ideas with others.4. You can have students write with partners or on their own to create their stories. Allow them time to make an illustration as well. Display their stories and allow for time to share their stories outloud with others.
In Lesson 1, students focus on the first stave of the novel as they identify the meanings of words and phrases that may be unfamiliar to them. This activity facilitates close examination of and immersion in the text and leads to an understanding of Scrooge before his ghostly experiences. In Lesson 2, students examine Scrooge’s experiences with the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future and discover how Dickens used both direct and indirect characterization to create a protagonist who is more than just a stereotype. In Lesson 3, students focus on stave 5 as they identify and articulate themes that permeate the story.
Students learn about multicultural holidays celebrated in winter: Hanukkah, St. Lucia Day, Las Posadas, Kwanzaa, and Chinese New Year.