A CHRISTMAS CAROL by Charles Dickens STUDY GUIDE

This study guide is a complete unit made up of ten pages of varied activities. It is a practical resource for educators who want self-explanatory, stimulating analysis and well targeted questions presented in a visually interesting handout. For the teacher with a classroom with a variety of reading and writing aptitudes, this study guide takes the student through the plot, characters and ideas of “A Christmas Carol” so that they can progress at their own pace. The handout is intended for approximately two to three weeks work.

It is made up of
1 Background context to Dickensian England
2. Dicken’s purpose in writing / the process he followed in composition
3. Activities and close analysis of the plot and characters of each stave
4. Vocabulary and spelling tests throughout
5. Close reading comprehension testing at varying levels
6. Grammatical exercises using the text

Those who have taught “A Christmas Carol” are well aware that engaging students can be a challenge - the story is so well known yet the original text requires application. For learning purposes, this guide gives step by step instruction in reading for meaning, enabling students to grasp Dickens’ plotting, comprehending characters, and appreciating the Victorian era style. This handout provides the necessary background to give students the social context, class issues, and the concept of mass poverty and its implications. Using a chronological stave-by-stave analysis with detailed comprehension, the study guide provides plenty of back up explanation in vocabulary and terminology, and practice in identifying word meanings and applications for usage.