A Whirlwind

The next few weeks before Christmas will be a whirlwind.  I’ve ordered class copies of A Christmas Carol at $1 a piece through Scholastic!! I cannot wait to teach this unit.  I think I’ll teach it to my sophomores, including AP Language and Composition. I need to track down vocabulary for each of the 5 staves. I always thought a stave was just another name for chapter, but that’s wrong. It’s more closely related to a musical staff.  Makes sense since a “carol” is a song. I think I will start with asking the students what they already know about this Dickens classic. Maybe we’ll complete a KWL chart with Post-Its. . . No doubt they’ve seen one of many TV or movie adaptations.

Then I think we’ll brainstorm essential questions, or I’ll come up with the EQs myself. I’ve located a great audio version of the book.  I think hearing a great narrator read the story aloud will make it come alive. I’m trying to figure out what I’ll do with the many new vocabulary words.  Maybe a word wall…maybe maker station task cards of some kind. And I’m trying to decide if we’ll watch the movie (the one with George C. Scott as Scrooge) after the full unit or before the maker stations I’ve created. I hope the students get into it as much as I will!! Stay tuned! I hope I won’t hear the students say, “Bah, humbug!!” 

UPDATE!! My principal gave the Ok for me to get reimbursed for the cost and shipping of the books!!