A Christmas Carol

Use this activity to engage all types of learners, while requiring that they refer to and incorporate details from the text over the course of the activity.

“Let’s Plan a Victorian Party”

In this activity, students research the history of Victorian social gatherings, including music, card games, and food. Then the class plans a Victorian celebration and compares the details to those in the text.

In A Christmas Carol, Dickens highlights the value of shared communal celebrations through Fred’s family Christmas Day dinner and Fezziwig’s annual holiday party. Review these scenes in the novella and note the specific elements that make up a traditional Victorian part. For example, what time of day is the gathering? What do they eat and drink? What other activities do they engage in at the party?

Next, work in a small group to research a particular element of Victorian celebrations. Choose or be assigned one of the following topics: music, card games, food.

• Once you have received your group assignment, research your topic. Remember to keep track of where you get your information and take clear, detailed notes. Use a 3-column graphic organizer (with the headings Information, Source, and Page) to record your findings and keep track of your sources.
• Review your notes and prepare to share what you learned about your topic with the class.

After sharing your findings, plan a Victorian party with your peers: What materials are needed? What is on the menu? What will serve as entertainment? Who will be responsible for each?

 After the plan is formalized, reflect on the process of planning the social event and the details that make it appropriate for the era. Complete a journal entry addressing these questions, referring to the text for evidence:

• What is different about Victorian celebrations from how we celebrate special occasions and holidays today?
• How did the activities in which they engaged prioritize personal interaction?
• Return to the text and discuss the importance of gathering in the novella.
• What is significant about Scrooge’s refusal to attend his nephew’s party?
• How did Scrooge behave in the memory of Fezziwig’s party, and why?
• How do the Cratchits celebrate with joy despite their poverty?
• What other visions of parties and celebrations does Dickens provide and why?

Teaching Suggestion: Depending on time and other allowances, you might extend the party planning activity by scheduling the event for the class to experience. For example, the class can prepare and sample Tiny Tim’s Plum Pudding or create and share a fruit platter; learn and play Victorian-era card games and other party games; and play recorded era-appropriate music.

Differentiation Suggestion: Students who would benefit from an opportunity in formal writing might compose and publish invitations to the gathering, and those with musical interests might rehearse and perform a piece of era-appropriate music.

Paired Text Extension:

Holiday celebrations vary from culture to culture, but many include food, music, and games that hold special significance or symbolism. Too Many Tamales by Gary Soto is the story of Maria, who helps her mother make tamales on Christmas Eve, a rite of passage for children as they grow into adulthood. The text highlights the holiday traditions of another culture in a fun and engaging way; the simple storyline and efficient reading time often make a picture book a useful comparative tool in the middle and upper grades classroom.

• After reading the book aloud, discuss the way Maria’s family celebrates holidays. What is significant about the ritual of preparing the tamales? How does this ritual relate to the idea of shared communal experiences?

Teaching Suggestion: Students might share their personal stories of memorable family and/or community celebrations (e.g., holiday, birthday, family wedding, quinceañera, bat/bar mitzvah) as time allows in pairs or small groups. The students can describe the food, music, and activities for these celebrations and the significance of them to their family, community, or culture.