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Year 4

Exploring and engaging with themes in 'A Christmas Carol'

I can identify and engage with the key themes in ‘A Christmas Carol’.

New
New
Year 4

Exploring and engaging with themes in 'A Christmas Carol'

I can identify and engage with the key themes in ‘A Christmas Carol’.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. A theme is a big idea, topic or message that recurs within a story.
  2. Themes often link together and overlap.
  3. The theme of transformation is an important theme in ‘A Christmas Carol’.
  4. Transformation is depicted through Scrooge's journey from a miserly individual to a compassionate and generous one.
  5. Dickens uses Scrooge’s treatment of others and their treatment of him to convey this change.

Keywords

  • Theme - A theme is a big idea, topic or message that recurs within a story.

  • Convey - To convey means to communicate a message to the reader directly or indirectly.

  • Transformation - Transformation is the process of significant change, often resulting in a big shift in character, beliefs, or behaviour.

Common misconception

Children may not realise that a story can contain multiple themes which sometimes overlap.

Discuss a simple but well known tale and its many themes in advance of the lesson.

Discuss themes that frequently appear. Think about and discuss the key themes present in some of the books the children know really well.
Teacher tip

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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6 Questions

Q1.
Which of these does the theme of love link to?
Correct answer: family
Correct answer: friendship
rich vs poor
wealth
Q2.
Which of these does inference help with?
ordering events
Correct answer: reading between the lines
Correct answer: working out how a character might be feeling
spelling
Q3.
Order the following events from 'A Christmas Carol'.
1 - Scrooge refuses Fred's offer for Christmas dinner.
2 - Scrooge is visited by the ghost of his business partner.
3 - Scrooge is visited by three more ghosts.
4 - Scrooge starts to realise the error of his ways.
5 - Scrooge wakes up on Christmas day and he is transformed.
Q4.
True or false? Poverty in Victorian London was worse than in London today.
Correct Answer: true, true
Q5.
Which of these reactions suggest you are happy to see someone?
Correct answer: you smile
Correct answer: you laugh
you shiver
Correct answer: you jump for joy
Q6.
True or false? The moral of a story is the lesson it teaches you.
Correct Answer: true, true

6 Questions

Q1.
Match the keywords to their definitions.
Correct Answer:theme ,a big idea, topic or message that recurs within a story

a big idea, topic or message that recurs within a story

Correct Answer:convey,to communicate a message to the reader directly or indirectly

to communicate a message to the reader directly or indirectly

Correct Answer:transformation,the process of significant change

the process of significant change

Q2.
What does Scrooge promise to do to help Bob?
Correct answer: raise his salary
bring him food
Correct answer: look after his family
fix his house
Q3.
True or false? Considering actions and characteristics of people within the text is a good way to identify a theme.
Correct Answer: true, true
Q4.
Which of these are themes from 'A Christmas Carol'?
Correct answer: family
Correct answer: transformation
revenge
Correct answer: Christmas
sustainability
Q5.
Match the theme with how it's conveyed in the text.
Correct Answer:friendship,After his transformation, Scrooge treats Bob like a close friend.

After his transformation, Scrooge treats Bob like a close friend.

Correct Answer:belonging,Scrooge eventually realises that he can be accepted by others.

Scrooge eventually realises that he can be accepted by others.

Correct Answer:unkindness,For a long time, Scrooge treats others very badly.

For a long time, Scrooge treats others very badly.

Q6.
At the beginning of the story, Scrooge is miserly and mean. Which words describe him at the end?
boring and unimaginative
silly and childish
Correct answer: generous and compassionate

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