7th Grade: A Christmas Carol (play) — Victorian England Guided Research WebQuest
We recently read the play A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. Please visit the following websites in order to learn more about the play and the setting of A Christmas Carol. Read and view the materials at each site and respond to the following questions:
Question 1: How does the setting of the play A Christmas Carol influence the plot? Use details from the play and from at least two sources below to explain your answer.
Question 2: How did the everyday lives of poor people differ from the lives of wealthy people during the Victorian era? Cite evidence from at least two sources below to explain your answer.
Question 3: How did Charles Dickens’ life influence his writing? Use details from the website “Charles Dickens – An Animated Biography” to support your response.
- The Origins of A Christmas Carol
- Street Life in London in the 19th Century
- Victorian Houses and Where Victorians Lived
- Inside Victorian Houses
- Poverty and Families in the Victorian Era
- A Christmas Carol Film Trailer (1938)
- Charles Dickens – An Animated Biography
- Can You Survive Victorian London? Play this Game and Find Out!
Here’s a link to a digital copy of the play from our textbook: A Christmas Carol
Leave a comment below about one important or interesting thing you learned from reading and viewing these materials.
Videos for Fall Diagnostic Writing Assessment
Click on the appropriate video for your grade level below:
Grade 7: The Clones of Dolly
Grade 8: Renewable Energy Sources
Genius Hour Student Survey
Genius Hour is an approach to learning where students are guided by their own interests and curiosity. During Genius Hour you are encouraged to explore your own interests and develop your creativity. Please fill out the survey below to let us know what subjects you would be interested in possibly studying during Genius Hour.
Please click the link to take the: Genius Hour Student Survey
6th Grade: The Prince & the Pauper (play)
Have you ever wished that you could switch places with someone else? The Prince and the Pauper by Mark Twain is the story of a poor boy and a wealthy prince who switch places.
Read the digital version of the play here: The Prince & the Pauper
Watch a short film version here: Wishbone: The Prince & the Pauper
7th Grade: A Christmas Carol (play) — Victorian England Guided Research WebQuest
We will be reading the play A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens! Please visit the following websites in order to learn more about the play and the setting of A Christmas Carol. Read and view the materials at each site and answer the questions on the handout provided.
- The Origins of A Christmas Carol
- Street Life in London in the 19th Century
- Victorian Houses and Where Victorians Lived
- Inside Victorian Houses
- Poverty and Families in the Victorian Era
- A Christmas Carol Film Trailer (1938)
- Charles Dickens – An Animated Biography
- Can You Survive Victorian London? Play this Game and Find Out!
Here’s a link to a digital copy of the play from our textbook: A Christmas Carol
Leave a comment below about one important or interesting thing you learned from reading and viewing these materials.
In Search of Pompeii (6th Grade – Informational Text)
In Search of Pompeii is an informational article about the eruption of Mount Vesuvius and its impact on the city of Pompeii, Italy. While reading this article, pay attention to the key details in the text and see if you can determine the main idea.
You can read the article online here: In Search of Pompeii
Reading Questions
Directions: You are required to read for at least 30 minutes each evening and complete the reading log. In addition, you must answer 3 of the following questions (you choose which 3 questions to answer) each week about the book you are currently reading and write these questions and answers in your language arts notebook. Please write at least 1 paragraph for each answer and use the R-S-S-E format when answering these questions. Thank you for reading and responding! Your hard work is appreciated!
- Is there one character who is similar to you in this book? Explain.
- Have you ever had a similar experience as someone in the book? Explain.
- Compare a character, the story, or a main event to another book.
- How would you resolve the conflict (problem) in the book?
- In your opinion, what is the lesson that this book teaches readers about life (theme)? Explain.
- What emotions did you feel while reading this book? Explain.
- What were your feelings about the book’s ending? Explain.
- What is the genre of this book? How do you know? Explain.
- Explain how a character changed throughout this book.
- What did you learn from reading this book? Explain.
- Why do you think the author chose the title for this book? Explain.
- What predictions can you make about what will happen to the characters after the end of this book? Explain.
- Describe something interesting that happened in the book you read.
- When and where does the action of this book take place? How do you know? Explain.
- Who are the protagonists and the antagonists in this book? How do you know? Explain.
- What was the climax of this book? Explain.
- Find a sentence in this book that includes a word (or phrase) that you do not understand. Write the sentence and explain what you believe this word or phrase might mean based on the context of the sentence. If you are still struggling to understand it, look up this word or phrase and write down its meaning.
- Write a summary of the book you read.
- Illustrate a scene from the book you read and write a description of the scene you illustrated.
- Write another ending to the story that is different from the one the author wrote.
Novel Study
Here are links to digital versions of the novels that we are studying in class:
Number the Stars by Lois Lowry
If you would like to hear the audio book versions of these novels, they are also available online by clicking the links below: