Charles Dickenss A Christmas Carol

Name: ___________________________________ Date: __________________

PRE-READING ACTIVITY: Research for Setting & Text-to-World Connections Ms. Brown Grade 7

Victorian Christmas
Group Research Project
OVERVIEW: Charles Dickens is often regarded as the man who invented
Christmas. His novella, A Christmas Carol, recorded and popularized many
of the Christmas traditions that were emerging in England during the 1800s
during the reign of Queen Victoria. Christmas as we celebrate it today has
its origins in Victorian Britain, so to understand both the setting of Dickenss
novel and that settings relevance to todays society, you will explore
various components of the Victorian Christmas in a group research project.
With several classmates, you will conduct online research, compile
information on a handout, and design a poster to present to the class so we
all have a well-rounded view of the novels historical context to apply
Research Topics: throughout our reading.

Decorations Project Requirements:

Christmas Tree
1. RESEARCH: Using Google Chromebooks, search the provided
Santa Claus websites (and other credible sources you find as a group) to
gather interesting facts and information on your assigned topic.
Caroling Compile your research on one GoogleDoc.
Christmas Crackers
2. INFORMATIVE HANDOUT: Design a handout that clearly and
Gift-Giving concisely reports the most important facts about your topic. Be
sure to insert a computer image that represents your topic,
Food paraphrase your research, and include a list of sources at the
bottom. Submit your handout the day before your presentation
Christmas Cards date, so it can be copied and distributed to your classmates prior
to your presentation.

Credible Websites:
Victoriana Magazine:
http://www.victoriana.com/Victorian_Christmas/C
hristmas_in_the_Victorian_Times.html
Historic UK: http://www.historic-
uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofEngland/A-Victorian-
Christmas/
BBC:http://www.bbc.co.uk/victorianchristma
s/history.shtml
Time Travel-Britain: http://www.timetravel-
britain.com/articles/christmas/dickens.shtml
3. POSTER: Design a poster for your topic that includes a title, a
quote from A Christmas Carol that proves it is set in Victorian
Britain, at least one student-created illustration of your topic, and
a Venn Diagram that compares/contrasts how the topic appeared
in Victorian Britain to how it appears in todays society.
4. ORAL PRESENTATION: You will present your poster to the class.
Everyone in your group must have a speaking role. Be prepared
to answer any questions asked by peers/teachers.
5. END-OF-UNIT EXIT TICKET: Please see attached worksheet
 Charles Dickenss A Christmas Carol

Name: ___________________________________ Date: __________________

AFTER-READING ACTIVITY: Applying Historical Context/Research to Literature Ms. Brown Grade 7

Victorian Christmas
END-of-unit exit ticket
DIRECTIONS: At the end of our novel unit on Charles Dickenss A Christmas
Carol, revisit your topic from the introductory research project on the Victorian
Christmas. Feel free to review your groups handout to refresh your memory,
if necessary. As the INDEPENDENT component of the research project, answer
the following question in I.C.E. format to apply your topic to the novellas
setting. Your text evidence must be DIRECT QUOTES with page numbers. (If you
believe that your topic did not appear anywhere in Staves 1-5 of A Christmas
Carol, please see the teacher to be assigned an alternative presentation topic).

By the end of our novel unit, answer the question independently in I.C.E. format:

When and how did your topic for the Victorian Christmas Research Project
appear in A Christmas Carol?

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