'A Christmas Carol' Stave 3: the second of the three spirits
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can explain how Dickens characterises the second spirit.
Key learning points
- Scrooge meets the Ghost of Christmas Present, a jolly figure who closely resembles the Victorian Father Christmas
- Scrooge is frightened of the spirit, but is receptive to his teachings, as he ‘obeys’ his commands
- The spirit shows Scrooge different festive scenes from around the world
- The spirit represents generosity and abundance
- The spirit is a direct criticism of Malthusian concerns about food supply shortages
Keywords
Receptive - If someone is receptive, they are willing to consider or accept new suggestions and ideas.
Reflective - If someone is reflective, they are able to evaluate their own actions and behaviour.
Abundance - If you have an abundance of something, you have a lot of it.
Emotional repression - Emotional repression is when someone unconsciously pushes difficult or upsetting feelings aside so that they can’t surface.
Common misconception
Students believe that Father Christmas was always pictured wearing red.
Victorian depictions of Father Christmas show him wearing green, with a wreath of holly around his head.
Teacher tip
Take some time to explore how the presentation of Father Christmas has changed since the early Victorian period, so that students can recognise that the second spirit is a representation of mid-Victorian depictions of Father Christmas.
Equipment
You will need access to a copy of Charles Dickens' 'A Christmas Carol' for this lesson.
Content guidance
Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour
Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour
Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
Supervision
Adult supervision recommended
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Which two colours do we commonly associate with Christmas?
Q2.What is the commonly accepted definition of the term "Christmas spirit"?
Q3.Which plants do we typically associate with Christmas?
Q4.What changes did we see in Scrooge in Stave 2 of 'A Christmas Carol'?
Q5.Complete the quotation from Stave 2 of 'A Christmas Carol': "I should like to be able to say a word or two to my just now. That’s all.”
Q6.Starting with the first, put the events of 'A Christmas Carol' in chronological order.
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.What is the name of the second of the three spirits to visit Scrooge in 'A Christmas Carol'? The Ghost of Christmas .
Q2.How does Scrooge feel about encountering the second spirit in Stave 3 of 'A Christmas Carol'?
Q3.Which of the words means 'to have a lot of something?'
Q4.Finish the quotation from Stave 3 of 'A Christmas Carol': "He was not the Scrooge he had been."
Q5.Starting with the first, put the scenes the Ghost of Christmas Present shows Scrooge in 'A Christmas Carol' in chronological order.
Q6.Which of the following is the correct explanation of what the Ghost of Christmas Present from 'A Christmas Carol' represents?
To help you plan your 10 English lesson on: 'A Christmas Carol' Stave 3: the second of the three spirits, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 10 English lesson on: 'A Christmas Carol' Stave 3: the second of the three spirits, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 4 English lessons from the A Christmas Carol: Scrooge's redemption unit, dive into the full secondary English curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.