A Christmas Carol | Free Full Week Lesson | Adapted Version | Charles Dickens

Problem: I want to my students to know the classics, BUT I don't have weeks, or even months, to get it done, it's just TOOOO long!

Solution: An adapted, 1 week version, of Dicken’s 1843's classic "A Christmas Carol " that cuts reading time by about 50%!

Each day students read a manageable section, discuss main ideas and themes, and then (optionally) take a short, self-grading exit quiz, giving you a complete, text-dependent unit without the overwhelm.

The adaptation uses clear, modern prose at roughly a ~5 Flesch-Kincaid level, making Dickens’s 1843 classic accessible for upper-elementary and middle school readers (Grades 5–8) while still supporting close reading and rich discussion. Built-in scaffolds—vocabulary, short answer questions, challenge prompts, and Key Figures & Places—help mixed-ability classes follow Scrooge’s journey from “humbug” to wholehearted generosity.

What's the tradeoff of using an adapted version?

Pros:

• Reduces story to a fraction of its original length, fitting neatly into a one week lesson.
• Well suited for shorter attention spans to maintain student interest.
• Preserves core narrative elements, themes and character development.
• Better than omitting it completely due to time limits.

Cons:

• Omits some original language and details for brevity, potentially losing nuances of the author's style.
• Limits opportunities for in-depth literary analysis by excluding certain subplots or descriptive passages.

Also, you may want to try another free Adapted Version:

[FREE DOWNLOAD] The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Adapted Version

A Quick Look for Teachers

• Replace open-ended, hard-to-manage novel studies with a clearly chunked 5-day sequence, then finish with a whole-text final assessment.
• Read one adapted part per day with built-in, text-dependent discussion prompts so each day functions as its own mini-lesson with a clear objective and close reading opportunities.
• Use 5 individual 20-question self-grading Google Forms exit quizzes for each part as a daily formative check to see who is reading and understanding. No extra grading for you.
• Although assessments are setup for digital classrooms, print versions can be achieved. Just quickly delete the answer keys, print the quizzes and final worksheet, and use the same questions as pencil-and-paper exit tickets and assessments.

This product includes a zip file consisting of:

Adapted Version Text ~20,000 words, 50 pages (PDF, DOCX, Google Docs)

• Divided into 5 parts for easy daily reading sessions

Student Worksheet (PPT, Google Slides, PDF print)

• 10 Vocabulary Words
• 10 Short Answer Recall/Comprehension
• 5 Challenge Questions (synthesis, analysis, themes, real life connection)

Teacher’s Guide & Answer Key (PDF, DOCX, Google Docs)

• 5 Sets of Daily Discussion Questions (1 per part)
• 5 Sets of Self-Graded Exit Quizzes (1 per part, 20Qs each)
• Answer Keys for Vocab, Short Answer, and Challenge Questions
• Key Figures & Places reference sheets to help students track characters and settings
  

Text Summary

This mini reader treats A Christmas Carol as a “mini-novel in five acts,” with each part forming a complete day’s reading and discussion arc.

• Part 1 – From Marley’s Warning to a Haunted Night: Introduces Scrooge’s coldhearted attitudes, his treatment of Fred and Bob, and Marley’s terrifying visit that announces the three Spirits.
• Part 2 – Shadows of Christmas Past: Shows Scrooge’s lonely childhood, Fezziwig’s joyful party, and the breakup with Belle, forcing him to face how his choices turned him toward money and away from people.
• Part 3 – The Joy and Need of Christmas Present: Follows the Ghost of Christmas Present through London, highlighting the Cratchit family’s courage, Tiny Tim’s fragile health, Fred’s warm party, and the haunting figures of Ignorance and Want.
• Part 4 – The Terrible Future That Might Be: Reveals the bleak future in which Scrooge dies unloved, Tiny Tim is buried, and his belongings are stolen, pushing him to beg for a chance to change.
• Part 5 – A Changed Heart and a New Beginning: Shows Scrooge waking on Christmas Day, acting with secret generosity, reconnecting with Fred, supporting the Cratchits, and becoming known as someone who “keeps Christmas” all year.

This one classical literature reading resource gives you a complete, no-prep, one-week unit for teaching A Christmas Carol in bite-sized steps—preserving Dickens’s original story while making it truly teachable in real classrooms with real time limits.