Free The Little Match Girl Christmas Readers Theater for Grades 3-12

This script adaptation is based on The Little Match Girl by Hans Christian Andersen (1845).

This script should take about ~15 minutes to read depending on your classroom's level. Extra time for discussion, vocabulary or short answer comprehension questions should be planned.

Due to its short reading time and small number of characters this script is great for small grounds, stations or centers.

For a broader winter literature set, pair this script with The Gift of the Magi or A Christmas Carol Reader's Theater Script to compare generosity, poverty, and compassion across classic holiday texts.

This product includes a zip file consisting of:

• Grades 3~5 Version (~6 Characters, 850 words, 9 pages)
• Grades 6~12 Version (~6 Characters, 1200 words, 9 pages)
• Student & Teacher Reader's Theater Tips & Notes
• 10 Comprehension Short Answer and 10 Vocabulary Words
• 10 Themes & Discussion Question Prompts
• Note: All files are in editable DOCX format
• Character Note: Some characters only have 1 or 2 lines, if necessary one student can read multiple lines. Likewise some of the main characters can be read by multiple students.

General Tips for Using this Resource:

1. Print one, double-sided script for each student
2. For digital classrooms, upload the MSWORD DOC version and convert to Google docs
3. Character roles can be adjusted based on class size; characters can be combined or split as needed

This script includes 2 acts:

Act 1: The Cold Streets

The story begins on a cold and snowy New Year's Eve. A poor little girl walks through the streets barefoot and without a hat. She tries to sell matches to passersby but no one buys any, and she hasn't earned any money all day. Afraid to go home because she hasn't sold anything, she seeks shelter in a corner between two houses. She is cold and hungry, and she looks at the matches, thinking about lighting one to warm herself.

Act 2: The Magic Matches

In the second act, the little girl decides to light a match to warm her fingers. With each match she lights, she experiences wonderful visions: first, a warm iron stove; next, a delicious feast with a roast goose; then, a beautiful Christmas tree. She sees a falling star and remembers her grandmother's words that it means someone has died. Longing to see her grandmother, she lights another match, and her grandmother appears. Desperate to keep her grandmother with her, she lights all the matches. Together, they ascend to a place without cold or hunger. The next morning, people find her frozen body, not knowing about the beautiful visions she saw or that she had gone to a place of joy with her grandmother.