Making Literature Come Alive

As part of their studies in 19th century history, Grace Classical Academy’s 6th graders read A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens.  And not only do they read it … but, they write a screenplay from it, make/devise and scrimp-from-home the props they need, stage it, and perform this great story for the kindergarten through 5th graders.  It was delightful.  Mrs. Robison truly makes literature and its lessons come alive for her students.

"I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year. I will live in the Past, the Present, and the Future. The Spirits of all Three shall strive within me. I will not shut out the lessons that they teach!"  ...  He became as good a friend, as good a master, and as good a man, as the good old city knew, or any other good old city, town, or borough, in the good old world. Some people laughed to see the alteration in him, but he let them laugh, and little heeded them; for he was wise enough to know that nothing ever happened on this globe, for good, at which some people did not have their fill of laughter in the outset; and knowing that such as these would be blind anyway, he thought it quite as well that they should wrinkle up their eyes in grins, as have the malady in less attractive forms. His own heart laughed: and that was quite enough for him.