A Christmas Carol
Time Required: 2-3 class periods
Suggested Grade Level: 7
Arkansas Standards of Learning – Social Studies
E.7.7.2 – Evaluate the future consequences of choices.
E.7.7.5 – Discuss the opportunity costs associated with making important decisions.
E.8.7.3 – Discuss the changing factors of production over time: human resources, capital
resources, natural resources, and entrepreneurship.
Common Core State Standards – Reading, Literature and Writing
CCSS.ELA – Literacy.RL.7.1: Cite several pieces of textual evidence to support analysis of
what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the
text.
CCSS.ELA – Literacy.RL.7.2: Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its
development over the course of the text; provide an objective
summary of the text.
CCSS.ELA – Literacy.RL.7.7: Compare and contrast a written story, drama, or poem to its
audio, filmed, staged, or multimedia version, analyzing the
effects of techniques unique to each medium (e.g., lighting,
sound, color, or camera focus and angles in a film).
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.7.2: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey
ideas, concepts, and information through the selection,
organization, and analysis of relevant content.
Economic Concepts:
Capital resources – goods used to make other goods & services
Human resources – knowledge and skills possessed by workers and used in production
Market Economy – economy in which decisions regarding investment, production and
distribution are based on supply and demand
Natural resources – resources that occur naturally in the environment
Normal good – a good that one prefers to consume more of when their income increases
Opportunity cost – next best alternative foregone when a choice is made
Partnership – A business organization that is owned by two or more people
Service – provision of an intangible commodity
Variable Costs – costs that increase as the number of units produced increases
Activity 1: Are You a Scrooge?
How optimistic is your outlook? Complete a list of good things and bad things in your life.
Compare the lists to see which one is longer:
Good Things
Bad Things
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Part b. Writing Assignment: Compare and contrast your choices with those of Mr. Scrooge.
What similarities and differences can you find? Could different choices have brought about
different results on your list above? Please explain.
Activity 2 Writing Assignment: Watch A Christmas Carol on video. Does the video
portrayal of Mr. Scrooge differ from the one illustrated in the book? Please explain in your own
words.
Activity 3: Vocabulary Practice
Procedure – Prepare vocabulary cards prior to class. Each card should have a question and an
answer. The answer for the question SHOULD NOT be shown on the same card. Note: It is
helpful if the question and the answer side of the cards are different colors. The first question to
be asked is denoted by (1st) on the card.
Front of card
Back of card
1st Question: Scrooge’s ledgerbook is an
Answer: The coal would be a variable cost for
example of which type of resource?
Scrooge
Question: What type of business organization
since he buys differing amounts each period.
was the Scrooge and Marley Counting House?
Answer: Scrooge’s ledgerbook is an example of
Question: What does a counting house, or bank,
a capital resource.
offer to the community?
Answer: The Scrooge and Marley Counting
Question: What did Scrooge acquire while
House was a partnership.
apprenticing for Fezziwig?
Answer: A counting house offers a service to
Question: While pursuing his career and fortune
the community.
Scrooge gave up the chance to have a wife and
Answer: Scrooge acquired human capital
family. What type of cost is this?
while apprenticing for Fezziwig.
Question: The Ghost of Christmas Present takes
Answer: A wife and family was Scrooge’s
Scrooge to a local market in the town. What
opportunity cost of pursuing his career to such
type of economic system is illustrated in this
great lengths.
scene?
Answer: A market economy is illustrated in the
Question: Scrooge buys a goose for the Cratchit
scene.
family on Christmas morning. What type of
Answer: The goose is a normal good.
good is the goose?
Answer: Consequences are a result of choices
Question: The Ghost of Christmas Future shows
we each make over time.
Scrooge the consequences he has faced over
Answer: Bob Cratchit is a human resource at
time. What led to these observed consequences?
the firm.
Question: Bob Cratchit serves as a clerk in the
Scrooge and Marley Counting House. What
type of resource is Bob to the firm?
Question: Scrooge complains about the cost of coal
for heating the interior of the counting house. What
type of cost is the coal in this case?