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Year 10 - English

'A Christmas Carol': improving analytical writing

A Christmas Carol: Scrooge's redemption

Unit Summary

In this unit, pupils read and explore 'A Christmas Carol'. They start by reading the novella in full, pausing during each stave to analyse key scenes, characters, themes and methods. After reading the novella, pupils chart Scrooge's redemptive journey and craft an essay on the presentation of fear.

Lesson Summary

You will learn to use feedback to improve your analytical writing about Scrooge.

Key Notes

  • The thesis statement, topic sentences and summary sentences offer structure to the argument
  • Textual evidence should be used to support your argument and embedded
  • We should use a range of embedded quotations from across the text
  • You should examine layers of meaning within the text
  • Redrafting is a very important part of the writing process

Vocabulary To Learn

  • Feedback: Feedback is information given to someone to help them improve something.
  • Redrafting: Redrafting something means rewriting it to improve it.
  • Introspection: Engaging in introspection means examining your own thoughts and feelings.
  • Compelling: If an argument is compelling, it is convincing and persuasive.
  • Discourse marker: A discourse marker is a word or phrase that helps us to organise our speech or writing into sections. An example would be 'so' or 'also'.

Common Mistakes To Avoid

  • Students think that once they have put their pen down and stopped writing, that they have finished.

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

1. Explain this English learning goal in two key points.

The thesis statement, topic sentences and summary sentences offer structure to the argument. Textual evidence should be used to support your argument and embedded.

2. Define this language term and use it in a sentence. 'Feedback'

Feedback is information given to someone to help them improve something.

3. Correct this common English misunderstanding.

Mistake: Students think that once they have put their pen down and stopped writing, that they have finished. Correction: Students should think of their first attempt as simply a first draft. The second redraft is their chance to fine tune their argument.

More Lessons In This Unit

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