How the Grinch Stole Christmas Unit Study Submitted by JoAnn S.
Library List:
How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss
(you can read it online here http://www.kraftmstr.com/christmas/books/grinch.html )
The Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens (we're going to watch the movie version)
The Symbols of Christmas: The Story of Jesus Christ by Robert Adams
Holly, Reindeer, and Colored Lights: The Story of the Christmas Symbols by Edna Barth(not written from a Christian perspective but is useful in finding out the background of how these symbols got started)
Looking Inside Caves and Caverns by Ron Schultz (4th-8th)
Limestone Caves by Roy A. Gallant (4th-7th)
Caves and Caverns by Gail Gibbons (2nd-4th)
This unit is based on How the Grinch Stole Christmas. It includes copywork, language arts, social studies, science, character study, and art. It's designed to be done in a notebook fashion. Some parts can be done as lapbooks or you could glue the mini books into your notebook instead. There are notebook pages, mini books, and worksheets. Don't feel that you need to do every activity. Just pick some from each section.
Copy work:
Quotes from How the Grinch Stole Christmas
She stared at the Grinch and said, "Santy Claus, why, why are you taking our Christmas tree? Why?"
"Why, my sweet little tot," the fake Santy Claus lied, "There's a light on this tree that won't light on one side. So I'm taking it home to my workshop, my dear. I'll fix it up there. Then I'll bring it back here."
"How could it be so?"
"It came without ribbons! It came without tags! It came without
packages, boxes, or bags!"
"Maybe Christmas," he thought "doesn't come from a store. Maybe Christmas …. perhaps … means a little bit more!"
Language Arts Activities:
Activity 1: Elements of a PlotPower Point presentation on identifying the elements of a plot
After viewing the power point presentation, have the child fill in the plot worksheet using the story of How the Grinch Stole Christmas.
Activity 2: Compare two main characters
Use the Venn diagram to compare and contrast the main characters from
the Grinch and the Christmas Carol. Come up with at least 3 things they
have in common and 3 things that are different about them. Venn
diagram
Activity 3:Grinch
Maze
Activity 4: Grinch
word search
Activity 5: Rhyming
words
Done like a game of concentration. Print them on cardstock.
Activity 6: Reading comprehension worksheet
Activity 7:
Write a Thank you letter to the Grinch for returning the Christmas stuff.
Art Activities:
Activity 1: Grinch
Coloring Pages
Activity 2: Grinch
ornaments
P print on cardstock so they'll be sturdy. Then color them. You could
also put some laminate on them before you string them.
Activity 3: Grinch
mask
Activity 4: Grinch
too small heart activity
Social Studies Activities:
Activity 1:
Look up the history of Christmas Carols, bells, stockings, Christmas
trees, and mistletoe. You can use this Christmas
Symbols notebooking paper.
Activity 2:
When did the exchanging of gifts begin? What is the main reason we give
gifts? Can you think of other reasons we give gifts to each other? You
can use this Gift
Giving Notebooking Paper.
Activity 3:
This book gives a basic example of how many Americans celebrate Christmas
but how do they celebrate it in other countries? Here are notebooking
pages for Germany,
Italy,
and France.
Activity 4:
Locate and mark these countries on a world
map: Germany, Italy, France, and America
Activity 5:
Create a feast using a food from Germany, Italy, France, and America
that is traditionally served at Christmas. Be sure to include the Who's
favorites: who-pudding and roast beast.
Science Activities:
Caves
Cave Mini Book
Printables (PDF)
Activity 1: How are caves formed?
Explain how caves are formed in your mini book.
Hands-on: Dissolving
limestone with acid
Activity 2: What kinds of creatures live in caves?
Write a list of the creatures in the mini book.
Activity 3: What kind of formations can you find in caves?
Write your findings and a description of what they are in your mini
book.
Hands-on: Make
rock candy
Activity 4: What kind of climate does a cave have?
Write your findings in the mini book.
Hands-on: Create
a cave
Activity 5: Name some famous cave explorers
Activity 6: What kind of tools do they use to explore caves?
Heart
We're going to use this Human
Heart Lapbook from Knowledge Box Central that I downloaded for free
a while back.
Reindeer
Do this section in your animal journal. Be sure to include the following information: habitat, diet, characteristics, life cycle, difference between domestic and wild, their location, and any other facts you find interesting. Here is an example of how to set it up.
Hands-on: Candy
cane reindeer
Information site Reindeer Fun
You can find images
here for your journal.
Dog
We're going to do this dog lapbook
Character Studies
Lying
Bible
verses on lying
More Bible
verses on lying
Bible
lessons on lying (scroll down until you see the heading lying)
Extras
Listen to a narration
of the book and 2 songs from the original movie: You're a Mean one
Mister Grinch and Welcome Christmas.
Listen to samples of bell
music.
