Description
Engage your students with this festive and meaningful lesson plan based on A Kidnapped Santa Claus by L. Frank Baum. This holiday-themed resource blends close reading, literary analysis, and creative thinking, making it a perfect addition to your classroom during the winter season.
Students will read the full text of the story and begin with an activating strategy to build background knowledge and spark curiosity. As they read, students respond to guided reading questions that support comprehension and encourage analysis of characters, conflict, and theme. A plot diagram activity helps students track key events and understand story structure, while targeted vocabulary work supports academic language development.
After reading, students extend their learning through creative projects that allow for choice and deeper engagement with the text. To further enrich the lesson, students compare the themes, characters, and messages of Baum’s story with the classic 1966 animated film How the Grinch Stole Christmas!, prompting thoughtful discussion and comparison across texts and media.
Answer keys are included to support easy implementation and assessment. This lesson is ideal for combining seasonal fun with rigorous ELA skill-building.