A Christmas Carol - Marley's Ghost - teaching resource

KS4 GCSE English Teaching Resources: A Christmas Carol – Marley’s Ghost

(34-slide editable PowerPoint with 6 worksheets)

This two-lesson resource explores Dickens’ presentation of Marley’s Ghost in Stave One of A Christmas Carol. The 34-slide editable PowerPoint and six accompanying worksheets guide learners through close reading, analysis, and creative tasks, helping them understand Dickens’ language, symbolism, and moral messages.

Lesson One focuses on the arrival of Marley’s Ghost, covering the passage from “Scrooge took his melancholy dinner in his usual melancholy tavern…” down to “…I won’t believe it.” Learners examine how Dickens builds tension and hints at the ghost’s arrival, from Marley’s face in the door knocker to the eerie sound of clanking chains.

Learners will undertake:

• A differentiated Do Now starter revising key ideas from Stave One so far

• A guided reading of the passage, with stretch challenges for higher-ability learners

• A creative “Vinstagram” activity (Victorian Instagram) where learners design Scrooge’s newsfeed based on the five signs of Marley’s Ghost’s impending arrival, using differentiated templates

• A plenary reflection on the symbolism of Marley’s “heavy chain”

Lesson Two focuses on Dickens’ portrayal of Marley’s Ghost as trapped in Purgatory, exploring the moral consequences of Marley’s life and his role as a warning to Scrooge.

Learners will:

• Complete a differentiated Do Now starter analysing a flowchart of Catholic teachings on the three pathways of the soul, with higher-level learners exploring the concepts of mortal and venial sin

• Read from “His colour changed, though…” down to “…the comprehensive ocean of my business!”, reflecting on why Marley suffers and what Dickens’ message is for the reader

• Link the reading to the earlier flowchart to understand Dickens’ vision of morality and the afterlife

• Undertake a differentiated quotation analysis task focusing on five key extracts from the passage

• Summarise the events creatively in 20, 15, and 10 words, reinforcing concise expression

Perfect for classroom teaching, revision, intervention, or exam preparation, this resource deepens learners’ understanding of Dickens’ characterisation, morality, and narrative techniques, supporting success in the GCSE English Literature exam.

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A Christmas Carol
KS4 / GCSE Prose

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