When I think about the holidays in my classroom, many things come to mind: Snowflake Sudoku, The 12 Days of Christmas problem solving, and reading aloud the classic short story “The Gift of the Magi.”
I bought the book shown here when my own children were little, but I used it more often in my classroom! With stories “specifically arranged for children 5 to 12,” it’s perfect for quick read-alouds, and I like that the author provides a suggested “listening level” for each story along with how many minutes it takes to read each one. One of the “holiday favorites” is the O. Henry classic. I reserved it as a special holiday tradition for my 5th-grade GT class.
One of our district’s goals for upper elementary GT students was to incorporate advanced and classic literature and introduce students to literary elements usually taught in higher grades. This story is a great introduction to irony and allusion, and it exposes students to phrasing and vocabulary that requires slowing down and even rereading.
It takes about fifteen minutes to read “Gift of the Magi.” With some pre-reading discussion and follow-up conversation, it was a thirty to forty-minute activity.
Because I read this during the last class before the holiday break, there was often a buzz of excitement in the school, with holiday parties scheduled in the afternoon, and the students were usually a little wound up. A read-aloud got everyone quiet and slowed everything down for a few minutes. We arranged our chairs in a circle for the reading.
Before reading the story, I asked the students, “What makes a gift particularly special or memorable?” and “What kinds of gifts mean the most to people?” This often led to some rich dialogue, and students usually shared about homemade gifts, personal gifts, and giving to those less fortunate. Some years, I asked, “Did you ever give or receive a gift and the reaction to the gift was not what was expected?”
In order for students to get the most out of the reading, I made copies of the story so that they could follow along. I kept these so that I could reuse them each year. I like that the Classics to Read Aloud book also lists a few vocabulary words to read over before beginning the reading, so the students had this in front of them as well. However, you can also find many PDF versions, such as this one that can be shared digitally.
The first paragraph of the story can be intimidating, but I found that many of my students enjoyed being challenged by the language. As I read, I did pause over several phrases to quickly explain them, but I tried to keep interruptions to a minimum.
After the reading, students usually said the story seemed familiar. Often, they’ve seen a version of the story (see below). The follow-up discussions always began with the students’ reactions and questions. The tools of Depth and Complexity can be used to elicit deeper responses to the literary style and theme:
- BIG IDEA / DETAILS: What is one word that would relate closely to the message or theme of this story? three words? Could you summarize the story in 7-10 words? How does the author use allusions as symbols that inform us about the characters? What is the main message or theme in the story?
- MULTIPLE PERSPECTIVES/ RULES: From whose perspective is the story told? How would it be different if told from Jim’s point of view? What is different about the way the author writes? (O. Henry often pauses to speak directly to the reader)
- DETAILS / ETHICS: Who made the greater sacrifice? How is Jim’s sacrifice different from Della’s?
- LANGUAGE of the DISCIPLINE / RELATE OVER TIME: How would a modern-day adaptation be composed? How does the language of O.Henry’s style add to the story? It can be fun to consider transforming the story into a poem, rap, song, or some other creative adaptation.
Among the many versions of the story are several written in simpler language for kids such as this one and this one. There are also dozens of adaptations including a Sesame Street version, a Disney version with Mickey and Minnie Mouse (see below), and others.
Here’s a 20-minute video version that your students may enjoy as well.
Many teachers read Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” and other classics. Consider sharing your ideas in the comments below or in your own post!