"It's a Wonderful Life" Compare and Contrast with Original Short Story

Do you have a week before Christmas break and do not want to start a new unit? Or are you teaching American Literature and want to introduce students to a heartwarming traditional story?

This bundle gives you

- a 9 page PDF of the original short story called "The Greatest Gift".

- A one-page set of Comprehension questions for the story.

- A Compare/Contrast chart to fill out while students watch the movie.

Note: You will need your own copy of the movie for this to work.

The original story was sent out in 1943 as part of the author, Philip Van Doren Stern's Christmas card. The famous director Frank Capra found it, adapted and expanded the original story to make the American classic "It's a Wonderful Story".

I teach this unit to my ninth graders right before Christmas, when class size is starting to dwindle and I do not want to reteach anything after Christmas break.

I also use it in the Springtime when I am teaching American Literature. I use it at the end of a short story unit during exam time.

The film "It's a Wonderful Life" still works its magic on teenagers and starts some great discussions on responsibility, roles of women, and how your dreams are sometimes tempered by your circumstances.

It has been a great addition to my classroom and I hope it will be to yours as well.

Note: Parents usually love that I teach this and their students come home talking about a film they fondly remember.