Activity Worksheets

 

STAGE

4

Little Women Louisa May Alcott

Introduction 

This ungraded summary is for the teacher’ teacher’s s use only and should not be given to students.

The story This is the story of a year in the life of the Marsh sisters, Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy. When the story opens, their father is away fighting in the American Civil War. War. The family are poor because their father lost his money while trying to help a friend. In their way, way, each of the sisters tries to help out. Meg,

family nearby. Later Jo sells her long hair to raise

the eldest, is sixteen and very pretty. She is the most

money for her father, who becomes ill while away

responsible of the four and teaches small children as

fighting. Beth, meanwhile, helps care for a sick family

a governess.

nearby and catches Scarlet Fever, from which she

Jo, fifteen, fifteen, is very t all and thin, and is sometimes a little rough and wild. She loves reading, and writing stories

nearly dies. The story of a year in the lives of these ‘little women’

and plays for her and her sisters to act. Eventually Eventually,, she

ends with two major events. Firstly, Meg discovers

is able to sell her stories to a newspaper. She also

she has fallen in love with their neighbour’s tutor, Mr

cares for her Aunt Marsh who is difficult to work for,

Brooke and agrees to marry him. Secondly, Mr Marsh

and complains a lot.

returns home from the war, safe, to recover from his

Beth, the shy one, helps with housework, but her real

illness. When the family are all reunited, it is apparent

love is playing the piano, and she lives in a world of

to the reader that each of the girls has matured and

her own.

become a better person.

Amy is the youngest of all and believes, a little selfishly selfishly,, that she helps out by going to school, and putting up

Background to the story

with cruel comments from other children.

All the central female characters were based on

However, they all decide that they should be better

the real members of the Alcott family. Louisa ( Jo )

people and just before Christmas when the story

was a well-know author and social reformer, Anna

opens, they declare that they will be better: Amy

(Meg ) loved acting and with Louisa’s help formed the

wishes to be less selfish, Meg to worry less about her appearance, and Jo to be less wild. Beth keeps

Concord Dramatic Union; Elizabeth ( Beth) died young, a few years after suffering from Scarlet Fever; Amy

her thoughts to herself but she later shows that she

(Amy ) was a prolific artist. T The he sisters’ mother, Abigail

wishes to be less shy.

(Mrs March), was one of the first paid social workers

Naturally, each of the girl’s resolve is tested at some

in Massac Massachussets. hussets.

time. For example, Meg enjoys wearing fine clothes and making herself look like a painted doll at a party

Before reading

held by some friends, the Moffats’. On another

Here are some ways to help your students approach

occasion, Amy becomes jealous of the friendship that

the story:

Jo develops with Laurie, the neighbour’s son, and

1  Give st students udents the title of the book and show them

burns one of her journals in anger anger.. Angry with Amy Amy,, Jo

the picture on the cover. Ask Ask them to tr y and guess

fails to tell her about the thin ice on the river and Amy

what kind of story it is.

falls through it while skating one day day..

2  Give studen students ts a copy of the text on the back back

Nevertheless, all the girls regret their shortcomings

cover of the book, and of the story introduction

and learn from their experiences and it is their kindness which is in evident throughout the book. T This his

on the first page. When they have read the texts, ask them a few questions about the story, or use

is apparent at the beginning on Christmas morning

the Before Reading Activities in the back of each

when they agree to give up their breakfast for a poor

Bookworm. 71

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STAGE

4

Little Women  Pre-reading activity Anticipation through chapter titles 

Secrets

Four sisters A telegram

Laurie makes trouble  and  Jo Jo makes peace

A surprise f or Beth

Amy in trouble

Love and Mr Brooke The house next door

Four sisters

All play and no work Meg hears some gossip Happier days

Beth

A Happy Christmas

The Laurence bo y

Four sisters

 To the teacher  Aim: To Aim:  To anticipate plot

simply be encouraged to speculate about possible

Time: 15–20 Time:  15–20 minutes

connections. They may be able to come up with an

Organization: Supply Organization:  Supply the students with the following

idea of a plot line, but this is not essential. If they

list of chapter titles, either as individual copies or on

find it difficult to start, give them a few questions to

an overhead projector. Check to make sure that there

consider, e.g. What trouble could Amy be in?   What

are no problems with vocabulary items in the list. Then

might the surprise be for Beth.

divide the students into small groups and ask them to

When students have finished, allow each group to

speculate as widely as they can about the meaning of the chapter titles, their connection with one another,

outline its ideas in a short verbal report to the class. Give no indication as to whether they have guessed

and their connection with the title. It is not important

correctly, but let them listen to all the ideas and

whether their guesses are correct or not; they should

discuss them if they wish.

PHOTOCOPIABLE  PHOTOCOPIABLE 

© OXFORD UNIVERSIT UNIVERSITY Y PRESS 

72

 

STAGE

4

Little Women While reading activity Match the names to the descriptions 

1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 

Jo

Beth

Amy

■■■■

■■■

■■■

Laurie

Meg

■■■■

■■■ 10  11 

Does the housework. Goes to school. Has blue eyes and yellow yellow hair. Is fifteen. Is going to college at seventeen. seventeen. Is shy sh y. Is shy sh y. Is sixteen. Is tall and thin.

12  13  14  15  16  17 

Is the youngest. Is very pretty and has large eyes, and soft brown hair. Plays the piano. Speaks French. French. Teaches small children. Wants to be a famous artist. Works for an old lady. lady. Writes plays.

 To the teacher  Where: At the end of page 18

short descriptions of the characters and match them

Aim: To revise characters Time: 15–20 minutes

with the pictures of Jo, Beth, Amy, Meg and Laurie by writing the sentence numbers in the boxes provided.

Organization: Give each student or group of students

Key:  Jo: 4, 9, 16, 17; Beth: 1, 6, 12; Amy 2, 3, 10;

a copy of the worksheet. Ask students to read the

Laurie: Lauri e: 5, 7, 13, 15; Me Meg: g: 8, 11, 14.

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STAGE

4

Little Women  After reading activity What’s he/she like? 

Mrs March

Meg

Jo

Beth

Amy

Laurie

Mr Laurence

Mr Brooke

 careless  considerate  creative  generous  handsome  loving  mean  musical  patient  pretty  quick tempered  s  self-centr elf-centred ed  shy  stern  warmhearted  wicked  wild

 To the teacher 

Aim:   To revise characters and characteristics through Aim:

discuss what the character’s characteristics are.

discussion

Students should put a cross or tick where they agree

Time: 30 minutes Time: 30 Organization: Give Organization:  Give each student or group of students

on an appropriate adjective. Encourage plenty of discussion. Ask whether some characters share the

a copy of the grid. Ask students to read down

same characteristics. There is no key as some of the

the column of adjectives for each character, and

adjectives do not come from the book.

PHOTOCOPIABLE   PHOTOCOPIABLE

© OXFORD UNIVERSIT UNIVERSITY Y PRESS 

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