Christmas Unit Study based on The Velveteen Rabbit for Early Elementary

You will love using this The Velveteen Rabbit unit study at Christmas time with your early learners in Kindergarten to 3rd grade for a sweet non-traditional Christmas unit!

This Unit Study is based on the 1922 childhood classic book The Velveteen Rabbit (or How Animals Become Real) by Margery Williams.

In this Velveteen Rabbit Unit Study, you will find lessons and activities for your early elementary students in language arts, science, social studies, and more. Your kids will learn about rabbits, scarlet fever, candy canes and other symbols of Christmas, and they can even create a stuffed animal clinic for their beloved toys.

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Resources Needed for Your Velveteen Rabbit Unit Study

The Velveteen Rabbit (or How Toys Become Real) by Margery Williams

Watch a read aloud video of The Velveteen Rabbit.

The Kingfisher First Animal Encyclopedia (or another similar animal reference book)

The Printable Unit Study (see below to download)

Just for Fun: Dover’s The Velveteen Rabbit Coloring Book: The Complete Story

Activities for The Velveteen Rabbit Unit Study:

Language Arts

• Vocabulary: Snubbed, Blossom, Shabbier, Raspberry Cane, Boast, Swagger, Swooping. Use the vocabulary matching cards in the printables in the Velveteen Rabbit Unit Study bundle to help your kids learn these new words.

• Literary Analysis: Discuss the difference between fact and fiction with your kids. Which parts of the story could have really happened? Which ones were make-believe?

• Discuss what a classic fable is, and how it has four basic components: symbolism, humor, a lesson or moral, and anthropomorphism. Aesop’s fables are probably the most famous ones. Check out a book of Aseops’ Fables (there are many versions, like this one with illustrations by Eric Carle) from your local library, or get this ebook from Hoopla to read to your kids.

• Anthropomorphism is when an author gives an animal or another object the features and behavior of a human. In this story, the toys in the nursery move, talk and feel just like people. Can your child think of any other books or movies where the writer used anthropomorphism? (Toy Story is a great example of this)

• Research the author, Margery Williams. She was born in England in 1881 and moved to the United States when she was 9 years old. She didn’t have many friends so she often played with her pet mice in her little dollhouse. Her book, Winterbound, received the Newberry Honor.

• Have your child write or narrate a story about a favorite toy coming to life. Let them draw pictures to go with the story.

• Watch an animated version of The Velveteen Rabbit and compare it to the story. Use one of these versions:
• Meryl Streep’s The Velveteen Rabbit
• Hanna Barbera 1985 version
• Marie Osmond stars in this Live Action version
• Rabbit Ears’ Cartoon Classics version

Science Activities

• Scarlet Fever: Research Scarlet Fever and discuss why the toys needed to be disposed. This video discusses the symptoms and treatment. Discuss the prevention of diseases i.e. proper hand washing, diet, sleep habits, etc.

• Rabbits: Have child look up and read about rabbits in The Kingfisher First Animal Encyclopedia. Look at the pictures of rabbits throughout the Velveteen Rabbit book. Watch this video of rabbit facts.
• Collect up your child’s stuffed animals and have him sort them by color, size, and by whether they are sitting or standing, etc. Discuss a rabbit’s diet while snacking on carrot sticks and/or raspberries.

Social Studies

• Relationships: Discuss the relationship between the boy and the rabbit. Does your child have a favorite toy? Have your child compare the things he likes to do with his toy to some of the things the boy liked to do with his rabbit. Talk about how the rabbit must have felt when meeting the real rabbits and being different than them. Discuss ways the real rabbits could have made the stuffed rabbit more comfortable, and apply this to how your child may want to act when he is around children who may have differences.

• Holiday Symbolism: On the first page of the story there is a picture of the rabbit tucked into a stocking with a sprig of holly and candy canes. Do your children know why these are used as symbols of the Christmas season? It is said the holly leaves represent the crown of thorns that Christ wore, and the berries represent His blood. The candy cane is said to be in the shape of a shepherd’s staff, the colors representing the purity and blood of Christ. Your child might enjoy reading the Legend of the Candy Cane story, or they can watch the video.

• You may also be interested in our Symbols of Christmas Lapbook or our Christmas Symbols notebooking pages

Extra Hands-on Activities for The Velveteen Rabbit

• Slice the top off a carrot, dip in paint, and make carrot print pictures.

• On an outline of a rabbit printed on card stock, have children glue cotton balls to make a picture of a fluffy rabbit. Use the printable in the Velveteen Rabbit Unit Study bundle.

• Make a carrot cake, like this easy one from Taste of Home

• Make “candy canes” out of white and red salt dough or play-dough.

• Cut holly leaves out of construction paper to use for gift tags. Use the template in the unit study pack.

• If your child has a stuffed animal that is becoming “shabby and unsewn”, set up a stuffed animal hospital and help him to repair it with a needle and thread.

• Watch the full (90 minute) film, The Velveteen Rabbit from 2019

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