Klaus (2019):The Christmas Movie That Explains How One Act of Kindness Can Change an Entire Town

Klaus introduces students to a simple but durable idea: that a single selfless act tends to produce another. The movie explores this through Jesper, a lazy and self-important young postman who is sent to Smeerensburg, a grim frozen island where two families have been feuding for so long that nobody can remember why. To meet his quota of letters and escape the island, Jesper strikes a deal with Klaus, a solitary woodcutter who makes toys he no longer has any use for. The arrangement they fall into, delivering toys to children who write letters, gradually pulls the whole town out of its misery.

What makes the story work for younger students is that the change happens in stages they can follow. Children start behaving kindly toward each other to earn toys. Their parents, confused and then moved by what they see, begin to follow. The feud softens. The town brightens. The movie makes the mechanics of social change visible in a way that connects to themes of kindness, community, and what individuals can do when they decide to act differently.

Klaus is a Netflix original released in 2019, directed by Sergio Pablos and featuring a distinctive hand-drawn animation style that blends traditional 2D technique with modern lighting. It won the BAFTA for Best Animated Movie and was nominated for the Academy Award in the same category. It is rated PG and is suitable for grades 2 through 6.

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🎁 A fresh take on the Santa Claus origin story. Rather than retelling a familiar legend, Klaus builds its own mythology from scratch. The traditions that students recognize, letters to Santa, stockings, toys for good children, all emerge from the specific circumstances of Jesper and Klaus's friendship rather than arriving fully formed. Watching those traditions develop gives the story a genuine sense of discovery.

🤝 The central message is demonstrated rather than stated. The movie's theme, that a selfless act sparks another, is spoken aloud once but played out across the whole story. Students can see it working at the level of individual characters and at the level of the whole town. That makes it a useful text for discussing how theme functions in narrative, since the idea is embedded in the plot rather than delivered as a lesson.

✏️ Jesper's character arc is clear and trackable. Jesper starts the movie as genuinely unpleasant: spoiled, dishonest, and motivated entirely by self-interest. His change over the course of the story is gradual and believable, driven by his relationship with Klaus and the children of Smeerensburg. Students who struggle with character analysis often find it easier to work with a character whose transformation is this visible.

🎨 The animation style is worth talking about in its own right. Klaus uses a hand-drawn technique with 3D lighting that gives the movie a distinctive look different from most animated features. The contrast between the grey, angular world of Smeerensburg at the start and the warmer, softer version that emerges as kindness spreads is built into the visual design. Students with an eye for how movies use imagery to carry meaning have a lot to notice here.

💌 Letter writing is central to the plot. The whole story is set in motion by letters: children writing to Klaus, Jesper delivering them, Klaus responding with toys. The connection between written communication and human connection is built into the movie's structure, which makes the story a natural fit for classrooms where letter writing is part of the curriculum.

⚠️ Things to be aware of:

• Mild slapstick violence: characters involved in a town feud throw things, fire a cannon, and pull each other around. Nothing graphic.
• Brief rude humor including a naked character in a bathtub, covered by bubbles.
• Mild insults: 'shut up, you idiot,' 'go home, loser,' 'brat.'
• No sexual content. No language beyond mild insults. A passing mention of sherry.

📚 English Language Arts Teachers. Klaus connects naturally to ELA units on character development, theme, and persuasive and creative writing. The movie's letter-writing premise gives teachers a direct bridge to the guide's letter writing task. The guide covers comprehension across three differentiated sets, plus creative writing, character description, and sentence-level work, making it a flexible fit for a range of ELA objectives.

🗣️ ESL and ELL Teachers. The multiple choice comprehension set works well with ESL and ELL students, and the movie's strong visual storytelling carries significant meaning without relying on dialogue. The language is clear and the story is easy to follow through image and action alone, which supports comprehension for students still developing their English skills.

🎬 Substitute Teachers and Cover Lessons. Klaus is a self-contained Christmas movie with a clear story and a positive message, and the guide is organized across three clearly labeled parts. It works well as a cover lesson before the holidays with no setup required from the substitute.

🏠 Homeschool Parents. Klaus is a strong Christmas pick for home learners in the elementary and lower middle school range. The guide's three question sets allow the activity to be scaled to the learner, and the creative writing and puzzle activities extend the lesson across more than one session.

💙 SEL Teachers. Klaus is built around SEL themes: kindness, generosity, moving past grudges, and the ripple effect of a single good action on a community. Jesper's journey from self-interest to genuine care for others gives SEL teachers a relatable arc to discuss with students. The guide does not include dedicated SEL activities, but the comprehension questions keep students engaged with the story's emotional beats throughout the viewing.

🌟 Supporting All Learners Movie guides can be a wonderfully calm fit for students with autism, learning difficulties, and mild to severe disabilities. The structured format gives every student a clear purpose during viewing, easing uncertainty and allowing them to engage at their own pace. If you teach in a special education or learning support setting, you may find this guide a gentle and practical resource. Find out more about why movies work for diverse learners.

Part 1. Comprehension Questions
Three differentiated question sets covering the movie in chronological order. The first set contains 40 questions requiring full sentence answers; the second contains 30 questions (10 removed from the 40-question set); the third contains 30 multiple choice questions with three options each, suitable for younger students and ESL and ELL learners. Answer keys are included for all three sets.

Part 2. Letter Writing, Character Description, and Sentence Writing
Three creative activities. Students imagine they are living in Smeerensburg and write a letter to Klaus listing the good things they have done that year, including a drawing of the toy they would like. They then choose a favorite character from the movie and write a character description covering appearance, personality, and what they liked and disliked about them, with a drawing. Finally, students write sentences using each letter of the word 'Klaus,' then write about moments in the movie where they felt sad, happy, and excited.

Part 3. Word Search and Crossword
A 10-question crossword with the answers forming the words to find in the accompanying word search, plus 5 hidden bonus words. Answer key included.