Lesson Summary: Students will demonstrate their knowledge of character traits by viewing a picture and determining how the character feels. Then, as a whole group the students will view a PowerPoint to discuss character, character traits, and how a character changes. They will partner up and read a short story and determine character traits by writing a bio poem. Independently, the students will complete a worksheet on character analysis. Advanced learners will reread a familiar text and complete a double-entry diary. Struggling learners will reread a familiar text with the teacher and work on creating a list of words that describe the main character and identifying changes that the character experienced during the story.
Lesson Understandings:
The students will know…
· Character’s traits are determined by what a character says, does, and thinks and how the character interacts with others.
The students will be able to…
· Identify, explain, and describe character traits based on the character’s dialogue, thoughts, relationships, and actions.
· Interpret a character’s personal growth using evidence from the text.
Learning Styles Targeted:
Visual / Auditory / Kinesthetic/Tactile
Pre-Assessment: Give each student a whiteboard, dry-erase marker, and tissue. Project the “How Do They Feel” PowerPoint*. Ask the students to look carefully at all of the pictures. For each of the picture slides, have the students write how the character feels on an individual whiteboard and then hold up their whiteboard to you so that you can see their answer. Then, discuss how the picture gives clues to describe the character.
Whole-Class Instruction
Materials Needed: Character PowerPoint*, LCD projector and computer, 1 individual whiteboard per student, 1 dry-erase marker per student, 1 tissue per student, document camera, 1 copy of the Bio Poem Directions* to project, 1 copy of the Oscar Story* per pair of students, 1 copy of the Independent Practice worksheet* per student, 1 highlighter per student, lined notebook paper, drawing paper, crayons or markers, scissors, glue
Procedure:
1) Remind students that in the “How Do They Feel” PowerPoint, the pictures gave clues about the characters. Tell them that authors use words to clue the reader about the characters in the story.
2) Project the Character PowerPoint. Use the slides to aid you in discussing with the students what a character is, what a character trait is, and how to find character traits. Also discuss how a character can grow and change during a story. The slides with a blue question mark will prompt the students with a question. Have students answer these questions on their individual whiteboard. Tell them to hold up their board to you so that you can see their answer. Take a minute to discuss students’ answers before moving to the next slide.
3) Project the Bio Poem Directions on the document camera for students to see. Tell students that they are going to read a story and that you want them to write a bio poem about the main character. Show the class how to write the poem by completing one about yourself on the document camera with the students. To see how well your students know you, you can have the students help you.
4) Divide students into pairs, and hand each pair a copy of the story “Oscar.” Have students read the story with their partner. Then, have each pair write a bio poem about Oscar’s character. Keep the Bio Poem Directions projected on the document camera. Walk around the classroom and observe students’ ideas. Offer assistance if needed.
5) For continued practice, have students complete the Independent Practice worksheet.
6) When students have completed the independent work, have each student write a Bio Poem about himself/herself on notebook paper. After their poems are complete, you can have the students create a Bio Poem Body. They can draw a picture of their head on drawing paper and then glue the notebook paper underneath the head. The poem is the body. Then, they can add arms and legs to the paper as well. These are fun pieces of character art to display in the classroom.
Advanced Learner
Materials Needed: 1 copy of a familiar text per student, 1 copy of the Double-Entry Diary worksheet* per student
Procedure:
1) Give each student a copy of the familiar text and a copy of the Double-Entry Diary worksheet. Tell students that you would like them to look at the story they’ve already read again and use the text to help them complete the Double-Entry Diary worksheet. Go over the worksheet’s directions, and then do an example with the students. For example, for the story “Oscar,” an entry may be:
Story Event / Character Response / Your Response
Oscar’s parents tell Oscar that they are going camping. / He is excited but sad that he cannot take any books. / I would feel upset because I do not like camping.
2) Once students understand the assignment, have students work independently.
Struggling Learner
Materials Needed: 1 individual whiteboard per student, 1 dry-erase marker per student, 1 tissue per student, 1 copy of a familiar short story, chart paper, marker
Procedure:
1) Gather struggling learners in a circle. Hand each student a whiteboard, a dry-erase marker, and a tissue.
2) Revisit the definition of character traits. Then, have students write “CHARACTER” on their whiteboard and then brainstorm and list all the ways that characters can show their traits in a story. Assess the students’ answers, and then discuss them until students understand that the list should include: relationships, actions, dialogue, and thoughts.
3) Ask students to think of ways they can remember these character trait rules. They can draw pictures, write words, or come up with hand motions to help them remember.
4) Then, tell students that you are going to reread a familiar story aloud to students and that while they are listening, you want them to jot down words that describe the main character. Before reading the story, ask students if they can remember who the main character is. If students have trouble remembering, begin reading the story and have a student raise his/her hand when he/she knows who the main character is.
5) Once you have finished reading the story, draw a T-chart on a sheet of chart paper. Label the left side with “Character Trait” and the right side with “Clue.” Then, have the students share their answers. Record their responses underneath the left side of the T-chart, and for each description, ask students how they figured out that character trait. Go back in the text to see where each trait can be found, if necessary. Jot down the event/clue next to the character trait underneath the right side of the T-chart.
*see supplemental resources
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