La Jolla High School
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck: Sketching a Portrait--Characterization
John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men is known for rich character development. Expose your class to indirect characterization and all that it involves with this learning exercise. Learners look at quotes, determine what method of...
Hawaiʻi State Department of Education
Characters from a Box
Character analysis is a skill we use when we read literary works or want to write a good story. Learners will use drama to practice character analysis while focusing on the details that make characters act the way they do. They'll each...
Curated OER
The Outsiders
Tenth graders complete a variety of activities related to the first two chapters of the book The Outsiders. They define metaphor, simile, idiom, and hyperbole, and take a vocabulary pre-quiz. In small groups, they write a character...
EngageNY
Inferring About Characters Based on How They Respond to Challenges (Chapter 4: "Los Higos/Figs")
How do you know what a character's personality is like if an author doesn't tell you? With a focus on character development in Esperanza Rising, pupils complete a jigsaw activity to analyze the actions of Mama, Abuelita, and Miguel. Once...
Curated OER
Searching for Stars
Positive character traits in literature are explored in this character development and literacy lesson. Learners listen to Cinderella by Charles Perrault and Little Gold Star by Robert D. San Souci, followed by a discussion comparing the...
Curated OER
Quiet on the Set!
In pairs learners perform a silent skit portraying relationships between two known characters from a popular book or a play for their classmates. Next, the class will read and discuss a NYTimes article about a film school in the Bronx...
Curated OER
Write Some Dialogue
Students write dialogue. For this character development lesson students use direct or indirect speech to include a confrontation between two characters in their story. Students portray the emotions of the characters in addition to what...
Curated OER
How Characters Affect the Plot
How do a character’s feelings and actions influence the plot of a story? The interaction between character and plot is explored in this lesson that uses When Charlie McButton Lost Power to launch the discussion. Charlie’s love of...
Curated OER
Small Actions with Big Purpose
Seventh graders examine the trait of perseverance. In this character education instructional activity, 7th graders discuss community causes they care about and make plans to contribute their time and energy to overcome their...
Hawaiʻi State Department of Education
When We Are A Story
Drama and story elements go hand-in-hand. Have the class dive into a dramatic play to show character intention, conflict resolution, main events, and the dialogue in a Hawaiian folk tale. They read the story, then group-up to discuss and...
Curated OER
Character Study
Third graders work in pairs to choose two characters and find their similarities and differences. In this character lesson, 3rd graders compare characters by their actions and attributes. Students individually complete a graphic...
Student Achievement Partners
Eleven
Turning 11 comes with a range of emotions. Explore those emotions by reading the short story "Eleven" by Sandra Cisneros. Readers analyze the main character's reactions to the events of her day. Then, they write an essay describing what...
Curated OER
Michelle Kwan: Heart of a Champion
Who is a champion to your class? Elementary and middle schoolers think of a role-model from their lives. Then, in their journals, they write evidence of that person's perseverance. They identify the character trait of perseverance with...
Curated OER
Lesson 3: Looks, Actions, and Feelings
Remember that boy David from the David, No! books? He's back, and youngsters draw a picture of him from a scene in the book David Goes to School. They write a sentence describing his appearance, actions, and feelings as they discuss how...
Curated OER
What a Character!
Young scholars look at the role of characters in a story. In this character lesson, students discuss how different types of characters change the plot of the story. They see how storytellers use their body, face, and voice to tell stories.
Curated OER
"Exploring Shakespeare" An Introduction of Character and "Hamlet"
Students examine the literary terms "round character" and "characterization" through the play "Hamlet" by William Shakespeare. They view and discuss examples of clip art, video, and comic strips, and describe the character traits. ...
Curated OER
Building Character: Remaining Resilient, Resourceful, and Responsible in the Face of Adversity
Young scholars examine the different types of adversity African-Americans face. As a class, they role-play different roles in scenerios in which they discover the importance of facing their fears and taking responsibility for their...
Leadership Challenge
Mark Your Calendar
Do your actions reflect your values? Scholars examine their day-to-day activities versus their passions during the eighth installment in a series of 12 character-building lessons. After defining their values, participants create...
US Institute of Peace
Becoming a Peacebuilder
"Be the change you wish to see in the world!" The 15th and final lesson in a peacebuilding series uses this quote from Gandhi to prepare pupils for their own action projects. Individuals research a global issue, then brainstorm a method...
EngageNY
Analyzing Language, Character, and Theme: World Café Discussion
As part of their study of A Midsummer Night's Dream, class members meet in a drama circle to discuss and role-play scenes from the play. They then engage in an activity called World Cafe, analyzing the characters' actions from the text....
Curated OER
The Search for Character!
Fifth graders define character words, look for real-life examples of the traits "in action," and write an acrostic poem based on one of these qualities.
Curated OER
Character's Motive
Why do people commit crimes? Middle schoolers investigate characters' motives for committing a crime in a character analysis lesson. First, they read the book Chasing Vermeer and identify the suspects. They then record the details about...
Curated OER
Character, You Say? Prove It!
Learners discuss character traits, and complete a character map and a Venn diagram for selected characters in their assigned text.
Curated OER
Identifying Character Traits Worksheet
In this character traits worksheet, students respond to a literature book of their own by filling out a chart. Students list actions and the character traits they reveal.