Curated OER
Character Builder
Characters in a story are more than a name to remember. Use a character builder instructional activity to write out a character's appearance, background, personality, attributes, and story relevance, including whether they are a main or...
Scholastic
What a Character!
How do you know what traits a character displays in a story? Learners select a character and find list three traits for this character, explaining why they chose each trait. They then put this information together into a paragraph or essay.
Curated OER
Introduction to the Writing Process: Character Description Essays
Students analyze and evaluate an essay and write a character description. In this character description lesson, students read and analyze an essay in a teacher-led lecture. Students brainstorm then write a well-developed essay...
Curated OER
Revising Character Descriptions
Students effectively revise character descriptions. In this revising character descriptions instructional activity, students work with a partner to give and receive constructive criticism to improve their character descriptions.
Curated OER
Descriptive Writing - The Hobbit
Hobbits, dwarfs, wizards, trolls, and goblins. Readers track these fantastic creatures through J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit noting passages of character description and scenery changes. Using specific passages from the novel, class...
Curated OER
Descriptive Writing-The Hobbit
Young readers write a descriptive paper on the fantasy characters in The Hobbit. They take notes as they read the novel in order to provide descriptions of the character traits of hobbits, dwarfs, trolls, wizards, and goblins. They pay...
Fluence Learning
Writing About Literature: Comparing and Contrasting Characters in Heidi
Scholars read excerpts from the story, Heidi, in a three-part assessment that focuses on comparing and contrasting characters. Each part contains three tasks that challenge learners to discuss, answer comprehension questions,...
Curated OER
The Old Man and the Sea: Narrative Essay
Finish a unit on Ernest Hemingway's The Old Man and the Sea with a narrative essay. Based on Santiago's harrowing adventures, the essay prompts readers to think about a time when they were faced with a challenge, overcame a disability,...
Australian Centre For the Moving Image
Dreamworks Animation Character Design
Dive into animation creation using Dreamworks® animated films. Compare and contrast characters, wonder and ponder why the plot is so important, and think of background and themes as your creativity unrolls onto paper.
Curated OER
Memoir
After reading and analyzing two narrative memoirs, middle schoolers engage in a variety of activities, including writing an essay, developing a story map, and creating character charts. They then compare and contrast story maps, and...
EngageNY
Close Reading of Thank You, Mr. Falker: Identifying the Superpowers of Reading
Third graders read excepts from the story, Thank You, Mr. Falker in order to gain practice in understanding an unfamiliar story by focusing on the details. They use a worksheet, embedded in the plan, which directs them to certain...
Benjamin Franklin Tercentenary
The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin
Need a model for character education? Benjamin Franklin presents himself as in a constant state of striving to become the man he hoped to be, making his autobiography is far more accessible to learners than those of people who consider...
Curated OER
Seedfolks Final Writing Assessment
Wrap up a study of Seedfolks with a final essay. Writers can draft their essays by following the steps and filling in the organizer provided here. The packet begins with a prompt, includes a few basic requirements, and provides an...
Cliffs Notes
The Diary of Anne Frank: Study Help Essay Topics
In this literature resource, learners are presented with 8 short answer and essay questions about The Diary of Anne Frank. Students may also link to an online interactive quiz on the novel at the bottom of the page.
Curated OER
Animation Pre-Production
Does your class love reading cartoons? Use their talents and interests to examine the process of writing a story they wish to tell through a cartoon. They develop the beginning, middle, and end of a story based on their original...
Curated OER
Around the Room Short Story
Collective story writing is a great way to reinforce the concept of story elements and collaborative learning. Young writers discuss story elements such as, setting, character, action, climax, conclusion, foreshadowing, dialogue, and...
Oakland Writes
Exploring Thematic Motifs in The House on Mango Street
Explore identity and community through an expository essay based on The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros. This two-week unit on writing an essay provides a brief description of each day and all of the worksheets and materials you...
Curated OER
Descriptive Paper - And Then There Were None
Students explore And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie. In this characterization lesson, students locate passages that contain character descriptions and settings. Students write a descriptive essay on the characters in And Then...
Novelinks
The Tempest: Concept Analysis
Use a handy concept analysis guide as you begin your unit on William Shakespeare's The Tempest. With character descriptions, literary themes, and anticipated affective issues, the guide can help those new to using The Tempest craft a...
Curated OER
Le Père Goriot by Honoré de Balzac
For this literature worksheet, students respond to 25 short answer and essay questions about Le Pere Goriot. Students may also link to an online interactive quiz on the novel at the bottom of the page.
Novelinks
The Devil’s Arithmetic: Semantic Feature Analysis
Organize the characters in Jane Yolen's The Devil's Arithmetic according to their shared character traits. After listing character traits as a class, kids note which characters exhibit particular characteristics with a discussion and...
Curated OER
The House on Mango Street & Woman Hollering Creek & Other Stories - Essay Questions
In this literature worksheet, high schoolers respond to 3 short answer and essay questions about the works of Sandra Cisneros. Students may also link to an online interactive quiz on the stories at the bottom of the page.
Curated OER
Dream of the Red Chamber - Essay Questions
For this literature worksheet, students respond to 15 short answer and essay questions about Dream of the Red Chamber. Students may also link to an online interactive quiz on the novel at the bottom of the page.
Waunakee Community School District
Identifying Themes in Literature
If your language arts learners have a hard time determining the universal theme of a written work, use a straightforward worksheet to help them find it. After reviewing a list of common themes, kids note the title, character, plot, point...