During this unit, students will ask "Why do we do what we do?" They will read different novels to analyze character motivation. Throughout the unit they will debate whether they think characters made smart choices and why. They will also...

This series of 12 downloadable activities teach students some basics of story writing, using books or videos from the PBS "Arthur" series as a springboard. Activities include creating story maps, asking questions about characters and...

Students will use the character lineup strategy in collaborative groups to retell the story of the Three Little Pigs. Each group will be assigned a different character or emotion and then compare the differences between each group....

In this resource, students will practice identifying and describing the actions of a character. Teachers will model these skills through the use of text and pictures from the story No, David! by David Shannon. Students will then draw a...

During this lesson the students will read and discuss the story Big Al, by Andrew Clements. Students will identify the story elements of Big Al and complete a story element map. Students will also do a character analysis of Big Al.

Students will hear and read different versions of a familiar fairy tale and identify what elements a story must have (character, plot, setting) for the story to be interesting and make sense. Using a Venn diagram, students will then...

This is the sixth in a series of articles designed to help the new writer with their novel. This article focuses on conflict and how it effects the characters and the plot of the story. W.11-12.3a Narratives

Information and examples of different ways the setting of a text can affect the characters and character development. (Published: Sept. 29, 2016)

After reading Grandpa's Teeth by Rod Clement, the writer will plan a scene from a story where a character confronts another character about something that has been stolen. Descriptive details need to take precedence in this scene, as...

This writing tutorial focuses on helping the aspiring author find a good place to start on his or her fiction.

In this learning module, students will practice analyzing indirect characterizations. A worksheet is provided to reinforce the concept. This module is designed to support Tier I, Tier II, and Tier III students.

Extensive and very interesting article advising the reader on how to develop characters through adversity.

This is the seventh installment of a series giving advice to the author who is new to writing novels. This article focuses on how to take your characters and use them and their conflicts to develop the plot of your story. W.9-10.3b...