EDIS 5882

Characterization and Character Traits

Unit Title or Big Idea/Concept/Skill: Characterization
Lesson Title or focusing skill and/or concept: Identifying/Analyzing Character Traits
Critical Learning Objectives being taught in this lesson:
Please number each of the objectives.
SWBAT:
Cognitive (know/understand):
1Students will understand that character traits are more than just physical/biological appearances.
2Students will understand that characterization is the process by which the writer reveals the
personality of a character.
Students will understand that making inferences is part of analyzing characters.
Affective (feel/value) and/or Non-Cognitive:
3Students will feel confident in making inferences about character traits.
4Students will feel confident in identifying character traits.
Performance (do):
5Students will be able to make inferences about character traits based on characterization.
6Students will be able to back up their inferences about character traits with evidence from the
text.
SOLs: [List with numbers portrayed in the SOL document]

6.5a) Identify the elements of narrative structure, including setting,

character, plot, conflict, and theme.
f) Use information in the text to draw conclusions and make inferences.
CCSs: [List with numbers portrayed in the CCS document]
N/A
Methods of Assessment:
[How will you know if the intended learning occurred?] List all methods of assessment used in
this lesson or which are related to this lesson and come in a future lesson. After each assessment,
indicate in brackets the number(s) of the related lesson objectives that the assessment is
evaluating.
Diagnostic Assessment Mini character analysis activity
Objectives met: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 & SOL6.5e & f
Formative Assessment Carl and Ellie Character Analysis activity
Objectives met: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 & SOL6.5e & f

Summative Assessment Character Traits Chart

Objectives met: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 & SOL6.5e & f (assessed in a later class/time)
Procedures/Instructional Strategies
[Note: Any words that represent what I would say directly to students appear in italics.]
Beginning Room Arrangement:
[Changes in this arrangement that become necessary later will be noted in the plan]
1 - Mini character analysis activity 7-8 mins
Hi class, today we are going to do a mini lesson on characterization, which is as weve learned,
how the author reveals to us about the characters. First, lets start with a mini activity. (Turn to
powerpoint and read prompt) I will read you a short scene and you will answer a couple
questions about our main character. (Prompt: Jake is Cassie's older brother. One day they are
walking home from school when a cold front rolls in and the temperature drops 20 degrees. Jake
is dressed more appropriately for the weather than Cassie. He takes off his hooded sweatshirt
and offers it to her. She gratefully accepts. Jake is now colder, but he is happier.) Now answer
the following questions: What kind of person is Jake and how do you know this? Please look
at me when you are finished and we will share some answers.
Teacher calls on students to share answers and see how deep students go with their character
analyses. (Note: We have done character analysis before with comparing and contrasting
characters, but students really struggled with that. Stuff that they came up with include the main
characters are a boy and a girl, they both have parents, and the both do something together.)
Students will share their answers for the first question before moving on to the next and doing
the same thing. Teacher will praise students who exhibit higher level thinking and support their
inferences with evidence from the text.

2 Characterization with Disney and Graphic Organizer for Note taking 7-8 mins
Teacher will play an animated characterization video and pause at intervals for students to take
down notes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ZnD0AGqQ7I
Teacher will reiterate the key ideas that students have to take notes on.
There are two main methods of characterization: Direct and Indirect Characterization
Indirect Characterization comes in the forms of:
-

Character appearances/looks
Character Speech
Character Thoughts
Character Action
Character relationship/interaction

3 Students will Watch a Short Clip from Film Up and analyze the character traits
portrayed in the short clip with supporting evidence (This part would be the We do to
help guide students) 10 mins https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VR8hlvLghrs
Teacher will pause at intervals to fill in chart with students. (look at attached note taking template
and characterization chart to fill out)
Possible Questions to ask at different intervals:
Teacher will pause film at 0:21
What kind of person is Carl?
How do we know?
What is Carl wearing? What does that tell us about him?
What does Carl do when he hears someones voice say, Adventure is out there? What does that
tell us about him?

Teacher will pause film at 0:42

What kind of person is Ellie? How do we know?

What does Ellie look like? How does she talk? What does she say? Does that reveal anything
about her?

Teacher will pause film at 1:14

How does Ellie interact with Carl? What does this say about Ellie?
What does Carl do when Ellie confronts him? What does this reveal to us about Carl?

Teacher will pause film at 1:54

What does Carl do? What does this tell us about him?
What does Ellie say/do at the end of the clip? What does this tell us about her?
What does Ellies act of sharing her secret with Carl reveal about Carl? Is he trustworthy? Does
she like him?
Where did Ellie get the picture? What does that reveal about her? What is Carls reaction when
Ellie tells him where she got the picture? What does that reveal to us about him?
4 Teacher will hand out characterization chart for students to fill in for their literature
circle books for homework (these will be checked later and will be used for a character
analysis project later on)
Differentiated Instruction to accommodate one or more of my students:
A power point with the template and words will be provided for students who need visual
support to go along with (projected on the board). Media is used in the class to help students
better understand characters. The animation piece is used as a bridge to characterization. The
same analysis skills are transferable to analyzing literature.
Materials Needed:
List all the materials you will need to conduct this lesson. Please indicate how many of each you
will need if it is more than one.

Mini Analysis Activity PowerPoint & Worksheet

Characterization with Disney Video (+Graphic Organizer for note taking on
Characterization)
Carl and Ellie video
Carl and Ellie Compare and Contrast
Character Chart Sheet

Materials Appendix: (e.g., supplementary texts, Ppts, overheads, graphic organizers,

handouts, etc.)
Include all materials or links to those materials here.
Mini Analysis Activity Handout

What kind of person is Jake?

How do you know this?