CEClang.39


TITLE:    Inferring Character Traits

AUTHOR:   Donna Calder, Bullhead City Intermediate
          School, Bullhead City, AZ

GRADE LEVEL/SUBJECT:   Reading All Grade Levels

OVERVIEW:  Students must be able to identify with the
characters in a story to fully comprehend the story.
This is just one way you and your students will be able
to identify character traits.

OBJECTIVE(s):  Students will be able:
1.  To recognize character traits and relationships
    among characters
2.  To recognize changes in traits and relationships
    as the book progresses

RESOURCES/MATERIALS:
Teacher:  overhead, transparency, chalkboard.
Students:  Good story to read, large piece of
           drawing paper, pencil or markers, writing
           paper.

ACTIVITIES:  This can be done as a whole group, small
groups, or as individuals, depending on the abilities
of your class.  If this is to be done as a whole class
use an overhead transparency and the students each make
their own semantic map while you do your semantic map
on the board.


              INFERRING CHARACTER TRAITS

Think:  Who is the main character?
Do:       Write that name in the center of a large
          piece of paper.

Think:  What is he or she like?
Do:       Write descriptions under the name, then
          draw a box around the name and all
          descriptors.

Think:  Who else is important in the story?
Do:       Write their names evenly spaced around the
          center box.

Think:  How does the main character feel about them?
Do:       Write responses on arrows running away
          from the center box toward each other box.

Think:  How does each minor character feel about the
        main character?
Do:       Write responses on arrows running from the
          outer boxes toward the center box.

When you have finished filling out the boxes described
above, write how you felt about the main character at
the beginning; at the end of the story.

You might want your students to change a character
trait of the main character and decide how that might
change the story.

Have the students select their favorite character and
write a BIO POEM that is to be shared with all or part
of the class


                       BIO POEM

First name ________________________________________
Four traits _______________________________________
Related to ________________________________________
Cares deeply for __________________________________
Who feels _________________________________________
Who needs _________________________________________
Who gives _________________________________________
Who would like to see _____________________________
Resident of _______________________________________


Example of a BIO POEM

Snow White
Beautiful, giving, loving, unhappy
The Queen, her wicked stepmother
The seven dwarfs
Safe in the forest
The love of a Prince
Love to the seven dwarfs
Goodness throughout the kingdom
The forest.