ALEX Learning Activity

  

Determining Character Traits

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  This learning activity provided by:  
Author: Tanisha Boyd
System:Mobile County
School:Mobile County Board Of Education
  General Activity Information  
Activity ID: 2797
Title:
Determining Character Traits
Digital Tool/Resource:
Determining Character Traits
Web Address – URL:
Overview:

This activity can be used to introduce character traits or to review character traits. Students are also required to explain how they determined their chosen traits. Students can work independently or in pairs.

 

This activity results from the ALEX Resource Development Summit.
  Associated Standards and Objectives  
Content Standard(s):
English Language Arts
ELA2021 (2021)
Grade: 8
3. Analyze how authors use key literary elements, including setting, plot, theme, characters, internal and external conflict, dialogue, and point of view, to contribute to the meaning and purpose of a text, using text evidence as support.
Unpacked Content
Teacher Vocabulary:
3.
  • Literary elements
  • Setting
  • Plot
  • Theme
  • Characters
  • Internal conflict
  • External conflict
  • Dialogue
  • Points of view
  • Text evidence
Knowledge:
3. Students know:
  • Authors of prose and poetry use literary elements, such as setting, plot, characters, theme, conflict, dialogue, and point of view, throughout a text to develop and/or enhance the meaning of the text.
  • An author's use of literary elements can indicate the author's purpose for writing the text.
  • Analysis of a text should be supported with text evidence from the writing.
Skills:
3. Students are able to:
  • Identify the setting, plot, characters, theme, internal and external conflict, dialogue, and point of view in literary text.
  • Analyze how literary elements contribute to the meaning and purpose of literary text.
  • Support their analysis of literary elements with textual evidence.
Understanding:
3. Students understand that:
  • Prose and poetry contain common literary elements, such as setting, plot, characters, theme, conflict, dialogue, and point of view.
  • Literary elements contribute to the meaning and purpose of literary text.
  • When they analyze a text, they should include text evidence to support their claims.
Learning Objectives:

  • Students will identify character traits through character actions and dialogue.

  • Students will explain how they determined character traits.
  Strategies, Preparations and Variations  
Phase:
Before/Engage
Activity:

  1. Present slide activity "Determining Character Traits" to the whole class.

  2. Explain to students that they will watch a video and identify the character traits of the main character, Mike. 

  3. Students will watch the video.

  4. Students will then log into their Google Docs and answer the questions found within the Google Doc. 

  5. First, the students will list, in the space provided, five character traits that describe Mike. There may be more than five traits that students can think of, but students are asked to list only five.

  6. Next, students will choose two of the five traits they identified. They will explain how they determined each trait based on the character's actions and dialogue. This information will be typed into the text provided.

  7. Last, the students will describe Mike using the starter sentences and add more information. Give the students 3-5 minutes to complete their writing.

  8. When the students have completed their writing, allow them to share their analyses with the class.
Assessment Strategies:

  • Students correctly choose five traits that describe the character.

  • Students can justify the analysis of the character through actions and dialogue in written form.
Advanced Preparation:

  • Activity Time: 10-15 minutes

  • The teacher will need to determine the students' participation: independent, pairs, or whole group.

  • The teacher will need to make a copy of the Google Slide document, then assign the Google Slide document to the students.

  • The teacher will decide whether the students will watch the video whole group or will work independently. If students work independently, they will need headphones.

  • The students should understand the terms characterization and character traits.

  • The teacher should watch the video prior to showing the whole class.
Variation Tips (optional):

The assignment can be printed if student devices are not available for the assignment.
Notes or Recommendations (optional):

This activity can stand alone or be used as a Before/Engage activity for the following learning activities:

During Activity:  Do Actions Speak Louder Than Words?: Determining Direct and Indirect Characterization Through Dialogue and Actions

After Activity: Character Analysis Through Dialogue and Action
  Keywords and Search Tags  
Keywords and Search Tags: character analysis, character traits, characters, traits