ALEX Learning Activity

  

Do Actions Speak Louder Than Words? Determining Direct and Indirect 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: 2798
Title:
Do Actions Speak Louder Than Words? Determining Direct and Indirect Character Traits
Digital Tool/Resource:
Indirect and Direct Characterization in Dialogue and Action
Web Address – URL:
Overview:

This lesson will assist teachers in guiding students through identifying direct and indirect characterization, as well as, analyzing how dialogue and characters' actions contribute to the meaning of the text.

 

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 determine indirect or direct characterization.

  • Students will use dialogue and actions to determine character traits

  • Students will describe how characters' actions and dialogue contribute to the meaning of the text.
  Strategies, Preparations and Variations  
Phase:
During/Explore/Explain
Activity:

Before reading the selected text, the teacher can introduce, review, and/or practice characterization using the Determining Character Traits activity. 

  1. The teacher should introduce direct and indirect characterization terms (included in slides).

  2. The teacher should model how to determine direct and indirect characterization through dialogue and action (included in slides).

  3. The teacher should provide practice passages for students to determine direct and indirect characterization and how it is presented (included in slides).

  4. After the teacher and students have completed the Determining Character traits activity, the teacher will read with the class "A Retrieved Reformation" by O. Henry and instruct students to record the character traits of Jimmy Valentine and Ralph D. Spencer. (The students will record all information on the direct and indirect characterization chart.)

  5. At each pause (the teacher should have pre-determined these pauses), ask students what traits they would apply to the character. Students will place the character's name in the box under "character". Then they will place the trait under "trait". Next, they will place evidence from the text under "dialogue" or "action" in the chart. Finally, the students will express whether the characterization is direct or indirect in the final column. An example can be found on the chart. 

  6. Once students have completed the reading of the story and filled in the direct and indirect characterization chart, the teacher will review the answers to assess the students' ability to justify character traits.
Assessment Strategies:

  • The teacher will observe students' understanding of the terms indirect and direct characterization terms.

  • The teacher will observe students' ability to justify character traits through dialogue and actions during lesson introduction practice and during and after the reading of "A Retrieved Reformation" with an indirect and direct characterization chart provided.
Advanced Preparation:

Lesson Time: 2-3 Class Periods

  1. Make a copy of the Determining Character Traits activity. 

  2. Determine how you will display the Determining Character Traits activity. 

  3. Pre-read the text "A Retrieved Reformation" by O. Henry or other chosen text prior to class.

  4. As you read through and determine the stopping points, be sure to fill out a chart for yourself as a guide on what traits students should be identifying and analyzing.

  5. Review the indirect and direct characterization lesson slides before presenting them to the class.

  6. Link the indirect and direct characterization chart in students' LMS class or print out class set copies for students BEFORE class.

  7. Determine which class, if any will need whole group support for the entire lesson.

  8. Determine which class will benefit more from independent work.
Variation Tips (optional):

  • This activity can be used with other texts such as "Charles" by Shirley Jackson or "Raymond's Run" by Toni Cade Bambara.

  • This activity can be started as a whole group activity.

  • A small group is suggested when the character Jimmy Valentine becomes Ralph D. Spencer.

  • The activity can be done independently or after the teacher has implemented some whole group practice.
Notes or Recommendations (optional):

Use these additional lessons to support the teaching and application of this standard.

Before Activity: Determining Character Traits

After Activity: Character Analysis Through Dialogue and Action
  Keywords and Search Tags  
Keywords and Search Tags: character traits, dialogue, direct characterization, indirect characterization