Name:___________________________
Date: February___, 2014
Homeroom:______________________
By the end of the lesson you will be able to analyze a character’s
actions, feelings, and dialogue to determine character traits.
How do I infer a character’s traits?
Do Now Directions: Read the following sentence and using your context clues determine what the bolded word
means. Complete the context clues graphic organizer.
1. “ I wish this infernal rain would stop! A man can’t think straight with that constant racket.”
Unknown Word
Context Clues
Meaning
Check for understanding?
In my own words it is important to analyze a character’s traits because…
Good readers are able to look at a character’s actions, feelings and dialogue and able to determine what
type of person or character they are. We use traits, which are words that describe personality, to name the
characters.
Page #
In the text it said…
18
“This is the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do.
But it’s not like I had any choice in the matter.
It’s either sell off my slaves and pay my
gampbling debts or go to prison. ”
19
“Their emotions are not as refined as ours.
Things that would hurt a white man or woman
don’t affect them”
23
28
I can infer that…
CHECK FOR UNDERSTANDING:
Directions: In the next minute you are going to INDEPENDENTLY and SILENTLY answer the question.
1. Based on Day of Tears, which of the following things would Master Butler MOST LIKELY do?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Refuse to sell his slaves and instead set them free.
Go to jail instead of selling his slaves and paying off his gambling debt.
Keep his slaves if he could pay off his gambling debt with some other money.
Argue that his slaves should not be sold.
Partner Practice:
Directions: With your partner complete the chart below by determining 2-3 traits for each character and
an explanation with evidence from the text. We will be using pages 3-29.
Traits
Explanation with evidence
Emma
Will
Maddie
Slave Seller
Master Butler
Sarah
Frances
Directions: While reading your IRB chart something your character does, says or feels to determine their
trait.. Use the chart below to help you record details.
Page #
In the text it said…
I can infer that…
“What actions, thoughts and feelings has your main character shown or demonstrated? What
character traits would you use to describe your character? Use evidence from the text- specifically
their actions, thoughts and feelings to prove your answer is correct!”
Name _________________________________
Date:__________________________________
Humanities
No Excuses!
If you need help email:
Kathryn.alwon@dc.gov or
Brittani.ogden@dc.gov
Day of Tears: Take Home Quiz
Directions: Answer the questions below.
1. On page 3 Will describes the sky on the day of the Auction. “Soon as the slave-seller called the
name of the first slave he was going to put up for sale, the gray clouds turned black as a burned
log.” What type of figurative language is used here?
a. Metaphor
b. Simile
c. Personification
d. Hyperbole
2. On page 7 Emma describes Miss Sarah’s feelings. “Miss Sarah’s not like that. Her feelings
know where she is and they find her every night when she goes to bed.” What type of figurative
language is used here?
a. Metaphor
b. Simile
c. Personification
d. Hyperbole
3. Read the following sentence and determine what it reveals about Emma. “All my children and
grandchildren got their education. I would’ve turned ‘em out of the house if they hadn’t.”
a.
b.
c.
d.
She is a strict, but caring mother
She values education and believes it is important
She does not care about her children’s well being
She thinks that her children should be in school
4. Read the following quotation and discus what it reveals about Master Butler’s thinking and
personality. “They (slaves) probably aren’t feeling anything. That’s one of the ways niggers are
different from white people. Their emotions are not as refined as ours. Things that would hurt a
white man or woman don’t affect them. If anybody tried to take my Sarah or Frances away from
me, I think I would kill them.” (page 19 Master Pierce Butler)
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TURN OVER  TURN OVER 
5. Based on Day of Tears, what is Master Butler most likely to do?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Refuse to sell his slaves and instead set them free.
Go to jail instead of selling his slaves and paying off his gambling debt.
Keep his slaves if he could pay off his gambling debt with some other money.
Argue that his slaves should not be sold.
6. Which sentence BEST supports the idea that Junius is important to Emma and the Community?
a. “It’s going to be mighty empty in the slave quarters from now on. And mighty quiet.”
b. “Junius was our preacher too, and he told us stories from the Good Book. Stories that
Misteress Kemble had told him.”
c. “I’m going to miss Junius and the stories he would tell about High John and Brer Rabbit and
all the creatures.”
d. Wasn’t nobody could make me laugh harder than Junius when he got to telling stories.”
Explain your answer by providing textual evidence on the lines below.
7. Which is the BEST inference about Will based on his statement, “I guess white folks can listen faster
than colored”?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Will believes that all men are created equal.
Will is full of hate and racism towards his own race.
Will is prejudiced against his own race and believes they are not as smart as others.
Will believes that white folks have bigger ears.
Directions: Use at least three of the words below in a sentence correctly. Use more for extra credit!
Overseer
Auction
Envy
Shackled
Internal
Racket
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