Kaitlin Cunningham
Lesson 2, Exploring Our Characters
Standards Addressed
Common Core State Standards/Local Standards
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CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.1.7 Use illustrations and details in a story to describe its characters,
setting, or events.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.1.3 Describe characters, settings, and major events in a story, using
key details.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.1.5 Know and use various text features (e.g., headings, tables of
contents, glossaries, electronic menus, icons) to locate key facts or information in a text.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.1.4 Describe people, places, things, and events with relevant details.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.1.5 Add drawings or other visual displays to descriptions when
appropriate to clarify ideas, thoughts, and feelings.
Learning Objectives
Objective
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Assessment
Students will be able to use context clues to help
them comprehend the character’s traits.
Students will be able to identify character traits
within a story.
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Students will be able to analyze and describe the
characters within the story using key details.
Demonstrating their understanding by completing
their own character web worksheet.
Academic Language/Language Function Objectives
Observations, discussions,
questioning
Think-Pair-Share activity,
discussions, observations, character
study
Character Web worksheet, checking
for comprehension within
conversations about their own
characters.
Character Trait: details that tell about the character’s personalities can be external or
internal traits.
o Character: people or animals within a story.
o Setting: the place or surroundings where something is during or where an event takes place
o Character Web: a tool in which readers will write the character in the middle of a paper and
then put down all the characteristics and qualities of the said character around the
character’s name and then connect them with lines.
Think-Pair-Share: Activity where students first think about the topic. Then, they share their thoughts
with their partner. Finally, the class comes together and shares what they learned.
Graphic Organizer; Web: a visual communication tool that uses visual symbols to express ideas
and concepts, to convey meaning. A graphic organizer often depicts the relationships between
facts, terms, and or ideas within a learning task.
Assessments
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List of Assessments
o Character Web Worksheet Rubric (General Ed):
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-
Student demonstrates
their understanding of
what a character trait
is and uses content
clues to help answer
the questions about
their character,
completing the entire
web. Describing their
character, using four
or more examples of
descriptive traits.
Student was able to
complete three to four
questions about their
character. Leaving
some of the chart
blank. Describing their
character, using two
to three examples of
descriptive traits.
Student was unable to
choose a character,
leaving the entire web
blank. Student gave
no examples of
descriptive character
traits.
Differentiated Rubric for Gifted and Talented
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+
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-
Student demonstrates
their understanding of
what a character trait
is and uses content
clues to help answer
the questions about
their character,
completing the entire
web. Describing their
character, using six or
more examples of
descriptive traits
including cited
evidence to support
their identified traits.
Student was able to
complete four to five
questions about their
character. Leaving
some of the chart
blank. Describing their
character, using three
to four examples of
descriptive traits.
Student was unable to
choose a character,
leaving the entire web
blank. Student gave
no examples of
descriptive character
traits.
Differentiated Rubric for ELL/Struggling Learners:
+

-
Student demonstrates
their understandings
of what a character
trait is and uses
content clues to help
answer the questions
about their character,
completing the entire
web, with written
responses. Describing
their character or
drawing pictures,
Student was able to
complete one to two
questions about their
character. Leaving
some of the chart
blank. Using inventive
spelling or pictures to
help guide in
describing examples
of descriptive traits.
Student was unable to
choose a character,
leaving the entire web
blank. Student gave
no examples of
descriptive character
traits.
including three or
more examples of
descriptive traits.
Instructional Strategies and Learning Tasks (Procedures & Timelines)
Instructional Strategies/Learning Tasks
1. The students will be called to the rug according to their chosen character from the
previous lesson from their own chosen stories.
2. The students will then reflect on their prior knowledge about character traits, when asked
the differentiated questions of:
a. “Who can remind everyone of what a character trait is?”(Approaching Grade
Level)
b. “List some traits of their focus character thus far?” (Approaching Grade Level)
c. “Identify your focus character.” (Lower Level)
d. “Cite evidence supporting the identified character traits.” (Higher Level)
3. Beginning the grand conversation of what a character trait is, the students will then be
introduced to a “character study” and why it is important to focus directly on the main
character, and their traits.
1. The students will then direct their attention to the SMARTboard that will have the prompt
of “Why it is important to Analyze on One Character.”
2. The students will then be instructed to first think about the topic, of why it is important.
Then, they will participate in a think-pair-share, pairing the students with a peer who is
grouped within the same level, based on the previous assessment of their book
selections.
3. The class will come together and discuss their reasoning’s of why it is important.
4. The students with the help of the teacher will formulate a list written on the SMARTboard
of all the reasons why, it is important to focus on the main character within a series of
books.
1. After the completion of listed reasons why, as a class the teacher will inform the students
of how they will now read another story by Edward Marshall about our class character,
Fox.
2. Introducing the story “Fox in Love”, similar to the previous lesson, the students will be
asked the following questions:
a. “Where is the front of the story?”
b. “Where is the book of the book?”
c. “Where is the title/author’s name?”
d. Along with a picture walk, introducing the pictures and making predictions on
what is to come within the story.
i. Reminding the students to think back to our loyal companion “Fred”.
1. The story is then read aloud, pausing in between pages and checking for understanding;
asking differentiated questions about:
a. What the students are observing and noticing about:
i. The plot
ii. The setting
iii. Characters
2. The students will then be instructed to turn and talk with a partner about new character
traits and new facts we learned about Fox from reading, “Fox in Love”.
3. The teacher will then take out the chart “What we know about Fox” and the class will then
add on any new facts or features they have learned about Fox.
4. After completing and adding on to the chart the teacher will then introduce another
graphic organizer, the Character Web.
a. Asking and reminding the students why it is important to have “character studies”,
and that using a character web will help us to focus and learn more about the
character we are studying.
5. As a whole class, the teacher acting as the facilitator and scribe will fill out the
“Character Web” for Fox, the class character.
1. The teacher will write directly on the Character Web which include the prompted
questions:
a. “Friends and family of the character?”
b. “Where does the character go?”
c. “What does the character do?”
d. “What does the teacher look like?”
e. Lastly to list “Character traits”.
2. After the completion of the character web of Fox and assessing the students
comprehension and skill levels, the students will then be given their own “Character
Web” and will be instructed to fill out according to their own character chosen from the
day before, including the expectations regarded to filling out the assignment, aligning
with the rubric.
a. To differentiate fairly each student will receive the same web template, but
according to the student’s individual skill and comprehension level they will be
instructed to complete the web according to the set of differentiated rubrics and
requirements.
3. The Fox character web will remain on the board as a comprehensive reference for the
students if they come across any challenges.
1. The students will be given ten to fifteen minutes to be able to re-read their chosen book
series with their character to refresh their memory about their chosen character to then
be able to complete their own character web.
2. After the students have completed their work they will be called to the rug to check for
comprehension of
a. “Why it is important we closely analyze characters?”
b. “What character traits are?”
c. To share their own characters and their completed webs with the rest of the class.
Student Supports
Student-teacher conferencing
o Individual Verbal Feedback
Whole Class
o Small-group instruction
o Whole-group instruction
ESL (Developing and Fluent)
o Auditory
o Rich Literacy Environment
o Visual Aids
o Leveled Texts
o Choral Response Opportunities
o Cooperative Learning Strategies
o Interactive Writing
Materials and Resources
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White Board
“Character Web” Worksheet
Previous Chart of “What we Know”
Classroom library books
“Fox in Love” by Edward Marshall
Rubric