Name: _________________________________________
6B- _____
Date: _________________________________
Writing: Schooled Character Trait ¶: Brainstorming Traits
Character Trait: An adjective (descriptive word) that describes a key part of a character’s personality. A character trait is not a noun (leader, bully, class clown, etc.), and a character trait is not a physical description (tall, pale, etc.). Character traits capture a fixed, or permanent  or at least deep  aspect of a character’s nature: brave / cautious; determined / lazy; inquisitive / apathetic; empathetic / self-centered; generous / opportunistic; optimistic / pessimistic; loyal / disloyal; resourceful / unimaginative; positive / resentful; benevolent / malevolent; trustworthy / mischievous... Character traits are not temporary reactions to an event, and they are not passing moods: ecstatic, terrified, bored, surprised, annoyed, etc. Readers can usually describe a character with more than one character trait, and some characters change during the course of a novel. As a result, selecting a character trait for a character can be challenging; sometimes, because of this, it takes readers time, especially if they want to be precise, to capture a key trait in a character. Good character traits avoid vague, unclear, general, or imprecise language: nice, mean, good, bad, etc. Instead, strong character traits are exact, clear, specific, and precise: generous, conniving, moral, corrupt, etc.
Directions: USE PENCIL. After finding your own quote and fitting trait(s) for your assigned character, meet with your assigned group of classmates to share your quotes and traits with each other. Once everyone has shared, vote on the best quotes and traits, explaining the strengths and weaknesses of each quote. Then write the two best quotes and traits from your group on the space provided below where you see the name of the character I’ve assigned your group.
Cap Anderson: Character traits: __________________________________________________________
1. Quote: _____________________________________________________________________________________
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_______________________________________________________________________________ (pg. #: _______ )
2. Quote: _____________________________________________________________________________________
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_______________________________________________________________________________ (pg. #: _______ )
(over)

Zach Powers: Character traits: ___________________________________________________________
1. Quote: _____________________________________________________________________________________
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_______________________________________________________________________________ (pg. #: _______ )
2. Quote: _____________________________________________________________________________________
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_______________________________________________________________________________ (pg. #: _______ )
Naomi Erlanger: Character traits: _______________________________________________________
1. Quote: _____________________________________________________________________________________
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_______________________________________________________________________________ (pg. #: _______ )
2. Quote: _____________________________________________________________________________________
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_______________________________________________________________________________ (pg. #: _______ )
Hugh Winkleman: Character traits: _____________________________________________________
1. Quote: _____________________________________________________________________________________
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_______________________________________________________________________________ (pg. #: _______ )
2. Quote: _____________________________________________________________________________________
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_______________________________________________________________________________ (pg. #: _______ )
Sophie Donnelly: Character traits: _______________________________________________________
1. Quote: _____________________________________________________________________________________
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_______________________________________________________________________________ (pg. #: _______ )
2. Quote: _____________________________________________________________________________________
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_______________________________________________________________________________ (pg. #: _______ )