REVIEW CHARACTER TRAITSRemind students that readers learn about characters by thinking about what they do, say, and think and how they interact with other characters. Readers infer character traits by thinking about these clues and their own experiences.
TEACH CHARACTER DEVELOPMENTExplain that events in a story often cause a character to change in a significant way, such as in attitudes or beliefs. Students should read to see if this happens to the main character.
MODEL INFERRING TRAITSProvide an example from a story you have read. Model inferring character traits from the character's words and actions. Point out how and why the character changes. Compare characters with each other and with real people.
APPLY TO A SELECTIONRead with students a story in which there are well-developed characters. Have students draw conclusions about character traits
from clues in the story and their own experiences.
Lukens, Rebecca J. A Critical Handbook of Children's Literature. Pearson Education, 2003, p. 94.
Rebecca J. Lukens,
A Critical Handbook of Children's Literature
"In life and in books, children can sense differences in human beings and are capable of recognizing and responding to well-developed characters. Even in the simplest stories it is possible to find characters that verify truths about human nature."
Research on Main Idea/Details
USE A GRAPHIC ORGANIZER
