Examine character traits through character mapping

Examine character traits through character mapping

In this lesson, students examine the traits of characters from their favorite books and learn to distinguish between factual character traits presented directly in the story and character traits that readers infer from the story.

​Objectives

  • Students will develop their reading comprehension skills.
  • Students will understand the notion of character, character traits, and the importance of character development within stories.
  • Students will learn to distinguish between character traits that are explicitly called out in a story and character traits that they infer from a story.

Learning Outcomes

Students will use Office Visio 2007 to create a map of a character.

​Lesson procedure

Introduction

What makes a good story? We usually remember and enjoy stories that have lots of good action and good characters. Today we are going to think about characters in stories. What makes them who they are? What things about them help us to identify who they are? For example, what traits make Cinderella, Cinderella and not Alice in Wonderland?

One way to think about your favorite characters and to understand new characters in stories you are reading is to make a map of those characters.

Let's take a look at the character [name a character from a story you have read with class or that the entire class has read] for example. What do we know about this character? [On the overhead projector or whiteboard, list all the information that students offer about the character.]

How did we learn these different things about this character? Which traits does the book describe directly? [Mark each trait the students identify that is stated directly in the book or story.] We call these traits "factual traits."

What about the rest of these traits on our list? If the story doesn't explicitly describe these character traits then how did we learn them? How did we figure these things out about the character from the information given to us in the story? [Select one trait that students inferred, and discuss how they inferred it from the character's action, by their dialogue, or through other means.] The kinds of traits that the book doesn't tell us directly as facts, but that we figure out from a character's actions or speech, are called "inferred traits."

It's not just a character's traits that make him or her interesting. The way the character changes or grows during the story also makes the character interesting to us and makes the story enjoyable. How does this character change and develop during the story? [List the changes.] Do you think you would like the story as much if this character hadn't changed at all from the beginning to the end?

In this activity, you are going to think about a character in a story. You will create a map of that character that shows all of the different factual and inferred traits that make them who they are. [Show them the character map you created of the character you have been discussing with them.] When you have completed mapping your character, you'll know more about how to understand the characters in stories that you read and write.

 

Teacher Tips

  • Do you have character?

    What makes a story interesting? The plot, or setting and time period that the story takes place within. But doesn't the most captivating element of a story center on the characters? Ask your students if they would make an interesting character in a story.

  • Good versus evil

    Have your students offer the names of the most evil, despicable characters they remember from a book or movie. Then have them suggest the names of the most honest, generous, and kind characters that come to mind.

Student activity

Follow the steps below to guide your students through this lesson plan.

Note teachers: Please download the student activity handouts located in the sidebar under Software and Materials Needed, for additional details about the main activities for this lesson plan.
 
Download the charater map template to your classroom computer, and place it in your Favorites. Students will use this template to map the traits of a character.
 

Select a character in a story that you have read to the students (or that all the students have read), and then create a character map for that character. This map will serve as the demonstration model you show the class during the introduction.

​Conclusion

Evaluate your students' character maps. Did they correctly identify the traits of the characters?

Did they correctly distinguish the factual and inferred traits?

Ask students to show their maps to the entire class and discuss the maps to assess and reinforce their understanding of inferred traits versus traits named directly in the book.