• Throughout the lesson, focus on students’ ability to discuss characters in literary books. Model character analysis for students so they will know how to analyze characters when reading a literary book on their own. Observe students’ ability to verbalize their ideas and their willingness to participate in group discussions.
• Use the following checklist to assess each student’s progress toward the goals of the lesson:
  • Student can describe characters in literary books.
  • Student can identify characters’ actions, words, and feelings in literary books.
  • Student can explain why characters are important to a story.
• Have students choose one of the two books you read aloud in this lesson. Ask each student, “Who is your favorite character in this book? Describe one thing the character does in this book. How does the character feel when s/he does that? How would the story be different if the character didn’t do that action?”

Focus Question: Why are characters important in a story?

Ask, “Do you know the nursery rhyme ‘Little Miss Muffet?’” (Students may or may not be familiar with this rhyme.) “If you know it, recite it along with me.” Recite the rhyme:

Little Miss Muffet sat on a tuffet
Eating her curds and whey.
Along came a spider,
Who sat down beside her
And frightened Miss Muffet away.

Remind students that characters are the people or animals in a story. Ask, “Who are the characters in this rhyme?” (Little Miss Muffet, the spider) “What is Miss Muffet doing in this rhyme?” (She is sitting on a tuffet. She is eating curds and whey.) Explain that a tuffet looks like a stool covered in fabric and that “curds and whey” is an old-fashioned name for cottage cheese. Ask, “What does the spider do in this rhyme?” (It sits next to Miss Muffet.) “What does Miss Muffet do when the spider sits next to her?” (She runs away.) “Why does she run away?” (She is frightened.) Have volunteers act out the nursery rhyme by playing the roles of Miss Muffet and the spider.

Ask, “How would the rhyme be different if the spider didn’t sit next to Miss Muffet?” (Miss Muffet wouldn’t be scared and run away.) “How would the rhyme be different if Miss Muffet wasn’t afraid of spiders?” (Miss Muffet wouldn’t run away. She might make friends with the spider.) Have volunteers act out alternative versions of the nursery rhyme.

Ask, “Why are the characters’ actions and feelings important to the rhyme?” Have students discuss their answers with a partner. Then ask the class to respond together. (They help tell the story.)

Part 1

Say, “Today we are going to read the book Yoko. As I read this book to you, think about the words and actions of the characters. Think about how the characters feel in the story. Then we will talk about how the author uses characters to tell a story.”

Read aloud the book Yoko. Then ask, “Who is the most important character in the story?” (Yoko) “Why do you think Yoko is the most important character?” (Everything that happens in the story is about her.) “Because Yoko is the most important character in the story, we call her the main character. But Yoko is not the only character. Who are the other characters in the story?” (Yoko’s mother; her teacher Mrs. Jenkins; her classmates Timothy, Valerie, Fritz, Tulip, Hazel, Doris; the Franks)

As you read the story, model how to use illustrations and details to describe characters. Say, “Before Yoko goes to school, she is excited and happy. I can use the pictures and words to find out how she feels. The pictures show her smiling. She tells her mother she will have a wonderful day. She says hello to all her friends.”

Guide students to use the text to answer questions. Ask, “How do things change for Yoko at lunchtime?” (Yoko’s classmates make fun of her lunch.) “How does this make Yoko feel?” (She is sad.) “What clues in the story help you know how Yoko feels?” (She is crying.) “If Yoko didn’t become sad, how would the story change?” (Accept student input.)

Say, “Mrs. Jenkins decides to have an International Food Day at school. Let’s look for clues in the story to help us understand why she decides to do this.” Accept students’ responses and have them find support in the pictures or words of the story. (Possible answers: She is worried about Yoko and wants to help her. She thinks the students will try foods they usually do not eat. She hopes the students will not make fun of other students’ lunches again.)

Say, “At first, Mrs. Jenkins’ plan does not help Yoko because none of the children would try sushi. How does Yoko feel when no one ate her sushi?” (She feels sad.) Ask, “What clues in the story help you know she feels sad?” (She sits by herself under the Learning Tree.)

Say, “We know Mrs. Jenkins is important to the story because the author shows that she tries to help Yoko. Mrs. Jenkins’ actions change the course/path of the story.”

Ask, “Which character finally eats Yoko’s sushi?” (Timothy) “Why does Timothy decide to try Yoko’s sushi?” (He is still hungry.) “What does Timothy think of the sushi after he tastes it?” (He likes it.) “What clues in the story help you know this?” (He asks if Yoko could bring him some more sushi tomorrow.) “Why is it important to the story that Timothy tastes Yoko’s sushi?” (Because he tastes it and likes it, this event changes how Yoko feels about school.)

Ask, “What happens after Timothy eats Yoko’s sushi?” (Yoko and Timothy become good friends. They decide they will open a play restaurant together.)

Ask, “What helps tell the author’s story?” Have students respond together. (the words and actions of the characters) Say, “Yes, the characters’ words, actions, and feelings help us understand what is happening in the story and why it is happening.”

Part 2

Create a visual on the board/interactive whiteboard to help students review the importance of characters. Here is an example:

You might review the words, actions, and feelings of the character Yoko and discuss how they help the reader understand the story.

Then, hold up the book Alexander and the Wind-Up Mouse. Say, “Here is another book that will help us learn why characters are important in a literary book.” Read aloud the book. Then ask, “Who are the characters in this story?” (Alexander, Willy the toy wind-up mouse, Lizard)

As you lead students through the story, be sure to have them use the pictures and words in the text to support their answers about the characters. Ask, “At the beginning of the story, how does Alexander feel?” (He is afraid and lonely. He is sad that nobody likes him.) “What happens to Alexander that changes things for him?” (He meets Willy the toy mouse.) “How does Willy feel at the beginning of the story?” (He is happy because he is Annie’s favorite toy.) “How does Alexander feel when he hears that everybody loves Willy?” (He is sad and jealous but glad that he has found a friend.)

Ask, “What story does Willy tell Alexander?” (There is a lizard in the garden that can change one animal into another.) “What does Alexander think when he hears this story?” (Maybe the lizard can change him into a wind-up mouse.) “Why does Alexander want to be changed into a toy mouse?” (He thinks people will love him.)

Ask, “What happens to Willy that changes Alexander’s mind about becoming a toy mouse?” (Willy gets put in a box to be thrown away.) “What does Alexander do then?” (Instead of asking the lizard to make him into a toy mouse, he asks the lizard to make Willy a real mouse.)

Ask, “How does Alexander feel when he goes back to find Willy and instead finds an empty box?” (He is sad.) “Why does he feel that way?” (He thinks that Willy has already been thrown out and that he has lost his only friend.)

Ask, “How does Alexander feel when he finds Willy and sees that he is a real mouse?” (He is very happy and wants to celebrate. He wants to dance all night long.) “How does Willy feel?” (He is just as happy as Alexander is.)

Direct students’ attention to the visual created at the beginning of Part 2. Ask, “Why are these characters important to the story?” (The characters’ words and actions help us learn what is happening and why.)

Ask the following questions and have students discuss the answers with a partner:

“How are Willy and Alexander alike and different?”

“How would the story be different if Willy didn’t become real?”

Then ask several students to share their answers with the class.

Part 3

Say, “Now it is your turn to talk about characters you have read about in literary books.”

Gather literary books that students have read from the classroom and school libraries. Books should be familiar stories at students’ independent reading levels. Display the books and assign each student a partner. Say, “You and your partner will each choose a book. You will read your books together. Then you will talk about one of the characters in each book.”

Ask, “What are some questions you might ask yourself about characters as you read your books?” Write students’ responses on the board to guide their reading and discussions. Examples include the following:

• What is the character like?

• How does the character feel?
• What happens to the character in the story?

Circulate around the room and observe students as they discuss the characters in their books. Make note of students who understand the element of character in literary books and those who do not. Guide students who do not understand or who are having a difficult time telling about the characters. Prompt with questions such as “Who is the main character? How does the character feel when . . .? Then what happens? What does the character do?”

Extension:

• Students who require additional instruction or practice might do one of the following activities:
  • Choose a literary book from the reading center to read. Then choose their favorite character in the book and tell why the character is important to the story.
  • Draw their favorite character from a book they read. Label their drawings with the character’s name and write a sentence about that character. Have students work in small groups and compare their characters.
  • Assume the role of a favorite character by completing the following sentences: My name is ________________________. I feel ____________ because ______________________________________________________.
  • Have students who are ready to move beyond the standard rewrite a familiar story by changing the actions and feelings of the main character. Ask students to share their new story with a partner and discuss how the character’s feelings and actions changed the story.