This unit was planned as an intervention series for students struggling in this area of the standards. Our PLC selected these literary texts to teach because they are rich in key ideas and themes. Both stories are authored by Langston Hughes. "Thank You, Ma'am" will be used for the pretest. Then several actives will be used over the next two days to help students go deeper into the rich vocabulary, characterization, and themes of the story, to ultimately improve their understanding of the plot and key ideas. Finally, students will be asked to use some of the same comprehension strategies as they read the story, "Early Autumn." This will culminate in a post-test on the second story.

It is to be used in three lessons, approximately 40 minutes each. A teacher could easily adapt the lesson to be used in a whole group setting, over the course of more days, before administering the final post assessment.

Discuss the difference between Character traits and Physical traits.  Students will use text evidence to describe character traits.

During this seminar, you will describe a character in depth. You will learn how to look at characters in a narrative in both a direct and indirect way. You will be learning how to look at a character’s speech, thoughts, effects on others, actions, and looks to help describe them.  You will also be learning how to define character traits and how to analyze characterization.StandardsCC.1.3.4.C Describe in depth a character, setting, or event in a story or drama, drawing on specific details in the text.

Students will really get into character when they read short stories and analyze the hows and whys of character behaviors.

This resource was created by Janice Nichols, in collaboration with Lynn Bowder, as part of ESU2's Mastering the Arts project. This project is a four year initiative focused on integrating arts into the core curriculum through teacher education and experiential learning.

By reading a short book aloud, Rick Kleine models for his students how their initial theories of character traits can change over time. Using peer discussion and class participation, the kids are engaged throughout, giving them what Rick hopes will be a life-long love of reading.

Students read and discuss picture book biographies of women [and men] in history. With their teacher, they build a data chart of information about each woman, highlighting her historical setting, accomplishments, and character traits. Finally students apply what they learn to several writing projects focused on historical context and social change. While the focus of biography is on individuals, students will see they did not, and could not, succeed alone but were supported along the way by others.