Lesson Plan: RL.3.a - Describing Characters in a Story

Grade Level: Primary 3

Objective: Students will be able to describe characters in a story, including their traits, motivations, and feelings, and explain how their actions contribute to the sequence of events.

Materials: - Whiteboard or chart paper - Markers - Storybooks or short stories (e.g., “The Three Little Pigs,” “Goldilocks and the Three Bears,” “The Lion and the Mouse”) - Video resources: - “Character Traits” by Have Fun Teaching (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3z0gnXgWnW0) - “Character Motivation” by Flocabulary (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3z0gnXgWnW0) - Worksheet resources: - “Character Traits Graphic Organizer” (https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Character-Traits-Graphic-Organizer-Worksheet-Printable-Graphic-Organizer-1980147) - “Character Motivation Worksheet” (https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Character-Motivation-Worksheet-Printable-Graphic-Organizer-1980147)

Introduction: 1. Begin the lesson by asking students if they have ever read a story or watched a movie with interesting characters. 2. Show a short video clip that introduces the concept of character traits (e.g., “Character Traits” by Have Fun Teaching). 3. Explain to students that characters in a story have different traits, motivations, and feelings, and their actions contribute to the sequence of events. 4. Share the objective of the lesson: Today, we will learn how to describe characters in a story and explain how their actions contribute to the sequence of events.

Lesson Outline: 1. Character Traits: a. Display a character from a familiar story on the whiteboard or chart paper. b. Ask students to brainstorm and share adjectives that describe the character’s traits. c. Write down the adjectives on the board or chart paper. d. Repeat the process with another character from a different story. e. Discuss how the characters’ traits influence their actions and contribute to the sequence of events. f. Distribute the “Character Traits Graphic Organizer” worksheet for students to complete independently or in pairs.

1. Character Motivations: a. Show a video clip that explains character motivations (e.g., “Character Motivation” by Flocabulary). b. Discuss with students the reasons why characters in stories do certain things. c. Provide examples from familiar stories and ask students to identify the characters’ motivations. d. Distribute the “Character Motivation Worksheet” for students to complete independently or in pairs.

Questioning: 1. What are some adjectives that describe the character’s traits? 2. How do the character’s traits influence their actions? 3. Why do you think the character did that? What was their motivation? 4. How do the character’s actions contribute to the sequence of events in the story?

Assessment: 1. Observe students’ participation during class discussions and their ability to describe characters’ traits, motivations, and actions. 2. Review completed worksheets to assess students’ understanding of character traits and motivations.

Differentiation: 1. Provide additional support for struggling students by working with them in a small group or one-on-one. 2. Offer sentence starters or graphic organizers to help students organize their thoughts. 3. Challenge advanced students by asking them to analyze the impact of multiple characters’ actions on the sequence of events.

Plenary: 1. Recap the lesson by asking students to share one character they described and explain how their actions contributed to the sequence of events. 2. Encourage students to reflect on the importance of understanding characters in a story to better understand the plot. 3. Conclude the lesson by emphasizing the connection between character traits, motivations, and actions in storytelling.

Note: The video and worksheet resources mentioned in this lesson plan are suggestions. Teachers can choose alternative resources that align with the learning objective and suit their students’ needs.