Jones

Character Traits Lesson Plan

Objective:

RL1 CCR READ CLOSELY TO DETERMINE WHAT THE TEXT SAYS EXPLICITLY AND TO MAKE
LOGICAL INFERENCES FROM IT; CITE SPECIFIC TEXTUAL EVIDENCE WHEN WRITING OR
SPEAKING TO SUPPORT CONCLUSIONS DRAWN FROM THE TEXT.

NETS: Research and Fluency, Digital Citizenship


Purpose/Description:
-Determine the theme of a text and analyze its development.
-Write a narrative to continue a story so that a new theme emerges.

Texts/ Materials:
Moco Limping David Nava Monreal
Dirk the Protector by Gary Paulsen

Suggested Reading Skills:
Examine the interaction of characters, setting, and plot to express a theme.
Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of
the text, including its relationship to the characters, setting, and plot; provide an objective
summary of the text.
Cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says
explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text

Routine Writing:
In the story, the author describes two strong characters Dirk and the narrator. Think about the
details the author includes describing these characters. Think about how these characters and
their actions make evident a theme in the story. Continue this story where it ends so that a new
theme emerges. In your story, be sure to use what you have learned about Dirk and the narrator
as you tell what happens next.

Suggested Language Skills:
Use precise words to capture action when writing.
Use sensory language to capture the action and convey experiences and events.

Suggested Technology Skills:
Use Ipad apps to publish, share or illustrate narratives or GAFE. Also, use the apps/GAFE for
students to comment/explain the theme that they developed in the narrative.
Students use Google Classroom to comment on and peer edit each others papers.

Assessments:
Exit Slip
Narrative
Graphic Organizer
Lesson Seed:

Review the definition of theme and how to find the theme (i.e. identify a topic, find
evidence of the topic throughout text, determine a lesson learned about the topic
throughout the text).

Read Moco Limping and practice identifying the theme by citing the evidence supports
analysis. (Use organizer.)

For students who struggle with choosing relevant evidence, teacher models how to select
ONLY the evidence that most strongly supports the development of theme.

Read Dirk the Protector and identify a theme. (Use organizer.)

List all the evidence that supports the theme; then highlight ONLY the evidence that most
strongly supports analysis.

Write a short essay that analyzes a themes development over the course of the text,
including its relationship to the characters, setting, and plot citing only the evidence that
most strongly supports analysis.

Class discussion about the details the author used to develop the characters of Dirk and the
narrator.

Write a narrative in response to the following prompt: In the story, the author describes two
strong characters Dirk and the narrator. Think about the details the author includes to
describe these characters. Think about how these characters and their actions make
evident a theme in the story. Continue this story where it ends so that a new theme
emerges. In your story, be sure to use what you have learned about Dirk and the narrator as
you tell what happens next.

Revise writing, paying particular attention to developing Dirk and the narrator so that they
stay true to the original characters illustrated by Gary Paulsen. Use sensory language like
Gary Paulsen to capture the action and convey experiences and events.

Participate in a peer review workshop and revise as necessary. (Pair up students who
struggle with editing with students who are strong with grammar.)

Exit Slip: What new theme emerges through your story extension? What evidence from
your narrative most strongly supports the new theme?