Lesson Plan # 9

Lesson Title: Character Presentations

Name: Elizabeth Kennard
Introduction

Lesson Overview

Students will attribute adjectives and values to

characters through understanding characters through
direct and indirect characterization. Students will track
character development through creating character maps
that will be filled out through the duration of reading.
This lesson will occur at the end of section 4 and prior to
section 5 to make sure that students character charts are
updated completely and accurately to the current
stopping point in the text.

Content Standard(s)
Addressed

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.9-10.3

(Common Core)

Analyze how complex characters (e.g., those with

multiple or conflicting motivations) develop over the
course of a text, interact with other characters, and
advance the plot or develop the theme.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.9-10.1
Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support
analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as
inferences drawn from the text.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.9-10.4
Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are
used in the text, including figurative and connotative
meanings; analyze the cumulative impact of specific
word choices on meaning and tone (e.g., how the
language evokes a sense of time and place; how it sets a
formal or informal tone).

Measureable Objective
Based on Content
Standard(s)

Students will detail a character in depth with a

small group
Students will present this information to the class
in an informal and short presentation
Students will update their character charts
throughout other groups presentations

Essential Question(s)

Unit EQ:
What factors play into the construction of ones identity?
How do oppressive regimes impact identity formation?
Lesson EQ:
What characters are most similar? What characters are
least alike?

Prior Knowledge

Students will have to be able to understand characters in

relation to one another, understand the difference
between direct and indirect characterization. Students
will have to understand the difference between static and
complex characters. Students will have to have an
updated character chart to the current point in reading;
students will not be focused on completing their charts
but synthesizing the information that they already have
with the members in their group.

Link to 21st Century Skills

Information literacy
-

Students will have to infer meaning from the text

in regards to the description of a specific charater
Students will have to be well-versed in the text
to support their ideas of why they think their
assigned character can de described a certain
way

Communicative and Collaborative Thinking

-

Students will work in small groups to detail a

character in depth to the class
Students will collaborate to agree on ideas and
communicate these final ideas to the whole class

Assessment/Accommodation

Formative Assessment

(attach specific instructions

and/or examples)

Students will present on an in-depth analysis of

their assigned character to the entire class
Students will evaluate each other on their
participation to the group.

Summative Assessment
(attach specific instructions
or examples)

Students will collaborate on how to best

describe their assigned character

Students will draw a visual representation of

their bookshelf detailing what objects, books,
and other important symbols would be
represented on their bookshelf.
Students will write a personal narrative that
explains how these books and objects impacted,
shaped, or molded their individual identities.
Students will accompany the visual with a
written assessment that details the significance of
their chosen items.

Accommodations
(specific to this lesson and
based on specific students)

Susannah:
-

Susannah will have a Spanish-English dictionary

on her desk for refrence.
Susannah will be expected to speak and describe
her character, but not as much as her peers in her
group.

Drew:
-

Drew will work in small pairs and characterize a

certain character, but his role will be the artistic
representative of the group.
He will draw images on his groups poster board
and describe these images to the class.

Paul:
-

Paul will have no special accomdations for this

lesson except this his group will travel to him, he
will not travel to his group.

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

Charcter Chart
Poster Board
Character Chart in Word Document Access to a
computer

Lesson Plan

Materials

Bell Ringer/Review Activity

Journal Prompt:
What are three adjectives that others would use to
describe you? How would you describe yourself?

Detailed Activities and

Procedures (with transitions
and time allocations)

Journal (5 Min.)
-

Have students journal independently.

Character Map (45 min.)

-

Character Assignment (5 min)

o Teacher will assign certain characters to
certain students to ensure equal group
size and efficient group pairs
o Characters: Liesel, Mama, Hans
Hubermann, Rudy Stiener, Max
Vanderburg
Individual (10 min.)
o Have students work on their own to
decide important characteristics and
values of their character they were
assigned
o Complete on sheet separate from their
original character chart
Group Work (30 min.)
o Share thoughts on how they characterized
that character and why
Have students focus on what was
different from each other, not
what was the same
o Come up with list of most important
characteristics and values with correct
citations and textual evidence
Students should have at least 10
in total
o Write down these finding on either poster
board or in a digital manner
o Practice presentations before standing in
front of the classroom

Group Presentations (20 min):

-

Have each group share their findings to the class

Students will stand up in the front of the class
and fill in a chart on the computer on a word
document so that all the information can be

Closure

saved to one word document at the close of class

o One group member will scribe into the
word document, while the other group
members will communicate what is being
written in much more detail
Students will decide these roles
on their own in a group
Have students take notes to fill in missing spaces
on their character maps, students arent just
listening but writing and thinking as well
Students will reflect on how presentations went,
what worked well for certain groups and what
did not.
Students will reflect on what they found out
about different characters through hearing other
groups presentations and ideas.

Alternate Strategies for Reteaching Material

Connect this lesson to outside materials, such as

ted talks or other forms of literature that relate to
the characterization of individuals. Have students
think about if one way to characterize an
individual is the only way.

References (within this

lesson)

Zusak, Markus. The Book Thief. New York:

Alfred A. Knopf, 2006. Print.

NOTE: Attach or insert any materials used in this lesson.

-

Character Chart:

Character Name

Descriptive
Adjectives

Motivations and
Desire

Personality and
Character Traits