Lesson Plan: Character Traits and Characteristics

Standards: Grade 3
Central Focus: Comprehension
Essential Literacy Strategy: Describe characters in a story and explain how their actions
contribute to the sequence of event
Related skill: Vocabulary meaning in context
Reading and Writing Connection:
Analyzing character traits and describe the characters using the text
Standards:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.3.3: Describe characters in a story (e.g., their traits,
motivations, or feelings) and explain how their actions contribute to the sequence of
event
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.3.1: Ask and answer questions to demonstrate of a text,
referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.3.3: Write narratives to develop real or imagined
experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event
sequences.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.3.4: Determine the meaning of general academic and
domain-specific words and phrases in a text relevant to a grade 3 topic or subject area.
Objectives:
- Students will be able to analyze and describe characters traits of characters from text
Matilda
- Students will be able to create characters and assign each character traits and
characteristics.
-Students will be able to create a graphic organizer web for at least one main characters,
that they create and give 5 characters traits to the character.
- Students will be able to identify character traits of characters and explain why
characters behaved in a certain way.
- Students will be able to write a essay based on the character or characters they have
created.
- Students will be able to define vocabulary words used in the text and use these
vocabulary words correctly in their essays.

Lesson Procedure:
Time

Teacher Action

Student Action

15 minutes

The teacher will present a

read aloud from the book
Matilda. The teacher will
then ask the students to
name traits from the text for
two characters. The traits
will be written on easel
using graphic organizer.

The students will listen to the read aloud and

then give examples of character traits from
the text, Matilda, for two characters.

10-15minutes

Explanation of lesson and

goals of lesson. Teacher will
then show students an
example of an essay.
Teacher will help students
with I Can Statements.

Students will listen to teacher about lesson

and presentation. Students will listen to
example of essay and name character traits of
the character. Students will also collectively
complete 3 I Can statements as a class, based
on the lesson.

15minutes

The teacher will explain the

graphic organizer web that
students will create using.

Students will complete graphic organizer for

at least one character with 5 character traits.
After this students will engage in Write-PairShare in order to share their ideas with a peer.

30 minutes

Teacher will explain

components of essay, once
again, and give directions of
narrative essay.

Students will write their essay using their

graphic organizer.

Description of formal/informal assessments:

The students will complete a pre-assessment the day before this lesson is taught so the
teacher is able to assess the areas in which the students need extended instruction.

The formal assessment will be an essay that the students will complete at the end of the
lesson. The essay should be one paragraph long and include an introduction statement
and concluding statement. The students will have to include character traits that
contribute to their actions and the sequence of events.
For the informal assessments students will complete a graphic organizer, a web, in order
to create the character traits for the character. Students will need to complete a graphic
organizer for at least one character in their story. Students should be able to create
character traits that relates to their characters and explain the characters actions. After the
graphic organizer is created students will participate in Write-Pair-Share.
What is being assessed:
The students abilities in distinguishing character traits from other aspects of texts, as
well as, having an understanding of character traits and examples of character traits.
Ultimately students will be expected to complete an essay, in which they have created the
characters, and given each character specific and detailed character traits. The character
traits must explain the characters actions in the essay and explain the sequence of events.
Testing accommodations:
Many of the students receive re-direction and re-focusing as part of their special needs
within their IEP. Therefore, while this assignment is going on, the teachers aide and the
teacher will be re-directing these students in their work in order to keep them on task.
Some students also receive extended time on assessments. Therefore, if excess time is
needed the students will have the opportunity at another time to finish their work.
A review of important vocabulary words will also be completed during the presentation
in order to assist those with special needs, as well as, the use of a graphic organizer to
help students organize their thoughts efficiently and effectively.

Narrative Essay

Directions: Please write a narrative essay using the two characters from your
graphic organizer web. Be sure to include an introduction statement and concluding
statement.

Name: _______________________

Date:____________________

Instructions: Please answer each question

1.) What is a character trait?
a. What the character buys
b. Who the character talks to
c. Behaviors or attitudes that make up the characters personality
d. Only what the character looks like
2.) Which is an example of a character trait?
a. Cinderalla is kind to others
b. The Headless Horseman has no head
c. Snow White is friends with the 7 dwarves
d. Elsa has a sister named Anna
3.) Please write whether each character trait is a good or bad trait on the line next to it
Caring

____________________

Mean

____________________

Sweet

____________________

Nasty

_____________________

4.) Fill in the blank space in each sentence with a character trait
a. Olaf is always ________________ especially when he is with Elsa and
Anna
b. The Beast yelled a lot, he was very _______________.
c. Mulan was very ______________ to fight in the war so her father would
not have to.
d. The Mets players were _________________ so they almost won the
World Series.
5.) Please write whether the word below is a character trait or character emotion:
Sad

_________________________

Generous

_________________________

Shy

_________________________

Angry

_________________________

6.) How we as good readers know a characters traits?

a. What the character says.
b. What the character feels.
c. What the character does.
d. All three, A. B. and C. what the character says, feels and does.
7.) The following is a conversation with a grandmother and her 10 year old
granddaughter, Mary. Please answer the questions below after reading the conversation.
Mary: Hi Grandma, sorry I did not visit you this week. I had a lot of home.
Grandma: Thats okay. I am proud of you for working hard.
Mary: It sounds like you have a cold. How do you feel?
Grandma: Actually, I do have a cold.
Mary: Ill visit you tomorrow and bring some homemade soup.
7a.) What is a character trait of Mary?
a. scared
b. kind
c. angry
d. funny
7b.) Why did you choose this trait? Support your thinking with evidence from the
conversation.

8.) Why do good readers analyze a characters traits?