LESSON PLAN

Teacher: Mrs. Hanan D’Ariano School: Highview School Subject: Reading

Grade Level: 3 Number of Students: 20 Time/Period: 9:15 a.m. Date: November 22, 2017

Aim: Students will determine specific character traits through characters' words, actions and
feelings. (Standard RL.3.3)

Materials Needed:
 YouTube Video of Olaf from Frozen
 Character Trait Cards for Charades
 Graphic Organizer
 Anchor Chart
 Amazing Grace by Mary Hoffman
 Interactive Task Cards (Chromebook)
 Word Work Worksheet
 Big Mama and Grandma Ghana by Angela Shelf Medearis
 Chips Thanksgiving
 Exit Ticket
Questions: (NY State CCLS)
Common Core Learning Standards:
 RL.3.1 Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to
the text as the basis for the answers.
 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 events
 RL.3.7 Explain how specific aspects of a text's illustrations contribute to what is conveyed by the
words in a story (e.g., create mood, emphasize aspects of a character or setting
 W3.4: With guidance and support from adults, produce writing in which the development and
organization are appropriate to task and purpose.
 W.3.8. Recall information from experiences or gather information from print and digital sources;
take brief notes on sources and sort evidence into provided categories.
 SL3.1: Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and
teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 3 topics and texts, building on others’ ideas and
expressing their own clearly.
 SL3.6: Speak in complete sentences when appropriate to task and situation in order to provide
requested detail or clarification.

Essential Question: How do the actions and behaviors of a character tell you about his or her
personality?

Questions:
 What is a character trait?
 What character trait was the character displaying when he/she ______________________?
 Give an example of when a character was _______________ (kind, selfish, generous, etc.).
  Explain why you would describe the this character as
___________________.
 Based on his/her character traits, explain why the character acted in the way he/she did.
 Was the character’s behavior consistent with the character traits the author gave him/her?
 What caused the character’s behavior to change?
Vocabulary:
 Character-a person who appears in a story, book, play, movie, or television show
 Character Trait- who a character is on the inside-their personality. Traits show through what a
character says or does.
 Personality- the combination of characteristics or qualities that form a person’s character
 Feeling- an emotional state or reaction
 Charades- a game in which players guess a word or phrase from clues.

Warm Up:

The students will be introduced to a short video clip of the movie Frozen. The teacher will model
how to describe the character, Olaf. For example, Olaf can be described as curious because he
stops to smell the flowers (actions). Olaf can also be described as careful because he’s worried
about losing his nose again (feelings).

Motivation:

The teacher will tell the students that we will play a game of character traits charades. To play
the game, the teacher will invite volunteers to pull a character trait card from a bag. Without
showing the other students, have each student demonstrate an action that could reveal that
trait.

Presentation:

Whole Class:

The teacher will introduce the character trait chart to the class. The class will work together to
identify character traits that support the evidence (words, actions, feelings) cited from the
mentor text, Amazing Grace by Mary Hoffman.

Small Group:

Students will then break into small groups to continue exploring how characters’ words, actions and
feelings affect their personality in a story.

 Students that are in the above grade level group will work independently from the teacher to
read a Thanksgiving themed short story. Then, they will answer questions and cite evidence
from the text to show their thinking.
 Students in the on grade level group will use their chromebook to practice identifying character
traits using interactive digital short passage cards. They will be supported with modeling from
the teacher to get them started.
  Students in the approaching grade level group will work on choosing character traits from a
word bank to fill in the blanks in the sentences. On the back of the worksheet, students will
choose character traits to describe their best friend. Students will then write sentences
explaining how their friend shows that trait. They will later review their work with the
classroom teacher.
 Students in the below grade level group of students will work with the teacher on identifying
character traits from a familiar text. The students will fill in a graphic organizer listing these
traits and the characters’ words, actions, or feelings to support their choice of trait.

Summary

After completing their small group work, students will complete a character trait Exit Ticket using
the class mentor text, Amazing Grace by Mary Hoffman.

Follow-up:

 Students will continue to discuss how characters’ words, actions, and feelings affect their
personality in a story while working in reading groups during future lessons.
 The students will complete a leveled reading activity based on character traits.
 The students will take an assessment to show their understanding of character traits.