1. Personal Narrative Develop Characters
Today we will learn how develop the characters in our writing. This is important when writing personal narratives because we want our reader to be interested in and care about the people (characters) in our story.
Written by D. Mock © Davis School District Farmington, UT

2. Develop Characters
Model (no student interaction): Read a page or two from a story in which the author is describing a character. Draw attention to the types of words you notice that the author uses and what sort of characteristics the author describes. Make a list of the types of characteristics described and the specific words used.
Repeat with another story. This time the students can help you add to the list.
Written by D. Mock © Davis School District Farmington, UT

3. Personal Narrative Click to open
Authors develop characters in different ways. Today we will listen a story written by Patricia Polacco in which she uses examples, or mini-stories, to describe characters. She also uses descriptive words and dialogue to help the reader understand more about the characters. Listen for different ways she develops her characters.
This is a reading from the Screen Actors Guild. You do not need the actual book. If you have the book you can choose to read the book to your class or have the online reader read it to your class. The link has illustrations. The reading is about 12 minutes.
Click to open
Written by D. Mock © Davis School District Farmington, UT

4. Major Characters Trisha Brother Grandma
As a class make a T chart for Trisha – one column lists what we know about her as a person and the other column lists how we know it (specific evidence from the story).
Then with partners or in small groups, students make a similar chart for either the brother or the grandma in the story.
At your table discuss how the author developed one of the other characters?
What do you know about the character and how do you know it? (cite specific evidence from the story)
Ask different groups to share one thing on their chart and you can add it to the class chart if you want to.
Written by D. Mock © Davis School District Farmington, UT

5. What are the Important Elements of Personal Narrative?
Character Setting Situation (may or may not have a problem) Events Solution
We’ve talked about the characters. Let’s think about how else we learned more about them in the story.
Written by D. Mock © Davis School District Farmington, UT

6. Older brother is better at everything
Problem
Does the problem itself reveal anything about the characters?
Older brother is better at everything
Written by D. Mock © Davis School District Farmington, UT

7. Events Blueberries Rhubarb Wishing Star Carnival
The author told mini-stories or anecdotes to help describe the characters. She showed how they are, not just told us about them.
Explain how in the quick blueberry story, the girl describes her brother through his actions.
How did each experience help us understand the characters more fully? (discuss)
Assign groups to discuss one of the other anecdotes (rhubarb, wishing star, carnival) in the story and discuss how the anecdote helped develop the characters.
Written by D. Mock © Davis School District Farmington, UT

8. Resolution How was the problem resolved?
What was the conclusion or ending?
Written by D. Mock © Davis School District Farmington, UT

9. Look at your list Funny Important Emotional Unforgettable
Check your list for ideas for a situation to write about. It can be one about you, a family member, things that have happened, or simply something unforgettable that you learned through an experience.
Written by D. Mock © Davis School District Farmington, UT

10. Think About Your Character(s)
confused
adorable
disgusting
grumpy
fearless
curious
The most important thing to focus on today is how you describe your character(s) through descriptive words and through examples of their behavior. So choose a character from situation you have chosen and make a list of words or actions that will help us get to know that character. You may want to choose words that describe the character as he/she is in this particular situation.
Give students about 5 minutes to make a list of words and examples.
messy
kind
elderly
handsome
Written by D. Mock © Davis School District Farmington, UT

11. Quick Write We will look closely at your character description
Try to include all of the personal narrative elements
Character(s)
Setting
Situation (may or may not include a problem)
Events
Resolution
We will look closely at your character description
You will have 10 minutes to write this personal narrative. You have your idea for a situation and you have made a list of words and/or actions that you can use to develop at least one of the characters.
The most important thing to focus on today is how you describe your character(s) through descriptive words and through examples of their behavior.
We will share when we are done.
Written by D. Mock © Davis School District Farmington, UT

12. Highlight Your Character Description
George stomped grumpily into the room.
His curly red hair bounced with each step.
When the 10 minutes are up, have students underline wherever they described a character with descriptive words or by showing their behavior. Walk around and visually confirm they have highlighted or underlined sentences or words that describe a character in their narrative.
Written by D. Mock © Davis School District Farmington, UT

13. Share Share with a partner or small group
A few students will share with the whole class
Small Group or Partner Share (5 minutes)
Class Share of Character Descriptions (5 minutes)
This is the end of this lesson. Your students will need multiple opportunities to work on developing characters.
Written by D. Mock © Davis School District Farmington, UT