Craft Lesson #1: Character Change Continuum

Materials: Miracle’s Boys by Jacqueline Woodson

Discussion: Students will receive direct instruction of strategies for comprehension and therefore become aware of the process and exhibit self-directed character analysis. Using a visual structure, students will learn how to pinpoint character change and track character growth and development.

How to teach it: I would ask the students to define “character” in their own words in small groups. Then we would discuss the idea that a character can be any person or being that exists in any work of art. I would provide a definition for characterization and tell how this process can reveal information through a variety of ways including speech, thoughts, effect on others toward the character, actions, and looks (STEAL).
Next we will create a character continuum, plotting 7-9 entries that detail a particular character’s development on a linear diagram. We will use this as a model and the students will then create a character continuum of their own. They will select a character of their choice and will focus on one aspect of the character’s growth to evaluate.
Students will then discuss their continuum and notice points of similarity and difference. They will edit their continuum if necessary with the help of their peers and teacher guidance. The quality of the continuum will demonstrate the students’ understanding of character change as well as the methods used by the author to reveal information about each character.
If necessary, further instruction on this topic would include a verbal or written explanation of the continuum by each student or a comparison of the character to another character from a previously studied text.

Bibliographic Information of Resource Text:
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/character