Understanding Characters and Their Feelings in Stories
Understanding Characters and Their Feelings in Stories Objective: Students will be able to identify characters in a story and describe their feelings using details from the text and illustrations.
Learning Objectives
- Students will listen to and discuss a story read aloud.
- Students will identify characters in the story.
- Students will describe how characters feel at different points in the story using evidence from pictures and words.
Materials Needed
- A picture book appropriate for Kindergarten (e.g., ‘The Very Hungry Caterpillar’ by Eric Carle)
- Paper and crayons or markers
- Character feeling chart (happy, sad, angry, surprised with simple faces)
Key Vocabulary
- Character
- A person, animal, or figure in a story.
- Feeling
- An emotion like happy, sad, or angry that someone can have.
- Illustration
- A picture in a book that helps tell the story.
Detailed Activities
Read Aloud and Discuss
- Read the chosen picture book aloud to the student slowly and with expression.
- Pause occasionally to ask questions about who the characters are and how they might be feeling.
- Use the character feeling chart to help explain different emotions.
Character Feeling Drawing
- Ask the student to choose their favorite character from the story.
- Have the student draw the character and then draw a face showing how the character felt in one part of the story.
- Encourage the student to explain why they think the character felt that way using words or pointing to pictures in the book.
Review and Share
- Review the drawings together and talk about the different feelings characters had.
- Ask the student to retell a simple part of the story focusing on the character’s feelings.
Parent & Instructor Notes
- This lesson is designed to help your child understand feelings and character traits through stories.
- Reading with expression and asking questions helps children think about characters more deeply.
- Encourage your child to use both pictures and words to describe feelings, making connections to their own experiences if possible.
Assessment Questions
- Who is a character in the story?
- How did the character feel in the story? Can you show me a picture or tell me a word that shows that feeling?
- What made the character feel that way?
Extension Ideas
- Read another story and repeat the activity to compare characters’ feelings.
- Create a feeling chart with your child and add new feeling words as they learn them.
- Act out parts of the story showing different feelings to help deepen understanding.
Frequently Asked Questions
That’s okay! Try using pictures and simple words first to help your child express feelings without pressure. Over time, they may feel more comfortable sharing.
Pick a picture book with clear, simple illustrations and a straightforward story about characters with emotions. Books with repetitive phrases or predictable plots work well.
You can do this once or twice a week. Regular reading and talking about characters’ feelings will help your child understand stories better.
Teacher’s Guide
Common Misconceptions:
- Children may confuse the character’s feelings with their own feelings; clarify by discussing the story context.
- Students might focus only on the illustrations and ignore the text; encourage using both for clues about feelings.
Scaffolding Ideas:
For Struggling Students:
- Use more visual aids like emotion cards or faces.
- Limit the story to shorter books or fewer characters to avoid confusion.
- Repeat key questions and give more time to respond.
For Advanced Students:
- Ask them to describe multiple feelings a character might have during the story.
- Encourage them to predict how the character might feel in a new situation.
- Have them retell the story using their own words focusing on feelings.
Pacing Recommendations:
- Spend about 15 minutes reading and discussing the story to keep attention focused.
- Allow 15 minutes for the drawing and explanation activity, giving enough time for creative expression.
- Use the final 15 minutes for review and sharing to reinforce learning and provide positive feedback.
Standards
- K.RL.3 — undefined
Printable Worksheet
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