Understanding Characters in a Story
Understanding Characters in a Story Objective: Students will be able to identify characters in a story and describe their roles to demonstrate comprehension of key details.
Learning Objectives
- Identify the main characters in a story.
- Describe what the characters do or how they feel.
- Understand that characters have roles that help tell the story.
Materials Needed
- A simple picture book or story appropriate for Kindergarten (e.g., ‘The Very Hungry Caterpillar’ by Eric Carle)
- Paper and crayons or markers
- Character flashcards (optional)
Key Vocabulary
- Character
- A person, animal, or figure in a story.
- Story
- A group of events told to entertain or teach.
- Role
- The part a character plays in the story.
Detailed Activities
Read-Aloud and Character Identification
- Read the chosen picture book aloud with your child, showing the pictures clearly.
- Pause during the story to ask, ‘Who is this?’ pointing to characters in the pictures.
- Discuss what each character is doing or feeling at that moment in the story.
Drawing and Describing Characters
- Invite your child to draw their favorite character from the story on a piece of paper.
- Ask your child to describe their drawing and tell what the character did in the story.
- Write down your child’s description near their drawing to reinforce the connection.
Parent & Instructor Notes
- Keep the reading session interactive by asking questions to encourage your child’s thinking about the characters.
- Use simple language and give examples to help your child understand what a character is.
- Encourage your child to express their thoughts freely and praise their efforts to build confidence.
Assessment Questions
- Can you tell me the name of a character in the story?
- What did the character do in the story?
- How did the character feel at the beginning or end of the story?
Extension Ideas
- Act out parts of the story together, taking turns playing different characters.
- Create simple puppets or masks for the characters and retell the story using them.
- Read another story and compare the characters with those from the first story.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can repeat the names several times during reading and point to the characters in the pictures to reinforce recognition.
Use different voices for characters, ask open-ended questions, and encourage your child to predict what might happen next.
Teacher’s Guide
Common Misconceptions:
- Children might confuse characters with the narrator or real people.
- They may focus only on the pictures without linking them to the story details.
Scaffolding Ideas:
For Struggling Students:
- Use stories with very clear and simple characters and repetitive language.
- Incorporate more visuals like character flashcards to support understanding.
For Advanced Students:
- Encourage describing characters’ feelings and motivations.
- Ask your child to predict what a character might do next or how they might feel in a new situation.
Pacing Recommendations:
- Allow time for discussion after reading to ensure comprehension.
- Keep activities short and focused to match young learners’ attention spans.
- Repeat the lesson over several days if needed, using different stories.
Standards
- K.RL.7 — With prompting and support, describe the relationship between illustrations and the story in which they appear (e.g., what moment in a story an illustration depicts).
Printable Worksheet
Plan Your Own Lesson
Looking for a custom lesson plan? Try our Lesson Planning Generator — create standards-based plans for any topic, instantly!
Common Core Aligned Lesson Plans
Looking for another common core lesson? See all of the lesson plans here.
More Free Lesson Plans
We’re adding more every week! Check back soon or explore all our lesson plans here.
Leave a Reply