Understanding Character Traits and Motivations in Stories
Understanding Character Traits and Motivations in Stories Objective: Students will be able to describe how a character’s actions and motivations contribute to the sequence of events in a story.
Learning Objectives
- Identify main characters in a story.
- Explain why a character acts in a certain way based on their motivation.
- Retell the events of a story in the order they happened.
Materials Needed
- A short story or picture book appropriate for 6-year-olds (e.g., ‘Frog and Toad Are Friends’ by Arnold Lobel)
- Paper and crayons or colored pencils
- Chart paper or whiteboard
- Markers
Key Vocabulary
- Character
- A person, animal, or figure in a story.
- Motivation
- The reason why a character does something.
- Sequence
- The order in which events happen.
Detailed Activities
Read and Discuss the Story
- Read the chosen story aloud to your child, showing the pictures and pausing to ask simple questions.
- Ask your child who the main characters are and what they do in the story.
- Discuss why the characters made certain choices or acted the way they did.
Draw and Describe a Character
- Have your child draw their favorite character from the story.
- Ask them to tell you why the character did something important in the story and write a simple sentence about it.
- Display the drawing and sentence on a wall or fridge as a reminder.
Sequence the Story Events
- Help your child retell the story by listing three to five important events in order.
- Write these events on chart paper or a whiteboard in sequence.
- Have your child use their own words to explain how the character’s actions caused these events.
Parent & Instructor Notes
- This lesson focuses on understanding characters and why they act the way they do, which helps children comprehend stories better.
- Encourage your child to express their thoughts naturally; there are no right or wrong answers when talking about motivations.
- You can use any simple story your child enjoys; the key is to talk about character actions and motivations clearly.
Assessment Questions
- Who is the main character in the story?
- Why did the character do what they did? What was their reason or motivation?
- Can you tell me what happened first, next, and last in the story?
Extension Ideas
- Have your child act out a scene from the story to explore character motivations through role play.
- Create a simple comic strip with your child showing the sequence of events and character actions.
- Read another story and compare how characters in both stories act for different reasons.
Frequently Asked Questions
Try relating the character’s motivation to your child’s experiences, like wanting to share toys or feeling happy when helping a friend.
Use stories with lots of pictures or listen to an audiobook together, then talk about the characters and their actions.
Teacher’s Guide
Common Misconceptions:
- Children may think characters always act without reason; emphasize motivations behind actions.
- Students might confuse the sequence of events, so use visual aids to reinforce order.
Scaffolding Ideas:
For Struggling Students:
- Use picture cards to represent events and characters for easier sequencing.
- Limit the number of events to retell to three key moments.
For Advanced Students:
- Encourage your child to predict what might happen next based on a character’s motivation.
- Have your child write a short story focusing on character motivation and sequence.
Pacing Recommendations:
- Spend about 15 minutes reading and discussing the story.
- Take 10 minutes for the drawing and description activity.
- Use the remaining 20 minutes to sequence events and review character motivations.
Standards
- 6.RL.3 — Describe how a particular story’s or drama’s plot unfolds in a series of episodes as well as how the characters respond or change as the plot moves toward a resolution.
Printable Worksheet
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