Minilesson:� Character Development
Allyson R. Purser
��������� The purpose of this minilesson is to
help students understand the importance of character development in popular
writing and in their own writing.
National Standards
for English Language Arts
Competency Goal
5:� The learner will respond to
various literary genres using interpretive and evaluative processes.
Objective
5.01:� Increase fluency,
comprehension, and insight through a meaningful and comprehensive reading
program by reading literature and other materials selected by the
teacher�analyzing the effects of elements such as� characterization�
Time
Approximately
20-25 minutes
Materials
�
Copy
of Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli
�
Paper
and pencil
��������� �Today, I�d like you to take the first
ten minutes of class to describe a moment in time with one of your favorite
people.� This could be your best friend,
grandmother, father, or someone else.�
Describe that person as best you can.�
Write as much as you can in the time limitations.�
(Read
aloud excerpt from Stargirl
or some other novel that illustrates strong character development.)�
�In
your journal, write in the margins three things that you thought made this
character unique.� Now, highlight or
circle a few places in your own piece that you think need some reworking in
terms of character development.�
�In
your table groups, I�d like for you to take two minutes to talk about one of
the questions that I assign your group.��
(How did the author help the reader get to know the character?� How did your picture or understanding of the
character change from the first sentence to the last?� What techniques did the writer use to develop
this character?� How could you use some
of these same techniques in your own writing?)�
�Now, let�s hear what your groups came up with as answers.�
��������� �These questions will be on a poster
on the wall for the rest of the year.�
I�d like for you to use these when you�re working on character
development in writing workshop, whether it�s a fiction or non-fiction
piece.� You can get into your writing
workshop mode and begin reworking the piece you started at the beginning of
class.�
��������� To follow this mini-lesson, the
questions about character development should be posted in the classroom for
students to refer to throughout the year in reading and writing workshop.� Other novels could be assessed using these
questions, and could help students decide whether or not a book is for them
depending on how strong the character development might be.� Students should use their knowledge of
character development gained from this mini-lesson to create more vivid
characters in their own writing.
Stargirl excerpt:
�She was elusive.� She was today.� She was tomorrow.� She was the faintest scent of a cactus
flower, the flitting shadow of an elf owl.�
We did not know what to make of her.�
In our minds we tried to pin her to a corkboard like a butterfly, but
the pin merely went through and away she flew.�
~ Jerry Spinelli