A Deep Study of Character
                                                                     By:  Jeff Henderson

Project at a Glance :

This project is designed for 6th grade ELA students, based on the Lucy Calkin's character traits unit.  Students will identify various character traits in literature and define characters by their actions and dialogue.

 Driving Question:

How can students identify and understand the various and unique traits of characters in literature?           

Standards:

• Skills4Success:  Communication, Collaboration, Research and Investigation, and  Critical Thinking &Problem Solving

Team / Culture Building:

• Student skill/interest inventory
• Use the Creative DNA protocol to group students with varied strengths.

Entry Event:

• Pains/Gains chart: Discuss and respond to the pains and gains of being a reader and understanding characters in literature.

Stakeholders:

• Students
• Teachers
• Families

Empathy Building:

• Create Empathy Maps - around understanding the rigor of reading and uncovering the traits of characters in literature.

Inquiry / Need to Knows:

• Students will analyze the reasons some books are more beloved than others - because of the way traits are easily understood and compare favorite books/authors/series.
• Through investigation of sources (books) students will discuss and develop an understanding of how to discover the traits of characters in literature.​

Incubation:

• Students will naturally, and by suggestion (peers/teachers) make connections to other books, movies, and media that provide an opportunity to understand what constitutes particular traits in characters.
• NUF test
• Idea Quota
• Brainwriting
• Analyzing Analogies​​

Checking in:

• Checking in will be daily and also at random points. There will be formal points of conferring with individuals and groups, as well as informal checks and observation.
• The students will have checklist and forms for responding to characters and their traits. Students will use these to share out what they discover about the traits of characters.

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Solution Building:

• To identify traits in characters, students must first identify what types of traits there are and how they are identified through character’s actions. 
• Students will use common novels and stories they are familiar with to identify traits of characters.

Critique and Revision: 

• Students will confer and collaborate with others about scenes from literature to identify multiple traits in characters.
• Students will get feedback on their ideas through Zoom meetings with authors, peer editing, and teacher feedback.​

Authentic Audience:

• Classmates

Final Presentation:

• Elevator pitch
• Practice with group members, then pitch to class.
• Final solution: prove to others using textual evidence, the various traits of a character from a story.
• Slideshow demonstration/Flowchart/pictorial display/video​

Click here for teacher's full plan.

​Reflection and Feedback:

• Teacher will provide a form that the students will use for feedback, critique, and their plans for revision. This will also be used student-student for critique and revision.Peer to Peer Editing Doc
• The students will have an opportunity to reflect using a formative assessment activity as a written piece. ​​

Click here for the teacher's Journey through PBL on Padlet . . .

Meet the Educator:
​
Jeff Henderson has taught for 35 years, 14 years at the elementary level and 21 years in middle school teaching ELA for Hudsonville Publlic Schools.

     "I have been involved with I ChallengeUth and futurePREP'd for about 5 years now. I am thrilled to be part of a team of
teachers and leaders who find PBL strategies in order to engage students in life-changing activities!"