Lesson Plan Title : Character Shirts

Age Range: Grade 6 through Grade 8 (Middle School Level)

Overview and Purpose : "Who am I?" A person is more than just their name. What personality traits make a character? This lesson will help students draw as much information as they can from the characters in a story.

Objective: The student will be able to identify specific character traits when reading a story.

Resources:

Large pieces of paper

Markers

Worksheet with t-shirt outlines on it - one for each main character in the story

Activities:

Cut large shirts out of paper and hang them on the wall. Put the name of each character on a shirt. Pass out the worksheets with the t-shirt outlines on them. Have the students label the t-shirts with the names of the main characters. As the students read the story have them list a character's traits on the t-shirt.

When you come together as a class to discuss the story, list on the big t-shirts all the traits the students are able to name. If there appear to be conflicting traits, have the students back up their choices with selections from the text.

Closure:

You can introduce this lesson by asking students to think of at least 10 personality traits that make up who they are. Have them create a paper t-shirt that lists those traits and ask them to share the t-shirts with the class.