This is an outstanding 11 page unit that support the Following Characters into Meaning Reader's Workshop Unit. It is an entire unit of reading skills that can be used by any 5th-8th grade student during a course of study on characters. The resource begins as a tic-tac-toe menu of 9 unique reading skills that discuss character. Reading skill titles include:
This video shows the unit in more detail. copy/paste link
Objects that Reveal Characters
Making Personal Connections to Characters
Using Precise Language to Describe Characters.
Finding Motifs in your Story
Making Connection to Characters across Literature
Seeing Characters through the Eyes of Others
Acting out of Character
Character’s Motivations and Struggles
The idea is that the teacher models these skills using the class read-aloud and then students practice the skills independently using their independent reading books. Students can select the best 5 or 6 skills that suits their book. Pages are created for note taking and spaces for students to record their thinking. Students would be expected to work through the unit towards the creation of the final project - a presentation of their character in a a speech type setting - this additional resource is also provided. This is NOT a book report unit. Citing evidence is a key component of CCSS. This units forces students to cite evidence from their stories and go further by interpreting this evidence in preparation for their final class presentations. This is perfect for getting students to truly think 'deeper' about characters. Advanced 4th grade readers could easily use this unit too. As the reading skills are generic, they are applicable across the 5th-8th grade age range as the complexity of the novels used create natural differentiation. This unit is a must for any study of characters!