You will learn
- Say what a character is.
- Name the characters in a story.
- Tell what a character does.
- Describe a character with one or two words.
Version 0.2 · expanded edition · built from cited public sources Content is based on the official frameworks and sources listed under Sources and standards. No official endorsement is claimed. Written in the style of common primary school assessments. No exam result is promised.
Student lesson
- Characters are the people or animals in a story.
- A story can have one or more characters.
- What characters do and say shows what they are like.
- We can describe characters with words.
Words to know
a person or animal in a story
the most important character
tell what someone is like
nice to others
1. Discover: Ama and the ant
Ama saw an ant. The ant had a big crumb. “Can I help you?” asked Ama. “Yes, please,” said the ant. Ama carried the crumb to the ant’s home. The ant waved. “Thank you, kind Ama!”
Think: Who is in this story?
2. Understand: Story characters
Idea 1: Who is in the story?
The people or animals in a story are the characters. In this story the characters are Ama and the ant.
Idea 2: Main character
The main character is the one the story is mostly about. Ama is the main character.
Idea 3: What are they like?
What a character does and says shows what they are like. Ama helped the ant, so Ama is kind.
3. Worked examples
Example 1 (I show you): Name the characters
Who is in the story?
- Look for people or animals.
- List them.
Answer: Ama and the ant
Example 2 (We do it together): Main character
Who is the story mostly about?
- Who does the most?
- Who is named?
Answer: Ama
Example 3 (You try): Describe
What is Ama like?
Show the steps and answer
- What does Ama do?
- She helps.
Answer: kind
Did you know?
Some stories have characters that are not people or animals, such as talking trees or toys.
Why this matters
Knowing the characters helps us follow a story and understand why things happen.
4. Explore: Character cards
Make character cards.
- Draw a character from a story.
- Write the name.
- Write one word that tells what they are like.
- Share with a partner.
Think about it: what did you notice?
You can describe characters with words.
5. Practise
Say it in a sentence
Use these starters when you talk about the lesson. Say them out loud.
- The characters are ___.
- The main character is ___.
- ___ is ___ because ___.
- ___ does ___.
Guided practice
Question 1. Who are the characters?
Ama and the ant
Question 2. Who is the main character?
Ama
Question 3. What is Ama like?
kind
Independent practice
Level 1: Start
- Who found a crumb?
- Who helped the ant?
- A character is a ___ or animal.
- Is Ama kind or unkind?
- What did the ant say to Ama?
Level 2: Grow
- Name a character in a story you know.
- What did Ama carry?
- What is the ant like?
Level 3: Stretch
- Describe a character in two words.
- How do we know what a character is like?
- Kofi says the ant is the main character. Is he right?
Answers are in the answer key below. Try first, then check.
6. Apply: English in everyday life
Tell a family member about a character from a story or cartoon.
Show a sample answer
Bear is big and kind.
Another one. Draw a character and write one word to describe them.
Show a sample answer
A picture of a lion: brave.
7. Common mistakes
Fix: Animals can be characters too.
Fix: Use what they do and say.
8. Lesson summary and revision card
- I can say what a character is.
- I can name characters.
- I can tell what they do.
- I can describe a character.
9. Check and master
Answer all 14 questions. You will see feedback after each one.
Your result appears here after you answer every question.
10. Key takeaways
- Characters are people or animals in a story.
- The main character is the most important.
- Actions and words show what they are like.
- Describe characters with words.
11. Next lesson
Next lesson: Identifying settings. Keep going with the next idea in this course.
Exam practice
These questions are written in the style of common school and international primary assessments. Try them on your own, without looking back. Then check your answers in the marking guide. The marks are shown in brackets.
- What is a character? [1 mark]
- Who are the characters in the story? [2 marks]
- What is Ama like? Give a reason. [2 marks]
- Who is the main character? [1 mark]
- Explain how we know what a character is like. [3 marks]
Total: 9 marks.
Marking guide and model answers
- a person or animal in a story [1]
- Ama [1]; the ant [1]
- kind [1]; she helped the ant [1]
- Ama [1]
- from what they do [1]; from what they say [1]; example [1]
Score guide: 8 to 9 = secure. 6 to 7 = nearly there, revise the parts you missed. Under 6 = work through the lesson again with a grown-up.
Printable worksheet
- Characters are people or ___.
- The main character is ___.
- The other character is the ___.
- Ama is ___.
- What did the ant carry?
- What did Ama carry?
- True or false: animals can be characters.
- True or false: only people are characters.
- Draw a character.
- Describe a character you know.
Homework
Name three characters from stories you know and say what each one is like.
Answer key and marking scheme
| Question | Expected response | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Characters are people or ___. | animals | 1 |
| 2. The main character is ___. | Ama | 1 |
| 3. The other character is the ___. | ant | 1 |
| 4. Ama is ___. | kind | 1 |
| 5. What did the ant carry? | a crumb | 1 |
| 6. What did Ama carry? | the crumb | 1 |
| 7. True or false: animals can be characters. | true | 1 |
| 8. True or false: only people are characters. | false | 1 |
| 9. Draw a character. | a suitable drawing | 1 |
| 10. Describe a character you know. | a valid description | 1 |
| Total | 10 |
Independent practice answers. Level 1: 1 the ant; 2 Ama; 3 person; 4 kind; 5 Thank you. Level 2: 1 a valid character; 2 the crumb; 3 polite or thankful. Level 3: 1 two describing words; 2 from what they do and say; 3 no, Ama is the main character.
Quiz answers: 1 B, 2 C, 3 A, 4 B, 5 C, 6 A, 7 B, 8 C, 9 A, 10 B, 11 C, 12 A, Challenge 1 B, Challenge 2 C.
Mastery and remediation
| Objective | Bronze (Developing) | Silver (Proficient) | Gold (Advanced) |
|---|---|---|---|
| O1 Say what a character is | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O2 Name the characters in a story | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O3 Tell what a character does | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O4 Describe a character with one or two words | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
Courseversity badge thresholds (overall quiz score): Gold = 90–100%; Silver = 80–89.9%; Bronze = 70–79.9%. A badge is never a full record of progress.
If a learner struggles
- Find the misconception: Forgetting the animal characters. Animals can be characters too.
- Explain another way: use real objects, pictures or actions first, then words.
- Show a simpler example: Use pictures of the characters.
- Guided practice: work through one example together and let the learner try the next one.
- Reassess: use the quiz again or the worksheet.
- Move on when the learner shows Silver-level evidence independently.
For parents and guardians
In this lesson your child learns to say who is in a story and what they are like. You do not need to be an expert to help.
- Ask who is in the story.
- Ask what they are like.
- Talk about favourite characters.
- Ask “how do you know?” after each answer, and listen.
- Praise effort, not only right answers. Mistakes are how we learn.
- Ten to fifteen minutes a day is better than one long session.
Teacher package
1–5. Objectives, prerequisites, materials, preparation, duration
Lesson objectives. Learners will: say what a character is; name the characters in a story; tell what a character does; describe a character with one or two words.
Prerequisite knowledge. Understanding story events.
Materials. Chart paper or board, pencils, picture or word cards, a reading book if available. Low-resource options: use chalk or charcoal on a board or wall, drawings in the sand, and objects from the classroom instead of printed materials.
Preparation. Write the key words and examples on the board or on cards before the lesson.
Suggested duration. 45–60 minutes. It can be split into two shorter sessions.
6–9. Teaching procedure, explanation notes, guided and independent activities
Introduction (5 min). Read the Ama and the ant story and ask who is in it.
Explanation (10 min). Teach characters and the main character.
Guided activity (10 min). Practise with character cards.
Independent activity (10 min). Learners share their cards.
Assessment and reflection (5 min). Ask each learner to say one thing they learned and how they know it.
Key questions. Who is in the story? What are they like? How do you know?
Teacher explanation notes. Move from the spoken word to pictures and then to print. Read aloud often, point to the words, and let learners hear and say before they read and write.
10–12. Differentiation, formative assessment, common misconceptions
Support. Use pictures and two characters. Extension. Compare characters in two stories.
Formative assessment. Listen to learners read and explain, ask “how do you know?”, and check the independent work.
Misconceptions. Forgetting the animal characters. Animals can be characters too.
13–15. Assessment questions, answer keys, marking scheme
Use the quiz, the 9-mark exam practice and the worksheet on this page. All answers and marking guides are in the answer sections above. Re-check every answer before use.
16–19. Remediation, enrichment, homework, teacher reflection
Remediation. Use pictures of the characters. Enrichment. Compare two characters from different stories. Homework. See above.
Teacher reflection. After teaching, record: which ideas learners understood; which misconceptions occurred; which activities worked; which learners need more practice; and what to improve next time.
Sources and standards
This lesson is based on the sources below, and no official endorsement is claimed. Reference starting points: Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts, Cambridge Primary and the IB Primary Years Programme. Where a standard code is named, it points to the official framework.
Official standards for this topic area. Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts (official site): Grade 1 » Reading: Foundational Skills; Grade 1 » Reading: Literature; Grade 1 » Reading: Informational Text. These pages list the standards that cover this topic area; read them alongside the lesson.
Research used to shape this lesson. Common Core RL.1.3 (describe characters, settings, and major events in a story, using key details) and RL.1.1; IES What Works Clearinghouse practice guide Improving Reading Comprehension in Kindergarten Through 3rd Grade; Cambridge Primary English Stage 1 (reading comprehension). These sources informed the lesson.