You will learn
- Tell what a character does and says.
- Say how a character feels.
- Give a reason for what a character does.
- Compare two characters.
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 do and say things.
- Their actions show feelings.
- We can ask why they do things.
- We can compare characters.
Words to know
a person or animal in a story
an emotion
why something happens
tell how things are alike and different
1. Discover: Brave Tolu
Tolu saw a kitten stuck up a tree. The kitten cried. Tolu’s heart beat fast because the tree was tall. But Tolu climbed up slowly, held the kitten and climbed down. “You are safe,” said Tolu. The kitten purred.
Think: What kind of person is Tolu?
2. Understand: Understanding characters
Idea 1: What they do and say
Look at what a character does and says. Tolu climbs the tree and speaks gently. That shows she is brave and kind.
Idea 2: How they feel
Feelings show in what they do. Tolu’s heart beats fast, so she feels scared, but she is also brave because she helps anyway.
Idea 3: Why
Ask: why did she do that? Tolu climbed because the kitten needed help.
3. Worked examples
Example 1 (I show you): What does she do?
What does Tolu do?
- Read the story.
- Find the actions.
Answer: She climbs the tree and brings down the kitten.
Example 2 (We do it together): How does she feel?
How does Tolu feel at first?
- Her heart beats fast.
- The tree is tall.
Answer: scared
Example 3 (You try): What is she like?
What word describes Tolu?
Show the steps and answer
- She helps even when scared.
- Find a word.
Answer: brave
Did you know?
Authors show what characters are like by what they do, not just by telling us.
Why this matters
Understanding characters helps you enjoy stories and understand people.
4. Explore: Character web
Make a character web.
- Draw the character in the middle.
- Write what they do around them.
- Write how they feel.
- Write what they are like.
Think about it: what did you notice?
You can show a character with words and pictures.
5. Practise
Say it in a sentence
Use these starters when you talk about the lesson. Say them out loud.
- ___ is ___ because ___.
- ___ feels ___ when ___.
- ___ does ___ because ___.
- ___ and ___ are alike because ___.
Guided practice
Question 1. What does Tolu do?
climbs the tree
Question 2. How does Tolu feel at first?
scared
Question 3. What is Tolu like?
brave
Independent practice
Level 1: Start
- Who is stuck up the tree?
- Who helps?
- How does the kitten feel at the end?
- Tolu is ___ and kind.
- We learn about characters from what they ___.
Level 2: Grow
- Why did Tolu climb the tree?
- What did Tolu say to the kitten?
- How is Tolu different from the kitten?
Level 3: Stretch
- Describe a character you know in two sentences.
- How can we tell what a character is like?
- Ayo says Tolu is unkind. 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 you like and why.
Show a sample answer
I like the clever hen because she is clever.
Another one. Draw a character web for a character you know.
Show a sample answer
A web for Tolu.
7. Common mistakes
Fix: Use what they do and say.
Fix: Say how they feel.
8. Lesson summary and revision card
- I can tell what a character does.
- I can say how they feel.
- I can say why they act.
- I can compare characters.
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 do and say things.
- Actions show feelings.
- Ask why they act.
- Compare characters.
11. Next lesson
Next lesson: Story 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 does Tolu do in the story? [1 mark]
- How does Tolu feel at first? [1 mark]
- What is Tolu like? Give a reason. [2 marks]
- Why did Tolu climb the tree? [1 mark]
- Explain how we learn what a character is like. [3 marks]
Total: 8 marks.
Marking guide and model answers
- climbs the tree and helps the kitten [1]
- scared [1]
- brave [1]; she climbed even though scared [1]
- the kitten needed help [1]
- from what they do [1]; from what they say [1]; from how they feel [1]
Score guide: 7 to 8 = secure. 5 to 6 = nearly there, revise the parts you missed. Under 5 = work through the lesson again with a grown-up.
Printable worksheet
- Tolu helps a ___.
- Tolu is ___.
- At first Tolu feels ___.
- The kitten feels ___ at the end.
- Why did Tolu climb?
- True or false: we learn about characters from what they do.
- True or false: Tolu is unkind.
- Draw a character.
- Describe a character in one sentence.
- Make a character web.
Homework
Tell a family member about a character from a story you know and what they are like.
Answer key and marking scheme
| Question | Expected response | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Tolu helps a ___. | kitten | 1 |
| 2. Tolu is ___. | brave | 1 |
| 3. At first Tolu feels ___. | scared | 1 |
| 4. The kitten feels ___ at the end. | safe | 1 |
| 5. Why did Tolu climb? | the kitten needed help | 1 |
| 6. True or false: we learn about characters from what they do. | true | 1 |
| 7. True or false: Tolu is unkind. | false | 1 |
| 8. Draw a character. | a drawing | 1 |
| 9. Describe a character in one sentence. | a valid sentence | 1 |
| 10. Make a character web. | a web | 1 |
| Total | 10 |
Independent practice answers. Level 1: 1 a kitten; 2 Tolu; 3 happy and safe; 4 brave; 5 do and say. Level 2: 1 the kitten needed help; 2 You are safe; 3 Tolu is a girl and the kitten is an animal. Level 3: 1 two sentences; 2 from their actions and words; 3 no, she helps the kitten.
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 Tell what a character does and says | 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 Say how a character feels | 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 Give a reason for 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 Compare two characters | 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: Describing a character without proof. Use what they do and say.
- Explain another way: use real objects, pictures or actions first, then words.
- Show a simpler example: Use pictures of characters and feelings.
- 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 thinks about what story characters are like. You do not need to be an expert to help.
- Ask: what is the character like?
- Talk about feelings.
- Share your 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: tell what a character does and says; say how a character feels; give a reason for what a character does; compare two characters.
Prerequisite knowledge. Simple poems.
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 Tolu story aloud.
Explanation (10 min). Teach what characters do, feel and why.
Guided activity (10 min). Practise character web.
Independent activity (10 min). Learners share their webs.
Assessment and reflection (5 min). Ask each learner to say one thing they learned and how they know it.
Key questions. What does the character do? How do they feel? Why?
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 word cards. Extension. Compare two characters.
Formative assessment. Listen to learners read and explain, ask “how do you know?”, and check the independent work.
Misconceptions. Describing a character without proof. Use what they do and say.
13–15. Assessment questions, answer keys, marking scheme
Use the quiz, the 8-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 characters and feelings. 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: Literature. 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.1.9; Cambridge Primary English Stage 1 (reading stories and characters). These sources informed the lesson.