Character TraitsCharacter TraitsObjective: I can analyze how a character’s

traits influence that characters actionsObjective: I can analyze how a character’s

traits influence that characters actions

Essential QuestionsEssential Questions

What is a character trait?

How are internal and external traits different?

How do character traits influence actions?

What are traits?What are traits?

Take a couple of seconds to think about the main character in the current book you are reading.

What types of traits do you believe your character has?

How do you know their trait by their actions in the story?

Character TraitCharacter Trait

A character trait is a characteristic or quality of a character that describes the character.

External Character Traits

External Character Traits

External character traits are traits that you can see and describe what a character looks like.

red hair

glasses

blond hair

spiked hair

short hair

Internal Character Traits

Internal Character Traits

Internal character traits are traits that describe the way a character acts.

Can you guess the traits for these characters?

How Traits Influence Actions?

How Traits Influence Actions?

• Traits can influence a characters actions.

• When reading a passage it is important to pay very close attention to how a character acts. The way they act will tell you what trait best describes them.

Pay close attention to how the characters actions give us a clue about his traits

Pay close attention to how the characters actions give us a clue about his traits

http://player.discoveryeducation.com/index.cfm?guidAssetId=9BA6ADF8-146D-4421-BDD2-21B75575B1FA&blnFromSearch=1&productcode=US

Get your slates out! Get your slates out!

Read the passages carefully and choose the trait that best answers the question.

• After school on a winter day, Justin was putting his coat away in the closet.When he looked up he saw a shiny piece red paper. As he reached up to grab it he realized it was a gift. To his surprise his name was on the package! Justin knew it was only three more days until he could open it but he could not wait! He carefully opened the package to take a peek. After the excitement of seeing his new toy he carefully rewrapped the package and put it away.

• What trait best describes Justin?

• a. impatient b. thoughtful c. respectful

• What part from the story best depicts this trait?

• a. Justin reached up and to his surprise saw his name on the package!

• b. Justin knew it was only three more days until he could open the gift but he could not wait!

• c. He carefully rewrapped the package and put it away.

• Lisa was in a nervous looking through her desk for the missing sheet that she remembers she turned in. She was having so much trouble because there were stacks and stack of papers stuffed into the depths of her desk. She then decided to look through her backpack which was not any better than her desk. As she unzipped her bag mountains of paper came flying out.

• What character trait best describes Lisa?

• a. patient b.unorganized c. forgetful

• On your whiteboard write clue words that help identify this trait?

• Nick was very excited to see his report card. He knew that he always worked very hard and turned in all of his work. His parents never had to ask him to do his homework. He also never had missing work because he always remembered to turn it in.

• What character trait best describes Nick?

• a. busy b. respectful c. responsible

• What sentence best describes this trait?

• a. Nick is really smart.

• b. Nick was very excited to see his report card.

• c. He knew that he always worked very hard and turned in all of his homework.

ClosureClosure

On your slates write down things you should look for in the text to help you find a character’s trait.