Inferring Character Traits

Grade: 4

Created By: Debbie Parker and Victorie Penn, Georgia Southern M.Ed. Students

Location: Elementary School, Georgia

Library Context:
Fixed
Stand-Alone Lesson

Collaboration Continuum:
Moderate

AASL Standards For The 21st-Century Learner

Skills Indicator(s):
2.1.2- Organize knowledge so that it is useful.
2.1.3- Use strategies to draw conclusions from information and apply knowledge
to curricular areas, real-world situations, and further investigations.

Benchmark(s): Identifying and providing evidence of character traits in a passage.

Dispositions Indicator(s):
3.2.2- Show social responsibility by participating actively with others in learning
situations and by contributing questions and ideas during group discussions.

Responsibilities Indicator(s):
1.3.4- Contribute to the exchange of ideas within the learning community.
2.1.4- Use technology and other information tools to analyze and organize
information.

Self-Assessment Strategies Indicator(s):

3.4.2- Assess the quality and effectiveness of the learning product.

Scenario: The SLMS and the fourth grade reading teacher will work together to teach
this lesson. The fourth graders will take their iPads and go with the teacher to the media
center. The objective of the lesson is reviewed with the students: At the conclusion of
the lesson, students will create and share a character trait Wordle with their group using
evidence from the text.

The teacher will assist the SLMS in reviewing the final product, inferencing skills, and
character traits using a flipchart. The teacher and SLMS will explain that students will be
making inferences about a character in a story, based on their thoughts, feelings,
actions, and/or relationships.

The SLMS will conduct a quick refresher on the use of Wordle, since students will be
familiar with Wordle from a previous lesson. Students will then be divided into groups to
construct a t-chart on the character traits in the passages using text evidence. After
groups have presented their work, students may select a new passage, or one that
another group has completed, to complete their character trait Wordle. The teacher and
SLMS will circulate and offer clarification as needed for both the group and individual
assignments.

Connection To State Standards:

ELAGSE4RL1- Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the
text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.
ELAGSE4RL3- Describe in depth a character, setting, or event in a story or
drama, drawing on specific details in the text (e.g., a characters thoughts, words,
or actions).

Reading Comprehension Strategy: Inferencing

Lesson Objectives: Students will infer character traits.

Overview: In a fourth grade lesson about inferring character traits, students will identify
character traits using text.

Essential Question: What can I infer about a character by examining their thoughts,
actions, and words? Students will answer the essential question by reading and
responding to a variety of passages closely for characterization.

Final Product: This lesson culminates with students sharing textual evidence to infer
character traits using Wordle as a presentation tool.

Library Lesson(s): Students will use the Web 2.0 presentation tool Wordle to create
word clouds that reflect character traits drawn from passages provided by the SLMS.
While students will have their school issued iPads, students without iPads due to repairs
or behavioral concerns will use media center computers. The provided passages are
from books in the media center and are, on average, on the fourth grade students
Lexile ranges.

Estimated Lesson Time: 50 minutes

Assessment

Product- Students will first work in groups to identify character traits using book
excerpts. They will complete a t-chart on chart paper that identifies a character
trait and gives text evidence. Then students will create a character trait Wordle
using an additional book excerpt of their choice. Students will share their
character trait Wordle with their small group and will support their answers with
text evidence.
Process- The teacher and SLMS will observe students in their groups and while
working on their individual projects. Leading questions such as: What character
trait(s) did you find? What text evidence supports that trait? will be asked to guide
student thinking. Sentence stems such as, The character I had was He is
____ because the book says will also be used to guide students in their
presentations.
Student Self-Questioning: Students will use a rubric to self-assess their final
product. The teacher and SLMS will both grade the projects after they have been
completed.

Instructional Plan

Resources Students Will Use:

Websites- wordle.net
Other: Flipchart, book excerpts printed from the flipchart, chart paper, markers,
teacher and student rubrics

Instruction/Activities

Direct Instruction: Students will review the term character trait with a think/pair/share.
The SLMS and teacher will revolve around while students are pairing to monitor and
pre-select appropriate answers. The teacher and SLMS will take turns calling on
students and recording their answers on a flipchart. The SLMS will explain what
character traits and inferences are using a flipchart. Students will echo read the
definitions. The teacher will make additional connections to their classroom learning
(i.e.- Thinking about inferring and character traits helps us better understand what we
are reading.)
Modeling and Guided Practice: The next section of the flipchart provides an
opportunity for the SLMS and teacher to model how to use text evidence (inferences) to
determine character traits using self-talk. Students will then be organized into small
groups to complete the task of identifying character traits using book excerpts from the
flipchart. The groups will complete a t-chart on chart paper that identifies a character
trait and gives text evidence from the book. When groups have finished, they will
present their t-charts to the class. The teacher and SLMS will ask appropriate questions
to lead student thinking such as: What character trait(s) did you find? What text
evidence supports that trait?

Independent Practice: Students will have a choice of picking a new book excerpt or
using another groups to complete a character trait Wordle. The student will type the
inferred character traits into the Wordle and print it out. Then students will need to write
their text evidence on the back of their Wordle.

Sharing and Reflecting: Students will share their Wordle with their small group. The
teacher and SLMS will rotate around to ensure that students are on task and to provide
support with sentence starters for those having difficulty presenting- The character I
had was He is ____ because the book says The students will complete their self-
assessment on the student rubric.

Strategies for Differentiation: Students will have a choice to complete their Wordle
using a book excerpt that another group has already presented. The amount of
character traits that the student must find can also be differentiated. A final option for
differentiation would be to have students work with a partner to complete their project.