Through this activity, students experience the characters’ motivation for the story action by taking on the characters’ roles. Writing from interesting characters’ perspectives inspires students to develop interesting characters.
Strategies/Skills Used
Writing Skill 6: I choose the tone and point of view that suit my writing purpose.
(1) 
Begin exploring characterization with literature selections that introduce students to characters with whom they can connect.
(2) Have students think of a time when they experienced a feeling similar to that of the main character in the story. Provide time for students to talk with a partner and explore connections to the characters’ emotions and experiences. (Here is a list of sample book titles with possible ‘think of a time’ explorations.)
(3) Show students a single picture from the selected story, and have them infer how the character in the story might be feeling. Have students share their inferences with the group, e.g. “My partner and I think _____ because _____.”
(4) Separate the story into “chunks” to provide opportunities for students to discuss character motivations and feelings. As you read aloud, pause after each section and have students speak in the role of the character.
(5) Have students draw and write in role as a story character to retell a portion of the story from that character’s perspective.
Primary
Intermediate
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Secondary
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