British Library
British Library: Dickens's Great Expectations: Social Mobility
This lesson will explore this theme of social mobility through a reading of extracts from Samuel Smiles's Self-Help (1859), the handbook that many young men in 19th-century Britain turned to in seeking advice as to how to better...
British Library
British Library: Dickens's a Christmas Carol: Poverty, Money and Miserliness
In this activity, students will consider the economic and political context that informs Charles Dickens's famous novella, A Christmas Carol.
British Library
British Library: Austen's Emma: Social Realism & the Novel
In the course of the novel's development, Jane Austen was a significant contributor to the emergence of the modern novel as we know it today. The review of Emma in the Quarterly Review (October 1815) makes clear to a modern audience how...
British Library
British Library: Teaching Resources: Milton: Crime & Punishment in Paradise Lost
Through exploring characterization and setting in Paradise Lost, students will reflect on how transgressive actions and their consequences are presented, with particular reference to Books I, II, IX, and X. Included in this instructional...
British Library
British Library: Discovering Literature: Chaucer's 'The Merchant's Tale': Marriage & Relationships
'The Merchant's Tale' can be viewed as one of the 'marriage' tales in Chaucer's "The Canterbury Tales". Students can use this series of activities to explore how Chaucer portrays marriage, men and women, and relationships through the...
City University of New York
Cuny Brooklyn: Literary Terms
Site gives definitions of many literary terms including "characterization."
City University of New York
Cuny: William Makepeace Thackeray's Vanity Fair
Illustrated essays are the primary feature of this site. Includes a number of links to other resources, and a fairly detailed discussion of "Vanity Fair."
National Endowment for the Humanities
Neh: Edsit Ement: Fable and Trickster Tales Around the World
The lessons presented in this website "introduce children to folk tales" and how these folktales are changed and affected by generational and cultural values. Includes several links to further related information on folktales, fables,...
National Endowment for the Humanities
Neh: Edsit Ement:narrative and Persona in the Poetry of Robert Frost
Using Frost's famous poem, "Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening" as an example of narrative poetry, students explore the artistry and significance of the narrative poem. In addition, this lesson plan provides suggestions for writing...
National Endowment for the Humanities
Neh: Edsit Ement:charlotte Perkins Gilman's "The Yellow Wall Paper" Writing Women
A close reading of "The Yellow Wall-paper" employing the analysis of such literary concepts as setting, narrative style, symbol, and characterization. Students will write an essay discussing what the story suggests about middle-class...
PBS
Pbs Learning Media: Nature/national Geographic: Flora's Background and Motivation
Learn about what motivated Flora, a woman from the city, to move to the African bush in this short video from Nature/National Geographic. This is one in a series of three videos about Flora's life. [7:00]
PBS
Pbs: Multiple Methods of Reading Instruction
This article surveys three strategies to incorporate into classroom repertoire. They include guided reading, choral reading, and readers' theater.
Ted Nellen
Cyber English (By Ted Nellen): Fiction: Short Story & Novel Fact Sheet
This is a short story or novel fact sheet offered as a Word document or a PDF. It includes places for title; author; URL; list of important nouns, verbs, phrases, and clauses; setting (includes definition); characterization (including...
Ted Nellen
Cyber English (By Ted Nellen): Characterization
This is a glossary entry for the term "Characterization" including a definition and the characteristics to be developed: Character's appearance, actions, thoughts, voice, and reaction from others.
Writing Fix
Writing Fix: Other Bad Cases to Write About
After reading A Bad Case of Stripes by David Shannon the writer will plan an original story where an unusual affliction affects a character and is eventually solved. The students will use strong and memorable details as they convey their...
ReadWriteThink
Read Write Think: Lights, Camera, Action: Interviewing a Book Character
Students get the inside scoop on a story when they create interview questions and answers for characters in the books they read.
ReadWriteThink
Read Write Think: Adjectives and Character Traits
Interactive lesson plan which allows for elementary learners to learn the "Part of speech," concepts of adjectives as well as effective characterization techniques. Uses the story of Charlotte's Web.
ReadWriteThink
Read Write Think: Using Picture Books to Teach Characterization
Contains plans for two or three lessons that ask students to examine characterization in picture books to use as models for their own writing. In addition to objectives and standards, this instructional plan contains links to sites used...
ReadWriteThink
Read Write Think: Critical and Analytical Thinking About Literary Characters
Contains plans for four lessons that use the short story "After Twenty Years" by O. Henry to teach about characterization using word maps. In addition to objectives and standards, this instructional plan contains links to sites used in...
ReadWriteThink
Read Write Think: Creating Careers for Characters
Interactive lesson which allows students to actually "become" a character in a story they have read. Students analyze and evaluate their character, and extend the activity into choosing a career for that character.
Writing Fix
Writing Fix: Actions Speak Louder Than Words
After hearing and discussing an excerpt from Sharon Creech's Walk Two Moons, students will plan to create a unique description of a character that uses memorable actions that "show" a person's character. They will brainstorm verbs that...
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University
De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: The Chicago Journey [Pdf]
"The Chicago Journey" is a one page, fictional passage about a clild and his mother hurrying to catch a train to hear an acceptance speech from an election (Obama). It is followed by questions which require students to provide evidence...
University of Victoria (Canada)
The U Vic Writer's Guide: Literary Term: Character and Characterization
This site from The UVic Writer's Guide provides an excellent overview of character and characterization. Content also explores flat and round characters. RL.9-10.3 Analyzing Characters.
E Reading Worksheets
E Reading Worksheets: Character Types Worksheets and Lessons
This online learning module offers lessons about "characters" and practice exercises about "characters" in stories. These lessons are organized according to the grade levels to which they apply.