Focus on complex characters with a lesson from a series that teaches individual skills from the Common Core. Specifically, this resource provides practice with standard RL.9-10.3. Get pupils thinking and talking about characters with the first practice activity: a discussion of E.A. Robinson's poem "Aaron Stark". Next, they are ready to create their own stories and characters with the second practice activity. Finally, test your class's new-found characterization abilities with the two included quizzes. Note: For the second practice activity, you will need to create flashcards of various characters, settings, and feelings prior to conducting the lesson.