Analyzing
Character Traits
Created by Laura Candler
www.lauracandler.com
Teacher Information and Directions
This mini pack includes a variety of strategies and printables for teaching students how to
analyze character traits. You’ll find a lesson on how authors reveal character traits, two
character trait lists, a variety of graphic organizers, several cooperative learning activities,
and a list of suggested character trait books. In addition, all of the character maps are
available in landscape format in a separate PDF file for use with an interactive whiteboard.
These lessons are designed to take place intermittently over a period of several weeks or
throughout an entire school year.
Why Teach Character Traits?
Character analysis offers an easy way to add rigor to any literature discussion. Character
trait studies actively engage students and help them develop an understanding of
characters’ motives. Studying character traits teaches students how to make appropriate
inferences from facts. Furthermore, students deepen their understanding of literature by
learning to support their opinions with details from the selection. Students enjoy debating
and discussing character traits as their vocabularies develop. As a teacher, you’ll enjoy the
fact that these printables can be used repeatedly throughout the year simply by focusing
on different characters and traits.
How to Use the Lessons:
1. Advanced Preparation - Locate several short read-aloud books
with memorable characters. You’ll find a bibliography of suggested
books on page 20. In addition, you can use short selections from a
basal reading text. Biographies work well for character trait lessons,
but fictional characters can also provide a rich source of discussion.
Duplicate a Character Trait list for each student. You’ll find two
versions on pages 4 and 5. You may want to duplicate the list on
colored paper and laminate it since your students will be referring to this list...