A guide for using our resources

Children will identify characters in books and describe their traits.

Literacy Focus: character traits

Simple, spectacular ideas to boost your lessons.

• Read any or all of the books featured in the issue! Discuss what the characters do and say that shows each trait.
• You can also discuss additional traits that belong to each character, as well as how the characters evolve and change from the beginning of the story to the end.

• Children learned the word borrow from the issue. Make the word “stick” by creating a list of things you can borrow—and things you can’t!
• Emphasize that when you borrow something, such as a pencil, you give it back when you are done using it. You can’t borrow something like a piece of gum, because you would not give it back after using it!

Skill: critical thinking, writing

Materials: Create a Character! skill sheet, pencils, crayons

• Let a favorite story character inspire kids to create their own! For example, if your class enjoys the Pigeon books by Mo Willems, read one or two. Then ask kids to describe what the pigeon looks like and how he acts. Help kids home in on the pigeon’s defi ning traits, for example:
  • The pigeon likes to argue.
  • The pigeon has a lot of opinions.
  • The pigeon wants a puppy.
• Next, hand out the Create a Character skill sheet. Have kids draw their character and give it a name. They can then describe their character by telling what it likes, has, and wants. Last, invite kids to share their characters with the class!