South Carolina ETV

South Carolina ETV
1101 George Rogers Boulevard
Columbia, SC 29201-4761
Phone: 803-737-3545

Do You Have Character? (Grade 6)

Master Teacher

Mandy Graves-Hilliard

Time Allotment

One 90-minute class period

Overview

Using the story Where the Wild Things Are and the novel Bridge to Terabithia, the children will see characters that have characteristics of both static and dynamic characters. Using streaming video, the children will see the story Where the Wild Things Are. This lesson will come in the middle of a unit about Bridge to Terabithia. The children will have already read several of the chapters. Using Bridge to Terabithia, which is assigned reading for the class, the children will label the characters as static or dynamic and why. The class will be reading this book together. A chart will then be made listing the characters and why they were static or dynamic.

Subject Matter

Language Arts

Learning Objectives

Student will be able to:

Give characteristics of static and dynamic characters.
Label characters as static or dynamic.

South Carolina Curriculum Standards

(Standards available online at http://www.myscschools.com/offices/cso/standards/ela/ for Grade 6, Language Arts.)

6-R2.1 – Demonstrate the ability to analyze an author’s use of static, dynamic, round, and flat characters; the structural elements of plot, flashback and foreshadowing; and point of view and tone.

6-W3.3 – Demonstrate the ability to use texts to make connections and to support ideas in his or her own writing.

Media Components

Video

Where the Wild Things Are, animated book; available at http://www.streamlinesc.org

To access this video segment, log on to your account at the StreamlineSC Web page. In the search by keyword box, type Where the Wild Things Are. Download the video clips to your computer desktop and preview them. The entire segment, Where the Wild Things Are runs seven minutes and three seconds. It is also available in three segments Max Makes Mischief, Gets Sent to His Room and Sails Away (01:31 minutes), Max Becomes King of All Wild Things and Starts A Wild Rumpus (01:36 minutes); and Time for Max To Go Back Home

(02:18 minutes)

(Note to Teacher: If you don’t have an account with ETV's StreamlineSC, check with your media specialist about signing up for your own account.)

Materials

Per Student:

Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
Journal or sourcebook
Chart paper
Markers
Pencils

Equipment

Per student:

Computer
LCD projector

Prep for Teachers

Prior to the lesson visit http://www.streamlinesc.org and download and preview the video of the book Where the Wild Things Are to a CD.

When using media, provide students with a Focus for Media Interaction, a specific task to complete and/or information to identify during or after viewing of video segments, Web sites, or other multimedia elements.

Introductory Activity

Step 1: Put up a piece of chart paper.

Step 2: Discuss a character from a story that does not change. (For example: The Boy Who Cried Wolf, he never changed regardless of what the townspeople told him. He did not learn the lesson that was being taught. He was a static character.)

Step 3: Make a chart on the board that contains the headings STATIC and DYNAMIC.

Step 4: Continue the discussion and explain the difference between a static and a dynamic character. Explain to the children that static characters do not change. Dynamic characters usually change in a really good way.

Step 5: Have the children think back about books they have read and name some characters that are static and dynamic and explain why.

Learning Activities

Step 1: Explain to your students that they are now going to watch a video of a story.

Step 2: Put the CD in the computer and get it ready to watch.

Step 3: Tell the children that there are several characters in the story but they are going to watch Max. Provide your students with a Focus for Media Interaction, asking them what kind of character he is (static or dynamic) and why.

Step 4: START watching the video.

Step 5: When Max begins to get to the new world, PAUSE the video and ask the children, what has Max done, has he been good or bad? (He has been bad and his mother sent him to bed with no supper.) Does he think he has done anything wrong? (Max does not think he should have been sent to his room.)

Step 6: START the video again, provide students with a Focus for Media Interaction by asking them to see if Max changes the way he sees himself through the rest of the story or not.

Step 7: Watch the remainder of the story.

Step 8: Ask the students to respond to the following questions. Does Max act the same at the beginning and end of the story? (Max does not act the same at the beginning and the end) Does he change the way he acts towards others? (Max begins to be nice to others, he doesn’t like being the King of the World) Is Max a static or dynamic character? (Max is a dynamic character) Why, what characteristics does he have that makes him a dynamic character? (He is dynamic because he changed the way he acted and thought throughout the story.)

Step 9: Now have children think about the chapters read so far in Bridge to Terabithia. Have them think about Jess, Leslie, or Grandpa.They must think about one of these characters and decide whether they are static or dynamic and why.

Step 10: In their journal/source book, have the children write the reasons the character they chose is either static or dynamic.

Step 11: Have the children share their reasons and see if other children agree or disagree with them.

Culminating Activity

Step 1: Have the children write a short story that contains both a static and dynamic character.

Step 2: After stories are written, have the children share during Author’s Chair. Author’s Chair allows the children to share their individual work with their classmates.

Cross-Curricular Extensions

Social Studies: The children could think about historical figures they have learned about and debate whether they were static or dynamic characters in history. They can look at their actions, speeches, or what others said about them.

Community Connections

Have a storyteller come in and tell a story, then have the children pick out the static and dynamic characters.