Lesson 3: Categorizing Character Traits With Text Evidence

In this lesson, students practice categorizing character traits using quotes from the text. They will choose a quote that reveals a character’s personality or emotions and classify it using the Character Profile Chart categories: words, actions, thoughts, and feelings.

Beginning English Learners (ELs) can first write in their native language before translating their response into English and citing one piece of evidence.
Emerging ELs and struggling readers can illustrate their analysis and then label their drawing using the Character Profile Chart categories.
Advanced learners will take on the challenge of finding quotes that fit into multiple categories and explaining their reasoning.

To demonstrate their understanding, students will write one quote per index card, include the page number and chapter title, and categorize the quote using the chart’s vocabulary. In small groups, they will discuss their choices using sentence frames like:

"The quote _____ shows that [Peg/Parents/Nurse]’s _____ because I analyze that ____."

This structured approach helps all learners develop their ability to support their ideas with text evidence, while also strengthening their critical thinking and discussion skills.

Student 3 Work

Student 3 is an emerging English learner, with Spanish for home language.
Student 5 Work

Student 5 is an advanced learner who is hard of hearing.
Student 7 Work

Student 7 is an entering English learner with less than seven months of English instruction and a background in Russian language.

Student 3 Feedback
Student 5 Feedback
Student 7 Feedback

Lesson 5: Inferring Peg’s Feelings Through a Thank-You Letter

In this lesson, students will make inferences about Peg’s actions and emotions using a Venn diagram or Character Profile Chart from Chapter 3: "An Oxygen Tent and a Chocolate Milkshake." They will then apply their understanding by writing a thank-you letter from Peg’s point of view.

Beginning English Learners (ELs) can first write in their native language before translating their ideas into English.
Emerging ELs and struggling readers can illustrate parts of their letter to help process their thoughts before writing.
Advanced learners are challenged to include multiple references to Peg’s feelings about different characters in their letter.

The focus of this activity is on analyzing characterization and making inferences, rather than strict accuracy in grammar or composition. By writing from Peg’s perspective, students deepen their comprehension of her experiences and emotions while developing their ability to support ideas with text evidence.

Student 3 Work

As an emerging English learner and a struggling reader, Student 3 did not include greeting and signature in her quickwrite despite Teacher sample has the letter template kept on the board; which is a common error found amongst struggling readers’ work samples. In future lessons, I will consider making an anchor chart.
Encouraging student to draw their comprehension of their content is an extension that is highly encouraged. This is the first example in this semester that this student included all word phrasing of the sentence frame teacher provided, which is a sign of milestone achieved.
Quickwrite
Student 5 Work

A confusion that advanced readers, like Student 5, might have is struggling with the emotional nuances and not showing the connection between Peg’s actions and her feelings in his thank-you letter, as shown in Student 5’s Literary Work Sample. Another common misunderstanding represented in Student 5’s work is focusing on personal emotions rather than citing evidence of peg’s emotions.
A common error found in the class is missing the closing and Peg’s signature, which can also be seen in Student 5’s work. Despite I offered to continue to write at home in response to Student 5’s request for more time, he no longer wanted to perfect his letter because he did not want any homework.
Quickwrite
Student 7 Work

Considering Student 7’s being an entering English learner with less than seven months of English instruction and a background in Russian language, I allowed her to write the quickwrite in her L1 first before encouraging her to write in English with what she already know and sentence frames provided on the board.
Like Student 3, she did not include writing the greeting and signature of the letter write. However, I am able to tell who she intends to write as based on the details she used from the story and writing the letter in first person point-of-view.
Quickwrite