Character Backgrounds

Overview

Lesson 4 of 30 in Exploring Speculative Perspectives. Students select a character from Black Snake, gather relevant textual and contextual evidence, and develop a research-informed profile of the character’s background, motivations and personality.

Learning intentions

Students will:

• select a character and formulate useful research questions
• locate and record relevant information from the text and teacher-approved sources
• distinguish between textual evidence, reasonable inference and unsupported assumption
• explain how background and personality influence a character’s choices
• use precise vocabulary and evidence to communicate a character profile

Success criteria

• I can identify a character and explain why I selected them.
• I can record reliable information and acknowledge where it came from.
• I can support personality claims with quotations, details or events from the text.
• I can explain how a character’s background shapes their perspective or actions.

Curriculum links

• Understanding how authors construct characters, perspectives and representations through language and narrative choices.
• Analysing and explaining how textual details, including dialogue, actions and description, develop characterisation.
• Creating analytical and imaginative responses using relevant evidence, structure and language choices.
• Planning, conducting and communicating research by selecting, evaluating and acknowledging information from sources.

Lesson structure (70 minutes)

1. 0–8 minutes – Reconnect and hook Open with the opening question and character snapshots. Display: “How much can we know about a person from one decision?” Students silently write one response, then share with a partner. Briefly revisit the unit’s focus on speculative perspectives and explain that today they will investigate one character before writing from that character’s viewpoint later in the unit.

2. 8–18 minutes – Model character investigation Use the characterisation model to demonstrate how to move from observation to inference. Model a simple chain: “The character avoids answering” → “They may be guarded” → “This could relate to a past experience or fear.” Emphasise the difference between evidence (“the text shows…”) and speculation (“this may suggest…”). Invite students to suggest one further research question.

3. 18–25 minutes – Choose a character and research focus Students review the available characters in Black Snake and choose one. They complete the first section of the character research profile: character name, role, initial impression and two reasons for selection. Students then select two or three focus areas, such as family or community, significant experiences, values, relationships, goals, fears or changes across the text. Check choices individually so all ten students have a manageable focus.

4. 25–43 minutes – Gather textual evidence Students reread relevant sections of Black Snake and complete the evidence table on the character research profile. They record page or section references and classify each note as an action, quotation, description, relationship or event. Circulate and prompt with questions: “What exactly does the text show?” “Which detail supports that personality trait?” “Could another reader interpret this differently?”

5. 43–57 minutes – Background research Open the research process and source-checking prompts. Students use teacher-provided books, class materials or approved offline sources to investigate background information connected to their character. They record the source, key information and its relevance, rather than copying large sections. Require at least two useful notes and one sentence explaining how the information may affect the character’s perspective. Students who cannot find reliable contextual information may research the character’s setting, relationships or experiences as represented in the text.

6. 57–66 minutes – Build and share a profile Students draft a concise character profile using the sentence frame on the character research profile: “Because of…, this character is likely to…; this is shown by…” In pairs, students share one evidence-based personality claim and one research-informed inference. Partners ask, “What is your evidence?” and “Is this certain, or is it a reasonable possibility?”

7. 66–70 minutes – Plenary and collection Return to the reflection and exit prompt. Students complete the final worksheet prompt: “One detail that changed or deepened my view of the character is…” Collect worksheets for formative assessment and preview the next lesson, in which students will use their research to develop a perspective-based response.

Resources

• the character investigation lesson deck
• the character research profile
• Copies of Black Snake
• Teacher-selected books or approved offline research sources
• Whiteboard and markers
• Devices or reference materials, if available
• Highlighters or coloured pencils
• Timer
• Dictionary or classroom word wall

Assessment

• Observe students’ questioning, source selection and ability to distinguish evidence from inference during conferencing.
• Check worksheets for relevant textual details, source records, personality claims and explanations of how background shapes perspective.
• Use the paired share and final reflection to identify students who need further support with evidence, inference or research reliability.

Differentiation

• Provide a short list of suitable characters, preselected passages and research questions for students who need reduced cognitive load.
• Offer sentence starters such as “The text suggests…”, “This may reveal…”, and “This information is relevant because…”.
• Support EAL learners with a vocabulary bank for personality, relationships, motivation and perspective; allow oral rehearsal before writing.
• Extend confident students by comparing two possible interpretations of the same evidence, evaluating source reliability, or explaining how the character’s perspective may conflict with another character’s.