Character Development

Overview

In this lesson, students build on prior lessons in “Exploring Cultural Identity in Literature” by identifying protagonists and describing the conflicts that reveal characters’ values and viewpoints. Students compare main characters from two previously studied literary texts, focusing on how ideas and perspectives connect to historical, social and cultural contexts.

Learning intentions

WALT: Identify protagonists and their challenges.

Success criteria

• I can list the main characters (protagonist(s)) from both texts.
• I can describe each protagonist’s central challenge or conflict using evidence from the text.
• I can explain how the protagonist’s viewpoint reflects the values of individuals or groups in the text’s context.
• I can use language features or imagery from a key passage to support my conflict description.

Curriculum links

• Literature — AC9E8LE01: explaining ways ideas and points of view represent values of individuals and groups in literary texts, drawn from historical, social and cultural contexts.
• Literature — AC9E8LE05: analysing how language features and literary devices create meaning and effect (including how sentence patterns and imagery shape tone).
• Literature — AC9E8LE02: sharing opinions about language features, literary devices and text structures that contribute to the style of literary texts (through characterisation and development).
• Literature — AC9E8LE02/AC9E8LE03: explaining how text choices position readers to respond and form viewpoints (through character presentation).

Lesson structure (45 minutes)

1. 0–5 min · Retrieval warm-up. Teacher displays two text titles and asks students to write one name from each text and one “what was going on?” event. Students do a quick silent write, then turn-and-talk to compare their event statements.

2. 5–12 min · Model: protagonist + challenge. Teacher selects a short, previously studied excerpt from Text A and models: protagonist, challenge, and one sentence about viewpoint/values. Students underline the sentence(s) that show the character’s conflict and annotate what the conflict suggests about values or group perspective.

3. 12–25 min · Guided practice with character cards. Teacher groups students and distributes character cards for both texts (protagonist-focused cards include prompts like “What do they want?”, “What stops them?”, “What values do they show?”). Students complete a two-column worksheet: Text A characters / Text B characters, listing conflicts and adding one supporting detail (quote or paraphrase) per character.

4. 25–35 min · Small-group comparison: viewpoint and tone. Teacher circulates with a focus question: “How does the writer’s language or imagery shape how we judge the protagonist’s choices?” and provides a sentence-pattern/tone reminder (e.g., compare short vs complex sentences, or active vs passive emphasis). Students choose one protagonist from either text and write a 3–4 sentence explanation: challenge + viewpoint/values + one language/device effect.

5. 35–43 min · Whole-class share and teacher feedback. Teacher selects 2–3 groups to share using a “claim–evidence–effect” sentence frame. Students give brief peer feedback using the success criteria checklist (protagonist named, conflict described, evidence included).

6. 43–45 min · Exit ticket (individual). Teacher collects one paragraph response: “From Text A and Text B, list the main character(s) and describe one conflict for each.” Students submit the paragraph, ensuring each conflict includes one piece of evidence and a brief viewpoint/values statement.

Resources

• Character cards (protagonist and conflict prompts) for both texts
• Two-column protagonist/challenge worksheet
• Short excerpt strips from Text A and Text B (one per group)
• Highlighters or coloured pens (1 colour for conflict evidence, 1 for values/viewpoint notes)
• Sentence frame cards: “The protagonist…”, “Their challenge is…”, “This shows… values because…”, “The author’s use of… creates…”
• Timer for structured group work
• Dyslexia-friendly reading options: audio recordings of short excerpts, text at larger font, and simplified paraphrase versions of excerpt passages

Assessment

• Teacher observation checklist during guided practice: protagonist correctly identified, conflict accurately described, evidence included.
• Feedback on group comparison writing: clarity of viewpoint/values link and appropriate mention of language/device effect.
• Exit ticket: complete list of main characters from both texts and one described conflict for each, with at least one evidence reference.

Differentiation

• Support (scaffolded): character cards with sentence starters, a word bank for conflict types (fear, injustice, belonging, survival, duty, identity), and a model exemplar response on the board.
• Support (reading access): provide audio versions and a larger-font, dyslexia-friendly print set of the excerpt strips; allow students to paraphrase evidence if quoting is difficult.
• Targeted questioning for EAL/SEN: ask students to point to the “problem moment” first, then identify feelings/values, then choose one language detail to describe effect.
• Extension (advanced learners): students write a character diary entry (extension task as provided by the teacher) from one protagonist’s perspective, including:
• the central challenge,
• at least one sentence showing how tone is created (e.g., imagery or sentence pattern),
• one reflection on cultural identity values tied to context.

Extension (optional)

• Character diary entry. Write 200–300 words in the first person as a protagonist from either Text A or Text B, documenting their conflict and how their viewpoint reflects values shaped by their cultural, historical, or social context. Include one short quoted or paraphrased line that links language or imagery to their feelings.