Character Creation Workshop

Overview

This 60-minute session is Lesson 2 of 10 in the "Fairy Tale Performance Adventure" unit for Year 2 students. In this lesson, pupils will develop their own fairy tale characters by exploring character traits, motivations, and backgrounds. They will then present their characters to the class, fostering communication skills and peer feedback. All activities align explicitly with the National Curriculum for England’s Drama programmes of study for Key Stage 1.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, pupils will be able to:

Use imaginative skills to invent and describe characters with distinct traits and motivations (National Curriculum KS1 Drama: Pupils should be taught to "use role play and imaginative ideas to create and sustain different roles").
Express character ideas verbally and through role-play (Developing ability to “share and respond to ideas with others”).
Demonstrate understanding of character motivation and background to support creative performance.
Give and receive constructive feedback in a supportive environment (Addressing the Programme of Study requirement to "listen and respond appropriately to others").

Curriculum Links

English KS1 - Spoken Language: Pupils learn to “articulate and justify answers, arguments and opinions” and “participate in discussions”.
Drama - National Curriculum KS1 (Years 1-2): “Use voice, gesture, and movement to portray a character,” and “respond to stimuli imaginatively.”
PSHE: Building confidence and social skills through sharing ideas and peer feedback.

Resources Needed

Character Creation Worksheet (includes sections for: Character Name, Age, Appearance, Personality Traits, Motives, Background Story)
Whiteboard and markers
Costume accessories box (hats, scarves, props) – optional for role play
Large sheets of paper and coloured pencils for drawing characters
‘Feedback Sandwich’ prompt cards (Positive – Improvement – Positive feedback structure)

Lesson Structure

1. Warm-Up and Introduction (10 minutes)

Objective: Activate imagination and review previous learning.

Begin with a verbal recap of Lesson 1 – what “fairy tales” and “characters” are. Use simple questions to engage (e.g., “Who was your favourite character last lesson and why?”).
Quick warm-up game: "Magic Character Pass" – Pupils stand in a circle, pass a soft ball; when caught, they say one word describing a fairy tale character (e.g., brave, kind, sneaky).

2. Exploring Character Traits (10 minutes)

Objective: Identify distinct traits and motivations.

Show pictures of well-known fairy tale characters (e.g., Cinderella, the Big Bad Wolf). As a class, discuss their traits and what motivates them. Write keywords on the whiteboard in simple categories (Personality, Motivation, Background).
Model filling in a Character Creation Worksheet for a simple character (e.g., a friendly giant).

3. Character Creation Activity (20 minutes)

Objective: Pupils invent and describe their unique fairy tale characters.

Hand out Character Creation Worksheets. Children work individually or in pairs to invent a fairy tale character. Encourage creativity—this might be an animal, a fantastical creature, or a person.
Pupils can draw their character on the worksheet using coloured pencils, write or dictate their traits, motivations, and background story with teacher assistance where needed.
Circulate to support and prompt pupils with questions like: “Why does your character do what they do?” or “What makes them special?”

4. Sharing and Role-Play (15 minutes)

Objective: Develop oral communication and embodiment of characters.

In small groups of 5, pupils take turns introducing their character using the worksheet. They say their character’s name, traits, and motivation aloud.
Volunteers (or all if time allows) choose one element of their character to role-play briefly (e.g., a gesture, a phrase). Provide some costume props for added fun and engagement.

5. Feedback & Reflection (5 minutes)

Objective: Building constructive peer feedback skills.

Introduce the ‘Feedback Sandwich’ prompt cards to the class:
- Positive comment about the character (e.g., “I liked how brave your character is!”)
- Suggestion to improve or add (e.g., “Maybe you could tell us why they are brave?”)
- Positive closing (e.g., “Your drawing is very colourful!”)
Model feedback with one example character.
Pupils give brief feedback to their group members using this framework.
End the lesson with a reflection question: “What did you enjoy most about creating your character today?”

Assessment and Outcomes

Formative assessment: Teacher observation during partner and group sharing for confidence, clear communication, and understanding of character traits and motivation.
Pupil self-assessment: Reflection on what they found enjoyable or challenging, documented verbally or with a simple thumbs-up/thumbs-down signal.
Peer assessment: Use of the ‘Feedback Sandwich’ in groups fosters respectful listening and positivity.
Collected Character Creation Worksheets will provide written evidence of understanding traits, motivation, and background creation.

Differentiation

Support: Provide sentence starters on worksheets for pupils requiring writing assistance (e.g., “My character is...”, “They like to...”).
Challenge: Encourage advanced pupils to think about how their character changes during a story or to add a simple conflict element.
Allow pupils to work in pairs if they need confidence or additional support.

Extension/enrichment ideas for future lessons

Use pupils’ created characters as a foundation for improvising short scenes or dialogues in later lessons.
Incorporate simple costume and prop design workshops to deepen character embodiment.
Introduce voice modulation exercises linked to character traits (e.g., speaking softly for shy characters).

This lesson provides a rich, creative platform firmly rooted in the National Curriculum framework, promoting oral language, imaginative skills, role play, and social development in Year 2 drama learning.

Teaching Instructions