Dark Character Study

Lesson Overview

Duration: 60 minutes
Class size: 30 students
Age group: Year 7-9 (11-14 years)
Curriculum alignment: Curriculum for Wales (Areas of Learning and Experience: Languages, Literacy and Communication)

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Learning Objectives

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

• Analyse: Explore and analyse the character of Sweeney Todd using textual evidence to understand his motives, emotions, and personality traits.
  Curriculum for Wales Reference:

  • Reading Competence 1.2: "Engage effectively and critically with a range of texts."
  • Literacy AOLE 3, Level 3: "Understand and analyse characters, settings and events in texts."

• Create: Write a creative piece from the perspective of Sweeney Todd, demonstrating empathy and imaginative use of language.
  Curriculum for Wales Reference:

  • Writing Competence 2.1: "Adapt language and style for different purposes and audiences."
  • Literacy AOLE 3, Level 3: "Use imaginative and engaging language to structure writing effectively."

• Evaluate: Assess other students’ character portrayals and creative writing, providing constructive feedback.
  Curriculum for Wales Reference:

  • Oracy Competence 3.1: "Engage in and respond to discussions, using subject-specific vocabulary."
  • Literacy AOLE 3, Level 3: "Use oral skills to evaluate and present ideas clearly."

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Resources Required

• Selected excerpts/text describing Sweeney Todd (adapted for age-appropriateness)
• Whiteboard and markers
• Student notebooks or laptops/tablets for writing
• Character analysis worksheets
• Creative writing prompt handouts

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Lesson Structure

1. Starter Activity (10 minutes)

Task:
Show a brief dramatic reading of a short excerpt describing Sweeney Todd (teacher or pre-recorded). Follow this by a rapid whole-class brainstorm on the whiteboard: "What do we know about Sweeney Todd so far?"

Purpose:
Activate prior knowledge and engage interest. Encourage students to start thinking critically about the character.

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2. Character Analysis (20 minutes)

Input:

• Distribute the character analysis worksheets that structure thinking into categories: Appearance, Motivations, Emotions, Actions, and Relationships.
• Read a brief, age-appropriate passage about Sweeney Todd’s character (e.g., an emotionally charged scene highlighting his motivations and conflicts).

Activity:

• In pairs, students fill in the worksheet using textual evidence.
• Teacher circulates and probes with questions:
  • "What might drive Sweeney Todd’s behaviour?"
  • "How does the author show his inner conflict?"
  • "Are there signs of sympathy or menace?"

Curriculum Skills Developed: Critical reading, textual inference, collaborative discussion.

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3. Creative Writing Task (20 minutes)

Prompt:
"Imagine you are Sweeney Todd. Write a diary entry or letter explaining your feelings and motivations on a day when something important changes for you."

Guidance:

• Encourage students to use first-person perspective, varied sentence structures, and emotive vocabulary.
• Remind them to include details they inferred during analysis to deepen character portrayal.
• Support with a checklist including: clear opening, expressive language, and cohesive structure.

Differentiation:

• Less confident writers can work with sentence starters.
• More advanced students can experiment with dramatic monologue style or use figurative language.

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4. Sharing and Peer Assessment (8 minutes)

Process:

• In small groups of 4-5, students read one piece aloud.
• Group members identify one strong use of language and suggest one area for improvement, focusing on how well the character’s voice is conveyed.
• Teacher models constructive feedback language before groups begin.

Curriculum Skills Developed: Oral communication, evaluating own and others’ work, applying literary knowledge.

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5. Plenary and Reflection (2 minutes)

Prompt for whole class:

• "How has your view of Sweeney Todd changed during this lesson?"
• "What surprised you about thinking from his perspective?"

Outcome:

• Summarise key learning points about character complexity and creative empathy.

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Assessment Ideas

• Formative: Character analysis worksheets reviewed to assess understanding of character traits and use of evidence.
• Summative: Creative writing pieces marked against a rubric assessing: character voice, use of language, structure, and engagement with the task.
• Oral: Observation and notes during peer feedback sessions to evaluate oral and evaluative skills.

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Curriculum for Wales Alignment Summary

Competency Area	Reference	This Lesson Covers
Reading & Critical Thinking	Competence 1.2 (Level 3)	Textual analysis and inference of character
Writing & Creative Expression	Competence 2.1 (Level 3)	Creative diary/letter writing
Speaking & Listening (Oracy)	Competence 3.1 (Level 3)	Oral peer feedback and discussion
Literacy AOLE Level 3: Character and Text Understanding	Literacy AOLE 3	Engaging with character complexity

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Additional Teacher Notes

• Use this lesson as an opportunity to introduce students to gothic literature and moral ambiguity in characters.
• Carefully scaffold difficult vocabulary associated with the story or language of 19th-century London to support understanding.
• Consider incorporating emotional intelligence discussions to deepen empathy with complex characters.
• To add a 'wow' factor, theatrical elements could be dramatized or recorded for a digital storytelling follow-up.

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End of Plan