Character and Inference

Grade

5th Grade

Duration

60 minutes

Class Size

25 students

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Learning Objectives

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.5.3

• Describe how characters in a story respond to challenges or how the narrator’s point of view influences events.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.5.1

• Quote accurately from a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.

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“I Can” Statements

• I can describe the characters in a story and explain how their actions show their personality and feelings.
• I can make inferences about characters based on what I read and what I already know.
• I can support my ideas with details from the text.

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Success Criteria

• I can identify and describe the two main characters in Pink and Say.
• I can explain what the characters are feeling or thinking using examples from the story.
• I can make inferences about characters’ feelings or motivations using clues from the text and illustrations.
• I can share my thinking clearly with my classmates.

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Materials

• Pink and Say by Patricia Polacco (multiple copies or digital version)
• Dyslexia-friendly formatted copy of Pink and Say (large print, clear fonts like OpenDyslexic or Arial, color overlays for visuals)
• Chart paper or whiteboard
• Character and Inference graphic organizers
• Sticky notes
• Markers

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Lesson Plan

1. Introduction (10 minutes)

• Engage: Show the book cover of Pink and Say and ask students what they might expect about the story from the cover and title. Record predictions on chart paper.
• Activate Prior Knowledge: Briefly discuss the Civil War as background info, ask what they know about friendship or courage.

2. Read-Aloud with Focus on Characterization (20 minutes)

• Conduct a read-aloud of Pink and Say, pausing during the story to:
  • Ask students to notice and describe Pink and Say’s actions and feelings.
  • Model thinking aloud to infer what characters might be feeling or thinking using evidence (e.g., facial expressions in illustrations or specific words).
  • Use graphic organizers to record character traits and inferred emotions/thoughts.

3. Guided Practice - Making Inferences (15 minutes)

• In pairs, students use sticky notes to mark places in the story where they infer something about a character.
• Teacher circulates and supports students in backing up their inferences with text or picture clues.
• Volunteers share their inferences and evidence with the class, teacher records on a chart.

4. Independent Response and Reflection (10 minutes)

• Students complete a short written response on how understanding character traits and making inferences help them better understand the story.
• Prompt: "How do Pink and Say’s actions show who they are as people? What clues helped you figure this out?"

5. Closing and Review (5 minutes)

• Recap the “I can” statements; ask a few students to share something new they learned.
• Review success criteria and celebrate achievements.

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Differentiation Strategies

• For English Language Learners:
  • Provide vocabulary preview with visuals (e.g., courage, friend, war).
  • Use sentence starters for inferences: “I think ___ because ___.“
• For Students with Dyslexia:
  • Provide dyslexia-friendly copies of the text with larger font and spacing.
  • Allow audiobooks or read-along digital versions to follow the story.
  • Use color overlays or backgrounds when reading print.
• For Students Needing Extra Support:
  • Smaller chunks of text to read or hear during paired reading.
  • Additional scaffolding using graphic organizers with sentence frames.

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Extension Activities for Advanced Learners

• Write a diary entry from the perspective of Pink or Say using evidence from the book to show their emotions and thoughts.
• Compare and contrast Pink and Say’s characters with another figure from American history or literature.
• Research the Civil War briefly and create a short presentation on how historical context influences characters in stories.

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Assessment

• Formative: Participation in discussion, completion of graphic organizers, quality of inferences shared orally and in writing.
• Summative: Written reflection response assessed using a rubric focused on accuracy of inferences, use of text evidence, and clarity of writing aligned with CCSS writing standards for grade 5.

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This lesson plan is designed to deepen students’ understanding of characterization and inferencing through an engaging historical narrative, fostering empathy and critical thinking while meeting rigorous Common Core standards.