Characterization & Perspective

Grade 10 | Duration: 75 minutes | Class Size: 30

Learning Objectives

Aligning with Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts:

RL.9-10.3: Analyze how complex characters develop over the course of a text, interact with other characters, and advance the plot or develop the theme.
RI.9-10.3: Analyze how an author unfolds a series of ideas or events including the order in which points are made, how they are introduced and developed, and the connections drawn between them.

Students will be able to:

Draw inferences about Eliezer's character from explicit and implicit textual details in the first chapter of Night.
Analyze the narrative perspective and how it influences characterization and readers’ understanding.
Explain how Elie Wiesel’s word choices and descriptions help develop character and set tone.
Use textual evidence to support their analysis of character and perspective.
Reflect on the broader thematic implications tied to characterization and perspective in the chapter.

Materials

Copies of Night by Elie Wiesel, Chapter 1 (printed or digital)
Whiteboard and markers
Graphic Organizers: Character Analysis Chart, Perspective Map
Sentence frames and vocabulary lists for ELLs and students with IEP/504 plans
Visual slide with key vocabulary and guiding questions
Exit ticket handouts (prompt included below)

Lesson Outline

Time	Activity Description
0-10 min	Hook: Personal Connection & Prediction - Begin with a short personal reflection prompt: “Think about a time when your perspective of someone changed because you learned something new about them. How did it affect how you saw them?” - Students share briefly with a partner. - Teacher briefly introduces Night as a memoir revealing Eliezer’s complex character and perspective during the Holocaust. - Prompt students to predict what kind of character Eliezer might be based on the title and historical context.
10-25 min	I Do - Direct Instruction: - Teacher reads aloud excerpts from the first chapter focusing on Eliezer’s descriptions and experiences. - Model think-aloud analyzing key phrases that reveal personality, attitude, and perspective. - Highlight Wiesel’s choice of details and their impact on portrayal of Eliezer as complex and conflicted, connecting to RL.9-10.3 (character development). - Explain narrative perspective: first-person point of view and how it shapes understanding of events (RI.9-10.3). - Introduce key vocabulary: characterization, perspective, tone, explicit, implicit.
25-45 min	We Do - Guided Practice: - Students in small groups (3-4) reread a selected passage from Chapter 1. - Use Character Analysis Chart to identify explicit and implicit evidence about Eliezer’s character. - Guide groups to discuss how perspective influences what they learn about him and the emotional effect. - Teacher circulates, scaffolds understanding for ELLs and students with accommodations using sentence frames (e.g., “I infer that Eliezer is __ because __.”). - Groups share a brief insight with the whole class. - Teacher clarifies misconceptions and synthesizes key points on whiteboard.
45-60 min	You Do - Independent Practice: - Students individually analyze a different short passage from the first chapter. - Complete a Perspective Map graphic organizer identifying 3 ways Wiesel’s perspective shapes the reader's understanding. - Write 2-3 sentences explaining how this perspective develops Eliezer’s characterization and supports the theme of the text. - Support provided: sentence starters (e.g., “Wiesel’s use of ___ (detail) shows ___.”), annotated exemplar paragraph displayed.
60-70 min	Formative Assessment - Exit Ticket: - Prompt: “Using evidence from Chapter 1, explain one way Eliezer’s character is developed through narrative perspective. Cite a specific detail and explain its significance.” - Students write responses on a half-sheet to be collected and graded. - Teacher reminds students to use key vocabulary and cite textual evidence.
70-75 min	Closure & Preview: - Brief whole-class reflection on how characterization and perspective help readers better understand memoir as a genre. - Preview next lesson: exploring conflict and tone in Night. - Remind students to reread Chapter 1 for details they might want to highlight for next class.

Differentiation Strategies

For ELLs: Provide bilingual vocabulary resources, sentence frames, and visual supports; pair with peers for discussion.
For IEP/504: Allow use of graphic organizer templates; provide additional wait time; read aloud with follow-up questions.
For all learners: Choice of oral or written exit ticket; small group collaboration to scaffold comprehension.

Assessment & Feedback

Formative: Exit ticket to assess ability to connect characterization and perspective using evidence.
Teacher uses exit ticket to identify need for reteaching or enrichment.
Provide written and/or verbal feedback aligned with learning targets.

Key Vocabulary

Characterization: How an author reveals a character’s personality, thoughts, and development.
Perspective: The narrator’s point of view influencing how the story and characters are presented.
Tone: The attitude or mood conveyed by the narrator or author.
Explicit: Clearly stated or directly expressed in the text.
Implicit: Implied or understood though not directly stated.

Reflection for Teachers

This lesson leverages Night’s powerful first chapter to engage 10th graders in deeply analytical reading informed by the gradual release model. It balances scaffolding for diverse learners with challenging critical thinking aligned to CCSS RL/RI 9-10.3. The use of graphic organizers and sentence frames supports structured thought and written expression, ensuring access and rigorous engagement for all students. The exit ticket provides an immediate check on comprehension and analytic skill development, making it easy to adjust instruction in subsequent lessons. This approach not only teaches literary analysis techniques but also fosters empathy and historical awareness through an unforgettable memoir.

Teaching Instructions