Describing Characters
Aligned to RL.4.3 — Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts.
What this lesson teaches
You get to know a character by paying attention to their thoughts, their words, and their actions. The same close attention helps you describe a setting or an event in depth. Use the story's specific details, not just your own opinion.
Worked example
When a boy quietly gives his last sandwich to a hungry classmate and looks away when thanked, his actions and words show he is generous but shy — even though the story never uses those two words.
Practice questions
- Pick a character you like and describe them using one thought, one thing they say, and one thing they do.
- Describe a setting from a book in three sentences using details the author gave.
- Explain how a character changed from the beginning to the end of a story, using specific actions.
Watch the lesson
Every lesson comes with a video taught in English and Spanish — the same video the QR code in the printed workbook opens.
▶ Watch this lessonEn español
Describir Personajes
Llegas a conocer a un personaje prestando atención a sus pensamientos, sus palabras y sus acciones. Esa misma atención cuidadosa te ayuda a describir un lugar o un evento a fondo. Usa los detalles específicos de la historia, no solo tu opinión.
Ejemplo: Cuando un niño en silencio le da su último sándwich a un compañero hambriento y desvía la mirada al recibir las gracias, sus acciones y palabras muestran que es generoso pero tímido — aunque la historia nunca use esas dos palabras.
More Reading: Literature lessons
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