V3-en-2425 - WEEK 50 - Characterization instruction

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• havo
• Leerjaar 3

V3: Literature & Writing 

What makes a character fun?

What makes a (book) character boring?

What are we learning this week?

- how characters are “built” in story;

- how you should  introduce your character from your story to a classmate;

- how you can identify the elements that make your character;

- how you can analyze a scene to help understand the characters;

- how you can rewrite parts of the story from a different point of view.

What to expect today?

* instruction on characters & how the writers create them;

* short story "The fun they had"

* writing assignment: summary in 1 sentence

Give an example of a round character from a movie/book/series you like

Give an example of a flat character from a movie/book/series you like

Give an example of a dynamic character from a movie/book/series you like

Give an example of a static character from a movie/book/series you like

The fun they had

Listen to the story (or read along using your own text) 

Make a list of the characters

Describe in 1 sentence what this story is about.

Who is the most important character?

1. The county inspector
2. Tommy
3. Mrs Jones
4. Margie

Activity 1: "Introducing a Character"

Imagine that you are introducing the main characters of The Fun They Had (Margie and Tommy) to a new classmate who has never read the story.

How would you describe Margie and Tommy? 

What are their key personality traits? Are they curious, skeptical, excited, or confused? What is their role in the story? How do they interact with the technology and the world around them?

What emotions do they experience throughout the story? How do they feel about school, learning, and the future?

EXAMPLE 

"Tommy is a curious and adventurous boy who finds the idea of a real school—where kids learn together with a human teacher—fascinating. He’s a little skeptical about the whole concept but is open to exploring what the past was like."

How would you describe Tommy?

How would you describe Margie?

Activity 2: "Analyzing a Key Scene"

Choose a scene from The Fun They Had where the characters experience a significant moment (e.g., when Tommy talks about how school used to be, or when Margie is upset about her mechanical teacher).

Write an analysis of the scene, focusing on the following:

What does the scene reveal about the character’s personality and emotions?

How does the scene help us understand the character’s relationship with the concept of school and learning?

What is the significance of the setting or the technology in this scene? How does it reflect the character’s views?

Example of analysis:

"In the scene where Margie discusses how her mechanical teacher scolds her for not performing well, we see that she feels frustrated and disconnected from learning. Her mechanical teacher doesn’t offer the empathy or encouragement a human teacher might. This reveals Margie’s longing for a more personal, human experience, something that Tommy, with his curiosity, also wishes to understand more deeply."

Analyzing a key scene

Activity 3: "Rewriting a Scene"

Choose a scene from The Fun They Had that involves both Margie and Tommy, such as the scene where Tommy shows Margie his old book about schools or when they talk about the past school system.

Rewrite the scene from Tommy’s point of view.

What does Tommy think about the old school system when he first hears about it?

How does he feel about Margie’s confusion or fascination with the idea of human teachers?

What insights does he have that Margie might not understand at first?

Rewrite the scene from Tommy’s point of view.

How well do you understand "characters" at the end of this lesson?

😒🙁😐🙂😃