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English · Grade 3

Characters, Motivation and Story Structure

Through an original three-chapter story, Saving Pepper, children describe characters by their traits, motivations and feelings, explain how a character's actions move the plot forward, see how each chapter builds on the one before, and separate their own point of view from that of the narrator and the characters.

  • 4 lessons
  • About 95 minutes
  • Characters and structure check: 8 questions
  • Ways to answer: choose an answer, highlight a text, match pairs, put in order, sort into groups and write a short answer
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What learners will discover

  • Describe a character's traits, motivations and feelings using evidence from what the character says, does and thinks.
  • Explain how a character's actions contribute to the sequence of events.
  • Refer to parts of a story (chapters and scenes) and explain how each part builds on earlier parts.
  • Distinguish your own point of view from that of the narrator or a character.

Lessons

  1. Chapter 1: Who is Theo? 5 steps3 practiceabout 24 min
  2. Chapter 2: Choices move the story 4 steps2 practiceabout 24 min
  3. Chapter 3: How chapters build 4 steps2 practiceabout 24 min
  4. Whose point of view? 3 steps2 practiceabout 23 min
  5. Characters and structure check 8 questions at the end

Keep exploring

Games to practice with

  • Memory LanternsFlip glowing lanterns to find pairs that belong together.
  • Word WorkshopBuild the word for each picture, one sound at a time.
  • Sentence TheatreYour words direct the show: change a word and the stage changes too.

More 3rd grade reading

Guides for grown-ups