**Lesson Plan: Characters and Characterisation in Literature**
**Grade:** Senior Secondary 1
**Subject:** Literature in English
**Topic:** Characters and Characterisation
**Duration:** 60 minutes
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**Objective:**
By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:
1. Understand the concept of character and characterisation in literature.
2. Identify different types of characters in a literary text.
3. Analyse characters using various characterisation techniques.
4. Apply these techniques to a selected piece of literature.
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**Materials Needed:**
1. Whiteboard and markers
2. Printed copies of a short story or an excerpt from a novel
3. Projector (if available) for any visual aids
4. Character analysis handouts
5. Sticky notes or index cards
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**Lesson Activities:**
**1. Introduction (10 minutes)**
- **Warm-Up:** Begin the class with a discussion on students' favorite characters from books, movies, or TV shows. Ask a few students to share why they like those characters.
- **Objective Overview:** Explain the objectives of the lesson and briefly discuss what character and characterisation mean in literature.
**2. Direct Instruction (15 minutes)**
- **Definition and Importance:** Define what a character is in literature and why characterisation is important.
- *Character:* A person, animal, or figure represented in a literary work.
- *Characterisation:* The process by which an author reveals the personality and qualities of a character.
- **Types of Characters:** Discuss different types of characters:
- *Protagonist and Antagonist*
- *Major and Minor Characters*
- *Static and Dynamic Characters*
- *Flat and Round Characters*
- **Techniques of Characterisation:**
- *Direct Characterisation:* The author directly states the character’s traits.
- *Indirect Characterisation:* The author shows the character's traits through actions, thoughts, speech, effect on others, and appearance (often remembered with the acronym STEAL: Speech, Thoughts, Effect on others, Actions, Looks).
**3. Guided Practice (15 minutes)**
- **Reading Activity:** Distribute copies of a short story or an excerpt from a novel. Choose a text rich in character details.
- **Group Activity:** Divide students into small groups. Assign each group a character from the text.
- Each group will identify examples of direct and indirect characterisation from the text.
- Ask groups to jot down their findings on sticky notes or index cards.
**4. Group Presentation (10 minutes)**
- Have each group present their findings to the class. Ensure they cover the following aspects:
- Name of the character
- Type of character (e.g., protagonist, flat, dynamic)
- Description of the character using direct and indirect characterisation examples from the text.
**5. Independent Practice (5 minutes)**
- **Character Analysis Worksheet:** Provide students with a character analysis handout. Ask them to select a character from any book they are currently reading (or from the short story/excerpt) and complete the worksheet focusing on the characterisation techniques discussed.
**6. Conclusion and Homework (5 minutes)**
- **Recap:** Summarize the key points discussed during the lesson.
- **Interactive Q&A:** Allow a few minutes for questions and clarifications.
- **Homework Assignment:** Ask students to write a short paragraph about a character from their favorite book or movie, including both direct and indirect characterisation.
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**Assessment:**
- Informal assessment during the group activity and presentation.
- Review of independent practice handouts to gauge understanding.
- Evaluation of the homework assignment for application of characterisation concepts.
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**Reflection:**
- Reflect on the students’ engagement and understanding throughout the class.
- Identify any areas where students struggled and consider re-teaching strategies or additional practice opportunities.
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**Additional Resources:**
- "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee (for examples of complex characterisation)
- "The Great Gatsby" by F. Scott Fitzgerald (for further analysis of characters)
- Character analysis graphic organizers available online for additional practice
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End of Lesson Plan.