How to write a Character sketch

Brainstorming Steps Choose an individual you know well and admire. List the individual’s characteristics and accomplishments. Think of how your character reacts in certain situations. Give reasons why this person is important to you. Write down some highlights about his or her life. Describe your character with very specific words.

More Brainstorming Questions What is your character’s best feature? If your character’s friends described him/her, what would they say? What does your character like to do for enjoyment? What does your character look like? What is your character’s personality like?

Descriptive Words lively, funny, entertaining, loving, hardworking, mischievous, kind, sensible, honest, organized, outgoing, thrifty, creative, blonde, Swedish, helpful, surprising, adventurous, sporadic

Paragraph 1 – Introduction Give your character’s name, physical characteristics, and background information (How do you know this person? What do they do for a living, or what do they want to be when they grow up?) Paragraph 2 Describe one event or situation that reveals the individual’s personality and character traits. Paragraph 3 Describe a second event or situation that reveals the individual’s personality and character traits. Paragraph 4 Describe a third event or situation that reveals the individual’s personality and character traits. Paragraph 5 – Conclusion Explain why you chose this person to write about and why is he or she important to you.

Rubric CONTENT DESCRIPTIVE WORDS FORMAT TRANSITIONS Writer provides the reader with three examples that adequately portray the individual in the sketch.   (30 points) Sketch contains at least ten descriptive words, and the writer uses vivid words and phrases that draw pictures in the reader's mind. Writer uses the five paragraph format, and each paragraph contains six sentences in each paragraph. (25 points) Writer uses transitions throughout the sketch. (15 points)