Finding Out About Characters

What are we going to learn? Today, we will learn about how to describe characters. But, before we do, let’s go back and review

How much do you remember? 1. Who is the author?Beverly Cleary 2. Can you describe Ellen? She’s a thin little girl with dark hair and brown eyes. 3. How many brothers and sisters does she have? None. 4. What’s her favourite hobby? Ballet.

5. Is it a modern story? No. It was written in What do Austine and Ellen have in common? (What is the secret they share) They both wear woolen underwear. 7. Where was Austine from? California. 8. What happens at the end of the story? They have a fight but become best friends again.

Vocabulary Warm Up: 1.…..with ballet slippers tucked under her arm. (p.1) 2…. her hair was scraggly on the left side of her face. (p.1) 3….her mother said animals tracked in mud. (p.3) 4….she paused to look anxiously up and down the street. (p.4) 5.Then, relieved that she saw no one she knew… (p.4) 6. …she scampered up the long flight of steps. (p.4) Pairwork activity Page 1

Character Why would you ever have to describe one? 1. bank robbery 2. an assessment 3. when you are talking about someone that others do not know

1. Appearance

2. Clothes

3. Interests What do they like to do? Are they unusual in some way?

4. What they are like polite impolite mean kind energetic talkative shy lovely

Brainstorm some interesting describing words! appearanceclothes interestscharacter

Use the simple present tense to describe your family and friends Add “the third person ‘s’ ” – He likes… She runs... Use interesting vocabulary NOT He has two big eyes and a round face. BUT He has chocolate brown eyes & an oval- shaped face. Try to include notable details e.g. She loves to surprise people.

Students 1-2 in each group make notes on questions 1-2. Students 3-4 in each group make notes on questions What does Ellen look like? ___________________________________________________ 2. What’s her family like? ___________________________________________________ 3. What kind of friends does she have? ___________________________________________________ 4. What does she like to do? ___________________________________________________ Pairwork activity Page 1

_____________________________________________________________________________________ Use your notes to write a paragraph about Ellen Tebbits. Write in complete sentences and: *describe what Ellen looks like, * what her family is like, * what kinds of friends she has * what she likes to do.

Ellen Tebbits Ellen was plain and thin. She had brown hair. She didn’t have any brothers or sisters, and she lived on Tillamook Street. Ellen also didn’t have a best friend. She loved dancing, reading and playing with her friends.