Curriculum Design & Instructional Materials

Sample Projects

6th/7th Grade ELA Lesson Plan – Character Development

Lesson Title: Exploring Character Growth Through Fiction

Grade Level: 6th/7th Grade
Subject: English Language Arts
Lesson Duration: 60 minutes
Standards Alignment: Common Core State Standards (CCSS) - RL.6.3, RL.7.3 (Analyze how characters respond to events and develop over time in a text.)

Lesson Objectives:

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

  1. Identify how a character changes over the course of a story.

  2. Cite textual evidence to support their analysis.

  3. Compare character development across different literary works.

Materials Needed:

  • Excerpts from Esperanza Rising by Pam Muñoz Ryan or another grade-appropriate novel

  • Character Development Graphic Organizer

  • Anchor Chart: "How Characters Change Over Time"

  • Highlighters and sticky notes

  • Digital Tool Option: Google Docs or Jamboard for collaborative annotations

Lesson Plan Outline:

1️⃣ Do Now (10 min) – Engage the Learners

  • Ask students: “Think of a book or movie where a character experiences change. What causes that change?”

  • Students write responses in journals.

  • Pair-share, then discuss as a class.

2️⃣ Mini Lesson (15 min) – Direct Instruction

  • Introduce the Character Development Anchor Chart (e.g., personality traits, motivations, key events that drive change).

  • Model a think-aloud while analyzing an excerpt from Esperanza Rising.

  • Use highlighting and annotation strategies to mark changes in character behavior.

3️⃣ Guided Practice (15 min) – Small Group Analysis

  • In groups, students analyze different characters from the selected text.

  • Use the Character Development Graphic Organizer to map key moments.

  • Groups present their findings using digital tools (Google Slides, Padlet, or chart paper).

4️⃣ Independent Practice (15 min) – Application

  • Students choose a book they are reading and apply the same character analysis.

  • Write a short analytical response about a character’s development, using textual evidence.

5️⃣ Exit Ticket (5 min) – Reflection

  • Prompt: “Describe one character change you analyzed today. Why was it significant?”

  • Responses will be collected to assess understanding.

Assessment & Differentiation:

✔ Formative Assessment: Observing discussions, reviewing graphic organizers, and exit tickets.
✔ Differentiation Strategies:

  • Provide sentence starters for students who need writing support.

  • Offer alternative text selections for different reading levels.

  • Advanced students compare two characters’ development from different texts.

Extensions & Cross-Curricular Connections:

  • Follow-Up Assignment: Write a character comparison essay focusing on changes over time.

  • Cross-Curricular Connection: Link to social studies by analyzing character development in historical figures.

  • Technology Integration: Use Canva for student presentations.

🔗 [Download Character Development Graphic Organizer] 🔗 [View Anchor Chart Example]

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