Creating a Character:

Part 1

Directions: For this activity, you will work with 1 other person to create a
character and eventually write a story about this character. But, to begin, you
must build your character.
1. With your partner choose 2-3 items from the bag, then think of a person
who might wear/use these items. After you have a good idea of what this
character is like, answer the following questions:
a. What is the characters name?
b. What does the character look like?

c. What are the characters hobbies?

d. What are the characters friends like?

e. What is the characters occupation/job?

f. If your character walked into the room right now, what would he/she
say? (Give a quote, and try to use the dialect your character might
use)

g. What is the characters dream/goal in life?

h. What type of music does your character listen to? And what is
his/her favorite song of all time?

i. What would the characters best friend say about him/her?

2. Now that you know a bit more about your character, use a sheet of big
white paper to draw a life-size picture of him/her/it!

Creating a Character: Part 2

Directions: Now that you have created your character, its time to bring him/her
to life!
1. Join together with another pair.
a. introduce your characters
b. think of a situation in which these two characters might meet
c. finally, on a sheet of paper, write a conversation that these two
characters would have if they met one another. Work as a group to
think of how these characters would react to one another, and what
they would say. This conversation should be about 1/2 a page long.
When finished, you will present these conversations to the class.
2. Presenting the character conversations:
a. Someone must introduce each character, giving us a bit of
information about them.

b. Two people will then read the conversation, while others hold up the
pictures of the characters for the class to see.
3. The last part of this activity is writing a short story in which one of these
characters stars. This part of the assignment you will do ON YOUR OWN.
You should use any of the characters that you have met throughout the
activity. (So, you may use the character your group created, OR any other
groups character.) The requirements of the story:
a. It must be at least one page long.
b. It should include all elements of the plot.
c. You should focus most of your efforts on creating a vivid picture of
the character for your reader. Remember, you can do this by
showing the words, actions, thoughts, description, and other
characters words and thoughts about the character.
d. Be sure to give your story a title.
e. You should use proper grammar, spelling and punctuation.
f. Have fun and be creative! (All content should be SCHOOL
APPROPRIATE!!)

Grading RubricCreating A Character

Names_______________________________________________________________
Part1:DrawingandCharacterDescription(5points)
5=Allquestionsareansweredwithsufficientdetailstodescribethecharacter.The
drawingwasdoneneatlyandcarefullyandshowsthedetailsthatyouwroteaboutinthe
characterdescription.
3=Allquestionsareanswered,butwithlittledetailtodescribethecharacter.The
drawingissomewhatneat,andshowssomedetailsthatyouwroteaboutinthecharacter
description.
1=Notallquestionsareansweredinthecharacterdescription.Drawingissloppilydone
withlittledetailincluded.
YourscoreforPart1=____________

Part2:TwoCharacterConversation(10pointstotal)
WrittenConversation
5=Conversationisatleast15lineslong;conversationgivesreader/listenerdetailsabout
thepersonalitiesofeachcharacterinvolved;conversationiswrittenusinglanguagethat
thecharacterswouldtrulyuse.
3=Conversationislessthan15lineslong;givesfewdetailsaboutthepersonalitiesofthe
charactersinvolved;isnotwrittenusinglanguagethatthecharacterswouldtrulyuse.
1=Conversationislessthan10lineslong;givesnodetailsaboutthepersonalitiesofthe
charactersinvolved;isnotwrittenusinglanguagethatthecharacterswouldtrulyuse.
Yourscore=___________/5
PresentedConversation:
5=Groupgivesabriefdescriptionofeachcharacter;picturesarepresented;group
membersreadtheconversationloudlyandclearly.
3=Groupgivesnorealdescriptionofeachcharacter;picturesarenotpresented;group
membersreadtheconversation,butitisdifficulttohearand/orunderstand.
1=Groupdoesnotgiveanyinformationabouteachcharacter;picturesarenotpresented;
groupmembersreadpartsoftheconversation.
Yourscore=___________/5

TotalGroupScoreforPart2=__________/10
Part3:ShortStoryaboutaCharacter(15points)
CharacterDescription:
5=Createsavividpictureofthecharacter,showingcharactersthoughts,actions,words
andphysicaldescriptionaswellasothercharacterswordsandthoughtsabouthim/her.
3=Createsasomewhatdetailedpictureofthecharacter,showingsome,butnotallofthe
following:charactersthoughts,actions,words,physicaldescription,andother
characterswordsandthoughtsabouthim/her.
1=Doesnotcreateastrongdescriptionofthecharacter.Usesoneornoneoftheabove
listedelementsforcreatingcharacter.
Yourscore=_____________/5
GeneralRequirements:
5=Storyisatleastonepagelong,hasageneralplotincludingaresolution(ending)and
hasbeengivenatitle.
3=Storyishalfapagelong,includessomeelementsofplot,buthasnotitle.
1=Storyislessthanhalfapagelong,includesfewornoplotelements,andhasnotitle.
Yourscore=______________/5
Effort:
5=Storyisneatlywritten,usesparagraphsandclearsentences.
3=Storyislegible,butnotveryneatlywritten;containsnoparagraphs;containsmany
sentenceerrors.
1=Storyisbarelylegible,hasnoparagraphs,andnosentencepunctuation.
Yourscore=_____________/5
YourtotalscoreforPart3=______________/15
***********************************************************
Part1score=__________/5

Part2score=__________/10
Part3score=__________/15
OverallGradefortheCreatingaCharacterAssignment=_________________/30