• They look for character attributes. Attributes are words that describe someone (physically - how he/she moves or looks on the outside; vocally - how he/she talks or makes sounds with the voice; emotionally - how he/she feels on the inside). • When you re ad, keep an eye out for adjectives and adverbs that describe the character. If you cannot find specific descriptive words in the text, you can infer them - decide what attributes are appropriate based on the other clues in the text. • The actor also needs to figure out the character's objective and actions. • We are going to look at the character from our story (Mr. Fox) like an actor would. We are going to write down our ideas on a Character Map. This is a graphic organizer in which we can generate ideas a nd gather information about a specific character in a story. Let's fill one out together on one of the characters in our story (Mr. Fox). • What does Mr. Fox want? What are his obstacles? What does he look like? If we don't have specific words in the story , we can infer by using the attributes that the writer gives us. What might his voice sound like? Does he make any noises? What actions does he use to get what he wants? To move around? \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ 3. Lead students as they transform their neutral walk into a character walk (Mr. Fox). " Responding, interpreting, synthesizing • Now that we have gathered a lot of information, let's construct meaning by using our bodies and voices to put our ideas into practice. • Find a spot in the room. Walk around the room as yourselves, in actor neutral. • When I cue you, start walking like the character (Mr. Fox). Think about what we wrote on our Character Map. What words on it would describe how you might move? Go - while staying on two feet, move like the character. • How would the character (Mr. Fox) walk? How does he feel? Does the way he feels change the way he moves? What fox- like attributes can you add to your movement? • What is the character's (Mr. Fox's) o bjective? Yes, he wants (chickens). What actions did we write down - sneaking is one. Show the character (Mr. Fox) sneaking. ! Criteria-based teacher checklist: Uses pose/posture and movement based on the clues from a Character Map. \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ ARTS IMPACT THEATER AND READING INFUSION - Third Grade: Character Maps: Using Evidence and Inference 9 4. Lead each student to present a line of dialogue for the character (Mr. Fox). " Responding, interpreting, synthesizing # In order to hear every student say the line of dialogue, roam around the room or have students stand in a circle and cue each student to say the line individually. • Now we'll say a line of dialogue as the character (Mr. Fox) would say i t. Again, our Character Map is our guide. • The line of dialogue I will pick is when our character (Mr. Fox) tells his wife he is going out to steal a duck from Bunce. She tells him to be careful, and he says, 'My darling, I can smell those goons a mile away.' • If we look at our Character Map, what information might help us in saying this line? We have 'proud' written down. We also have 'cocky,' which means 'really confident and sure.' • Say the line in your best cocky, fox voice. Say it several times, while I come around and listen. You can change your vocal pitch (high/low), your volume (loudness), or your timbre (vocal quality). Go - practice saying the line as the character would say it. ! Criteria-based teacher checklist: Selects and uses specific vocal pitch, volume, or timbre based on the character attributes from the Character Map. \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ 5. Guide students to blend voice and body for the character (Mr. Fox) by having them move around the room while speaking the previously chosen line of dialogue. " Responding, interpreting, synthesizing # Create a space in the room for students to individually move from one point to the other as the character. • We've written on our Character Map, we've practiced making physical and vocal choices for the character (Mr. Fox). • Now, how does he move and speak at the same time? Let's find out. I want you to move and speak the line from the story the way the character, Mr. Fox, would. • Next, cross the room one at a time showing us your best characterization (Mr. Fox). Remember his attributes (sneaky, smart, and cocky). Show those attributes in your voice and body. ! Criteria-based teacher checklist, rubric: Blends voice and body to present the character's co nversation to an audience. \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ 6. Guide reflection. " Full group reflection • How did knowing what Mr. Fox's objective was affect the way you moved and talked? ! Criteria-based reflection: Reflects on how a character's objective affects the ways he or she moves and speaks. \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ ARTS IMPACT THEATER AND READING INFUSION - Third Grade: Character Maps: Using Evidence and Inference 10 Day Two 1. Guide students to work independently as they mine the story for clues and descriptions for a character's attributes. Hand out a blank Character Map to each student to record attributes. " Mini lesson, using text clues to ask questions, inferring # Students can work by themselves, in pairs, or in small groups