English Language Arts
Grade 3
15 min
Show character emotions and traits
Show character emotions and traits
What you'll learn
- Identify at least three different emotions characters show in a story and explain how you know they are feeling that way by pointing to specific words or actions in the text.
- Describe at least two character traits of a main character in a story, using evidence from the text to support your descriptions.
- Apply your understanding of emotions and traits by writing a short paragraph from the perspective of a character, showing at least one emotion and one trait through their words and actions.
- Explain how a character's emotions and traits influence their decisions and actions in a story.
Tutorial Preview
1
Introduction & Learning Objectives
Learning Objectives
Identify a character's emotion based on descriptions of their actions and appearance.
Identify a character's trait based on descriptions of their behavior and dialogue.
Use strong action verbs to show, not just tell, how a character is feeling.
Describe a character's facial expressions and body language to reveal their emotions.
Write a short paragraph that shows a character's emotion without naming the emotion directly.
Explain the difference between a character trait (like being brave) and a character emotion (like feeling scared).
Have you ever known exactly how your friend was feeling without them saying a word? 🤔 That's because you saw clues in their face and actions!
In this lesson, we will learn how to be story detectives...
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Key Concepts & Vocabulary
TermDefinitionExample
EmotionA feeling a character has right now, like being happy, sad, angry, or surprised. Emotions can change quickly.When Sarah won the prize, she felt the emotion of joy.
TraitA part of a character's personality that usually stays the same. It's who they are, like being kind, brave, shy, or funny.The knight's trait was bravery; he was always willing to face danger.
Show, Don't TellA writing rule where you use actions, words, and descriptions to let the reader guess the emotion, instead of just naming it.Telling: 'The boy was angry.' Showing: 'The boy stomped his foot and crossed his arms over his chest.'
ActionSomething a character does with their body. Actions are great clues for emotions and traits.An action like 'huggin...
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Key Rules & Conventions
The Action Clue Rule
Use strong action verbs to show feelings.
Instead of saying a character 'walked', describe HOW they walked. A character who 'stomped' is probably angry. A character who 'skipped' is probably happy. The verb gives a clue!
The Face and Body Rule
Describe a character's face and body to give clues about their emotions.
Think about what a character's eyes, mouth, hands, and shoulders are doing. A 'wide grin' shows happiness. 'Clenched fists' show anger. 'Shaking knees' show fear.
The Dialogue Clue Rule
Use what characters say (and how they say it) to reveal their traits.
A character who says, 'Let me go first!' might be bossy. A character who whispers, 'I'm not s...
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Challenging
Isla checked her backpack three times to make sure her homework was there. She neatly arranged her pencils on her desk before the teacher began. During the test, she read every question twice. What trait do all these actions point to?
A.She is messy.
B.She is forgetful.
C.She is careful and thorough.
D.She is in a hurry.
Challenging
Character 1: 'I can't do this, it's too hard,' he whined. Character 2: 'This is tricky, but I'm going to try my best until I figure it out,' she said. Based on their words, how is Character 2 different from Character 1?
A.Character 2 is less hopeful than Character 1.
B.Character 2 is more of a quitter than Character 1.
C.Character 2 is more determined than Character 1.
D.Character 2 is more worried than Character 1.
Challenging
Read this description: 'The boy stared at the broken bike. A single tear rolled down his cheek.' If the author changed the second sentence to 'He kicked the tire and yelled,' how would the character's main emotion change?
A.From sadness to anger
B.From happiness to confusion
C.From fear to excitement
D.From anger to sadness
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Frequently asked questions
What grade level is "Show character emotions and traits"?
Show character emotions and traits is a Grade 3 English Language Arts lesson on ExcelOS.
What will I learn in Show character emotions and traits?
You'll be able to: Identify at least three different emotions characters show in a story and explain how you know they are feeling that way by pointing to specific words or actions in the text; Describe at least two character traits of a main….
Is "Show character emotions and traits" free to practice?
Yes. You can read the tutorial preview for free, and signing up for a free ExcelOS account unlocks the full tutorial and all practice questions with instant feedback.
How many practice questions are included with Show character emotions and traits?
This lesson includes 25 practice questions across multiple difficulty levels, each with instant feedback and explanations.