Characters RTI

Chapter 3 • Lesson 13

Characters

Characters are the people or animals in a story. They have human traits or
feelings that make them like real people. You learn about characters through:
• the character’s words, thoughts, or actions
• the words, thoughts, or actions of other characters
• the author’s description

Think about characters.
1. Circle all the words that could be characters in a story.

girl kitten Dad dinner Ms. Johnson

2. Circle the words that show how a character might feel.
plastic happy angry bored circus

Read the paragraph. Think about the characters. Then complete the activity.

Janice is a confident girl. When her friend Kara asked her to help answer a math problem,
Janice grinned. “Sure,” she said. “We can do that together.” Janice pulled out a new pencil and
started to work.

Make a check ( ✓ ) next to the correct answer.

1. Who is the story MOSTLY 2. Janice is 3. What does Janice do
about? that shows what kind of
funny. _ character she is?
Janice _ confident. _
Kara _ quiet. _ sharpens a pencil _
math _ rude. _ talks a lot _
a teacher _ asks for help _
helps Kara _

Duplicating any part of this book is prohibited by law.

80  Chapter 3 • Literary Texts

Read the story.

“Isn’t it time to go yet?” Franklin asked. “I want to get there early enough to find a good seat.
I’ve never watched a movie in a park before!” Franklin was very excited.

“We’re going soon, I promise,” his mother answered. “But you need to calm down. You are
making me nervous. Also, you said you would empty the trash first.”

Franklin jumped up. “I’ll do it right this minute, Mom! Then can we go? We need to meet
my friends.”

First read the question and all the possible answers. Next read what
Coach says. Then circle the letter in front of the best answer.

1. Who is the main character? I read the word character. I think about the
A. Franklin’s friends people or animals in the story. A movie star is
B. Franklin not in the story. So I know answer D is wrong.
C. Franklin’s mother Franklin’s mother is in the story. His friends
D. a movie star
are mentioned, too. But the story is mostly
about Franklin.

2. Which word BEST describes Franklin? I read BEST describes. That tells me more
A. excited than one answer might describe Franklin, but
B. unkind that one fits better than the others. I think
C. happy about what Franklin says and does. Franklin
D. calm is not unkind or calm. He is probably happy,
but that is not what stands out in this story.
Franklin’s attitude about the movie is excited.

3. Franklin’s mother feels I need to find a word that describes Franklin’s
A. hateful.
B. eager. mother. When I look back at what she says and
C. nervous. does, I can see that she is not feeling hateful,
D. quiet. but she also does not seem eager about
leaving. She is not quiet. So, answers A, B,
Duplicating any part of this book is prohibited by law. and D are not correct.

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Read the story. Think about the characters. Then go to Stop and Think and follow
the directions.

One Messy Room Stop and Think

1 Tamir looked around his friend’s room. “This is a mess. How What does Tamir notice
do you find anything in here?” about his friend’s room?
Draw a wavy line
2 Colin shrugged his shoulders. “First, I look under the bed.” under it.
Colin kneeled down and reached under the bed. He tossed out
shoes, a football, and some comic books. Tamir thought he even Where does Colin look
saw a report card from the year before. in paragraph 2?
Underline it.
3 Colin did not find what he was looking for. He moved on to
his closet. To get there, he had to step over some piles of clothing. Who is the story about?
An old sandwich sat beneath a hockey stick. Circle the names of
the characters.
4 “Next, I look in my closet,” Colin said. Colin pulled open the
door slowly. Tamir’s mouth dropped open in shock. It was stuffed What does Tamir do
full of junk. Clothes started to fall out of it onto the floor. Both when Colin opens the
boys had to step back for a minute. closet door? Draw two
lines under it.
5 “You do have hangers, you know,” Tamir said. “Why don’t
you use them?” What is Colin looking
for during most of the
6 “I don’t have time for hangers,” Colin answered. “I’m a busy story? Put a box around
guy. Right now, I need to find my baseball stuff. If I am late the words that tell you.
for practice, my coach will be angry.” He continued to search
through the closet.

7 “Wait, maybe it is here,” he said. Colin moved over to
another pile of dirty clothes. They stood in a heap in the corner of
the room. He dug in the pile until he shouted, “A-ha! Here it is!”
He held up the baseball and grinned at his friend. Then his smile
faded. “Now if I can only find my hat.”

Duplicating any part of this book is prohibited by law.

82  Chapter 3 • Literary Texts