Navigation
Look closely at how characters act when something big happens in a story.
Imagine you are building a tall tower of blocks and—CRASH—it falls down! Do you feel like crying, or do you start building a new one right away?
Every story has a major event. This is a big moment where something important happens. It could be a problem, like a lost cat, or a surprise, like a secret party. Think of it as the 'Uh-oh!' or 'Wow!' moment. Without these events, the story would be very boring! When you read, look for the moment that changes everything for the character. This event is the reason the character has to do something new.
Quick Check
What do we call a big moment or problem that changes things for a character in a story?
Answer
A major event.
When a big event happens, characters have feelings. Just like you might feel happy on your birthday or nervous before a test, characters react with their hearts. We call this an emotional response. You can find clues about feelings by looking at the character’s face in pictures or reading words like sad, excited, or brave. Understanding how they feel helps us guess what they will do next!
1. The Event: Ben drops his favorite toy in a deep puddle. 2. The Feeling: Ben’s eyes fill with tears and his shoulders slump. He feels sad and worried. 3. The Clue: The word 'tears' and the picture of his face tell us he is upset.
Quick Check
If a character is smiling and jumping up and down after winning a game, how are they likely feeling?
Answer
They are feeling excited, happy, or proud.
After a character feels something, they usually act. They make a choice to solve their problem. This is called a response. Why do they choose that specific action? Usually, it is because they want to make things better or reach a goal. By looking at their action, we can see if the character is helpful, smart, or maybe even a little bit shy. Their choice tells us who they are!
1. The Event: Lily’s kite gets stuck high in a tree. 2. The Feeling: Lily feels determined to get it back. 3. The Action: Lily doesn't try to climb the tree because she knows it is too tall. Instead, she runs to get her dad and a long ladder. 4. The Why: She chose this because she knew she needed help to be safe and successful.
1. The Event: The class garden is dry and the flowers are wilting because it hasn't rained. 2. The Feeling: The students feel disappointed because they worked hard on the garden. 3. The Action: They form a 'water brigade' where each student carries one small cup of water at a time from the sink to the garden. 4. The Why: They realized that one person couldn't carry a heavy bucket, so they worked as a team to solve the problem together.
If a character's bike tire pops while they are riding, what is the 'major event'?
Why might a character ask a teacher for help after a major event?
Characters always feel the same way when a problem happens.
Review Tomorrow
In 24 hours, try to recall: What are the three steps to understanding a character? (Event -> Feeling -> Action).
Practice Activity
While reading your favorite book tonight, point to a picture and say: 'The character feels ____ because ____ happened.'