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Learn to tell the difference between how a character looks and how a character acts or feels.
If you saw a giant green monster with sharp teeth, would you know if he was mean or just had a very bad toothache?
Imagine you are a detective looking at a photograph. What do you see? You might notice curly hair, a blue shirt, or that the person is very tall. These are called Outside Traits. They are the physical features we can see with our eyes. Just like the cover of a book, outside traits tell us what a character looks like on the surface. If a character has a -inch tall hat, that is an outside trait because anyone looking at them can see it!
Let's look at a character named 'Super Sam': 1. Sam wears a bright red cape. 2. Sam has black boots. 3. Sam has freckles on his nose. All of these are outside traits because we can draw them in a picture just by looking at him.
Quick Check
If a character is wearing a sparkly silver crown, is that an 'Inside' or 'Outside' trait?
Answer
Outside trait
Now, imagine you are a mind-reader! Inside Traits are about a character's personality, feelings, and thoughts. You cannot see them just by looking at a photo. You have to watch what they do, say, or feel. Is the character brave? Are they clumsy? Are they honest? These traits are like the story inside the book. Even if two characters look exactly the same on the outside, they can be totally different on the inside!
Read this sentence: 'Even though she was scared, Maya climbed the tall ladder to rescue the kitten.' 1. The action: Climbing a tall ladder while scared. 2. The trait: Brave. 3. 'Brave' is an inside trait because it describes Maya's heart and mind, not her clothes.
Quick Check
Which of these is an inside trait: 'Yellow hair' or 'Kindness'?
Answer
Kindness
A dragon named Barnaby has sharp green scales and smoke coming from his nose. However, every Saturday, he bakes cookies for the tiny mice in the village because he loves making friends. 1. Outside Traits: Sharp green scales, smoke from nose. 2. Inside Traits: Friendly, caring, sweet. 3. Lesson: The outside and inside don't always match!
Which of these is an OUTSIDE trait?
If a character always tells the truth, what INSIDE trait do they have?
True or False: You can usually tell if a character is 'greedy' just by looking at a photo of them.
Review Tomorrow
In 24 hours, try to name 3 outside traits and 3 inside traits of your favorite cartoon character.
Practice Activity
Draw a picture of a 'Mystery Character.' On the outside of their body, draw 3 physical traits. Inside their chest or head, write 3 words that describe their personality!