Students will: 

• describe characters from the story using character traits
• compare and contrast two main characters from the story
• apply their knowledge, understanding, and analysis of characters to determine how they would react in a situation

Set Up and Prepare

• Make a class set of copies for each worksheet
• When copying the Character Trait Map, create a double sided copy with a blank map on both sides.
• Create a Character Comparison Map on chart paper, or you can use the PDF on a SMARTboard

Directions 

Before Reading

Have students make predictions about the book based on cover and title.  Discuss with students ways that they are different from one another.  Also discuss the positive and negative aspects about being different.

During Reading

Review with students the meaning of character traits.  If the class doesn’t already have a list of common character traits, make one before students complete the activity.

Distribute a double sided, blank Character Trait Chart to each student. As the students read the story, have them fill in two charts, one for each character.  There should be a blank chart on each side of the paper.  Have the students leave the boxes labeled “character traits” empty until after the story is finished. Discuss how a character’s actions, words, feelings, and thoughts determine their character.  (These charts can be completed over the next couple of days of reading.)

After finishing the story, have the students reread their Character Trait Charts, and use the information about their characters to infer traits to describe them. They may use the “Character Traits” chart made before reading the story for help.

After Reading

Once students are finished reading the story and have completed a character map for two characters in the story, they are going to compare and contrast the characters.  Model the Character Comparison Map for the students using two characters from another book that the students are familiar with.  Then have the students use the information they collected about the characters from The Hundred Dresses to complete a Character Comparison Map.

Next Day

Once the students have successfully compared the two characters, they are going to use that information to determine how each of those characters would react to a certain situation.  Explain to students that people respond to situations differently depending on their character and beliefs.  Read aloud the example situation on the “What Would They Do?” worksheet.  Explain to the students that they are going to write how they think their two characters would respond to the situation based on their character traits and the character comparison charts.  Have students share their responses when finished.

Lesson Extension

Have the students write a sequel to The Hundred Dresses. They can think about Wanda’s life in the new city.  Is it different from living in Boggin Heights?  Do the children tease her there?  Does Wanda want to return to her old home and be friends with Maddie and Peggy?
Reader’s Theater is a great way for students to practice reading fluently.  Break the class into small groups of 3-5 children.  Give each group an important scene or event from the story to create into a Reader’s Theater script.  Students can then perform their scripts for students in the school or other grade level classes.

Assignments

Character Trait Map
Character Comparison Map
What Would They Do? Worksheet

Evaluate the Lesson

• Are students able to use inference skills to identify character traits based on a character’s actions, thoughts, words, or feelings, while independently reading?
• Are students able to use critical thinking to predict how a character would react or respond to a situation based on their previously determined character traits?