Characterizatio
n Lesson Plan  

In This Lesson Plan 

02 ​ ​Overview  
02 ​ ​Activity Details 
02​ ​Learning Objectives 
02​ ​Computer Science Topics Covered  
03​ ​Standards Addressed 
03​ ​Materials 
04 ​ S
​ etup 
04​ P
​ rocedure  
06​ A
​ dd-on Solution Guide  

Additional Resources 
Characterization Main Page 
Characterization Lesson Plan ←
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CS First Getting Started Guide 

 
 

What is CS First? 
 
Google CS First is a free computer science curriculum that makes coding easy to teach and fun to learn. CS First empowers every teacher 
to teach computer science with free tools and resources - no CS experience required. S
​ ign in for free to get more benefits.​ (Not required for 
this activity) 
 
In CS First, students code with Scratch, a free, block-based programming tool developed by MIT. It's ideal for beginners to learn coding. Students 
"snap" together blocks of commands that the computer can carry out. 

   

Characterization Lesson Plan

  
Overview 
CS First teaches computer science (CS) concepts through instructional videos that show students how to make 
projects in Scratch. In this coding activity, students program a project that describes in detail a character in a 
story. This lesson plan is designed to help you teach characterization in a fun, visual, and engaging way through 
coding. Access the activity at g​ .co/csfirst/characterization​. 
 
  Tip:​ This lesson is an enhancement to incorporate CS into your existing English language arts or reading 
curriculum. Use this lesson as is, or make a copy and modify it. 

Activity Details 
In Characterization, students tell the story of a character who doesn’t have a school assignment when it’s due. 
Students will describe this character through their actions, thoughts and words. This ​example project​ shows 
what a student can create if they complete all of the add-ons in the activity. 

You can use this lesson as a way to make inferences about a specific “character” such as a historical figure, 
fictional character, or person from current events. 

This activity was designed for students in grades 3 through 5, and can be adapted for many different ages and 
audiences. It takes approximately an hour to run. 

  Tip:​ You can adapt CS First to fit the pacing needs of your classroom - split this activity between 
morning and afternoon, divide it among different days, or complete it in one sitting. Younger students 
and those new to coding may need more time to complete the activity. 

Learning Objectives 
By selecting add-on videos that present coding challenges, students will: 
• Use ​even​t​ blocks (like “when flag clicked”) to trigger a series of code. 
• Sequence​ at least 3 “say” blocks to start their story (by selecting a character). 
• Use ​motion​ blocks (like “glide to X Y“) to personalize their story. 
• Use ​wait​ blocks to construct a dialogue between two sprites. 
 

   

CS First Characterization Lesson Plan 2

 
Computer Science Topics Covered  
• Parallelism​: The process of events happening at the same time, either independently or interdependently. 
• Debugging​: The process of identifying and fixing error(s) in a program when it is not functioning as 
expected. 
• Control structures​: Sections of code that order the direction or flow of how a program functions. The 
control structure in this activity is focused on loops. 
 

Standards Addressed 
This activity can be adapted for many different language arts, reading, and technology classes. Refer to these 
standards and the CS First Common Core crosswalk in choosing how to adapt the lesson to your class. 

ELA Anchor Standard - ​CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.3 

Analyze how and why individuals, events, or ideas develop and interact over the course of a text. 

Grade 3  Describe characters in a story (e.g., their traits, motivations, or feelings) and 
explain how their actions contribute to the sequence of events. 
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.3.3 

Grade 4  Describe in depth a character, setting, or event in a story or drama, drawing on 
specific details in the text (e.g., a character's thoughts, words, or actions). 
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.4.3 

Grade 5  Compare and contrast two or more characters, settings, or events in a story or 
drama, drawing on specific details in the text (e.g., how characters interact). 
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.5.3 

CSTA 1B-AP-10  Create programs that include sequences, events, loops, and conditionals. 
 

CSTA 1B-AP-11  Decompose problems into smaller, manageable subproblems to facilitate the 
program development process. 

 
Materials 
1. Internet-connected computer and a projector 
2. Computers with internet access (per student)*  
3. Headphones (per student)* 
* Don’t have enough computers or headphones? Review A
​ dditional Workarounds​ in the CS First Get Started 
Guide. 

CS First Characterization Lesson Plan 3

  
Note:​ The activity can be completed online or offline, but both options require access to a computer. Refer to 
our Help Center for T​ ips for Tech-Limited Classrooms​. 
 

Setup 
1. Set up your classroom to ensure videos (with sound) can be played for your entire class. 
2. Share the activity link, ​g.co/csfirst/characterization​, with students by writing it on the board, or using a 
classroom-management tool, like Google Classroom. 
 

  Tip: T
​ o save projects in Scratch, ​students need to sign in​ (not required to complete the activity). 

Procedure 
Introduction: Review ELA concepts (7 minutes) 
1. Introduce the activity: 
a. [say] In this activity, you’ll use code to tell the story of someone who needs to turn in an 
assignment for school, but hasn’t completed it yet. 
b. [ask] What are some reasons that someone might not have an assignment done? What are some 
wacky, fun, or fantastical reasons someone might not have their homework? What might 
someone do when they find out that they don’t have their assignment? 

2. Review the ELA concept: characterization. 

a. [say] There are lots of ways to tell a story about someone not having an assignment. You’ll use 
what your character says, thinks, or does to tell readers about your character. Are they smart, 
brave, resilient, creative? You’ll get to decide. 

3. Before computer-time, consider using a pre-writing activity, like brainstorming character traits, to 
connect this to your classroom learning objectives. 
 
4. Tell students that they’ll apply their knowledge of characterization to code a story in Scratch. They will 
follow CS First videos to code their story and develop their character.  
 
 
Transition to CS First: Code ELA concepts (45 minutes) 
1. Present the first two videos of Characterization to the entire class (​g.co/csfirst/characterization​). 
2. Navigate students to the Characterization activity. 
3. Reiterate the video instructions: 
a. Open the Starter Project. 

CS First Characterization Lesson Plan 4

 b. Add a new character. 
c. Program your character’s thoughts using “think” and “when flag clicked” blocks. 
d. Select add-on videos to continue your story. 
4. Release students to work. While they’re working: 
a. Check that students are on-task. Students should have two tabs open (CS First and Scratch). 
Look for signs that students might not know what to do, like adding a lot of sprites or dragging 
out a lot of unrelated blocks. 
b. Talk with students one-on-one about their stories, and the characters they’re developing. 
 

Wrap-up: Reflect on ELA and CS concepts practiced (8 minutes) 

1. Students ​share their projects​ in Scratch (if they already have Scratch accounts). 
2. Pair students and ask them to review their partner’s project. Answer the following questions (either in 
writing or whole-class).  
• How would you describe your partner’s character? What are they feeling? Thinking? What is their 
motivation? 
• What are three adjectives you could use to describe your partner's character? 
• What does your character say, think, or do that tells you something about their personality or 
motivation? 
 
 

   

CS First Characterization Lesson Plan 5

 
Add-on Solution Guide 
Refer to this guide when helping students on their projects. These solutions represent one way to solve a 
problem. Students may find their own unique solutions. 
For additional resources, check out the Scratch Wiki. The S
​ cratch Secrets​ and H
​ idden Features​ articles can help 
you continue to explore everything Scratch has to offer. 
 

Common Scratch Needs  

I want to...  How to 

Restore a deleted sprite  Click Edit -> Restore Sprite 

Restore deleted code  Right click -> Undo 

Flip the direction of 

sprite  Select sprite ->  Costumes tab ->  Select tool ->  Flip Horizontal 

 
   
 
 
 

Change size of sprite 

Select sprite ->  Change size 

 
 
 
 

Sequencing code with 

“wait” blocks  Main Character (i.e. Andie)  Secondary Character 

   

   

CS First Characterization Lesson Plan 6

 
Add-on Solution Guide - continued 
Refer to this guide to see example code for each video. 
 
Introduction to Characterization    What is Your Character Thinking?  
(Group Video)  (Group Video) 
No code.  Pick a character and add code to show what they’re 
thinking. 

   

CS First Characterization Lesson Plan 7

  
Add-on Solution Guide - continued 
Make Your Character Move  Add a Teacher or a Friend 

Use motion code blocks to move your character  Add another character like a teacher or a friend to 
around the stage and reveal some of their personality  your story. 
or mood.   
  Main Character 
Main Character 
 
 

 
New Character 
 

   

CS First Characterization Lesson Plan 8

  
Add-on Solution Guide - continued 
Add an Interesting Object   

Add an unexpected or surprising object to your story.    

 
New Object 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CS First lesson plans are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution - ShareAlike 4.0 International License. 
Scratch is developed by the Lifelong Kindergarten Group at the MIT Media Lab. See h​ ttp://scratch.mit.edu

CS First Characterization Lesson Plan 9