_____________________________________________________________________________________

__
Pg. 1 Find more resources for teaching creative writing at
SuperEasyStorytelling.com © 2015 LoveWell Press
Creative Writing Lesson
Step 2- Describe your Character
Objective
Students will understand the following:
1. How to use interesting descriptive words and strong verbs to give a main
character personality.
2. The beginning of the story should introduce the main character and basic plot.
(Note: This lesson follows our lesson plan: Creative Writing Step 1- Creating a Story
Idea, however it can be
used independently.)
Grade Level
Grades 3-7
Standards
Supports common core standards in Language Arts.
1. Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using
effective technique, descriptive details,
and clear event sequences. (CCS.ELA.Literacy.W.X.3 - Where “X” is the grade level.)
Materials
1. Describe your Main Character Worksheet
2. Awesome Adjectives List
3. Vibrant Verbs List
4. Adverbs List
5. Creative Writing Prompts for Kids Worksheet (optional)
Vocabulary
This lesson is based on our Super Easy Storytelling Formula. For a full explanation of
the formula, visit our
website.
Super Easy Storytelling Formula: Who wants What but Why Not = A Fun Story
Additional Terms (Optional):
_____________________________________________________________________________________
__
Pg. 2 Find more resources for teaching creative writing at
SuperEasyStorytelling.com © 2015 LoveWell Press
Protagonist – The main character. Who the story is about. (See What is a Protagonist
for full definition and a
printable poster.)
Antagonist—The person or force working against the main character. (See What is
an Antagonist for full
definition and a printable poster.)
Procedures
1. Start with a story idea
Every story needs a main character (protagonist) and a plot. In the beginning of the
story we introduce the main
character and his basic problem (The WHO, the WHAT and the WHY NOT from our
super easy formula). This
introduction sets the tone for the story and helps the reader understand who your
character is including what he
looks like, what his personality is like, and how he would normally act.
We’ll use this basic story example throughout the lesson:
(WHO) A Fairy + (WHAT) Wants to go to the gnome village + (WHY NOT) but a
dragon gets in the way
2. How we describe a character
The words you use to describe your character help paint a picture for the reader.
Help them see and feel with
your five senses. (Use the Awesome Adjectives List and Vibrant Verbs List for ideas.)
• What does the character look like? Think body type, size, skin, hair, clothes.
• Sound like? Think about its voice, any sounds it makes (or doesn’t make) when it
moves. This could be
a twinkling voice, a rumbling growl, a thudding tail, a silent ninja.
• Move like? This is a great place to use descriptive action verbs. How would the
character walk (lope,
crawl, creep, stomp, slither)? How would it eat (chomp, slurp, devour, nibble)?
• Act like? This is about personality. Is the character kind/cruel, gentle/aggressive,
brave/timid?
• Feel like? Is texture significant for your character? Consider a scaly dragon, a puffy
marshmallow man,
a wrinkly old witch.
• Smell like? Is smell important for your character? Does he have rotten breath or
hair that smells of
flowers?
✔Class Activity
Let’s turn this basic story idea into two completely different stories by choosing
different describing words.
1. Start with the basic story idea:
A Fairy + Wants to go to the gnome village + But a dragon gets in the way
2. Let’s add just a couple words to describe our protagonist (the fairy) and the
antagonist (the dragon) and see
how these stories differ.
Option X: A charming, young fairy + wanted to go to the gnome village + but a
baby dragon got in the way.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
__
Pg. 3 Find more resources for teaching creative writing at
SuperEasyStorytelling.com © 2015 LoveWell Press
(Ask students what type of story they think this will be? Their answers should be
something like: A cute story
with some heartwarming adventures.)
Option Y: A combat-boot-wearing- fairy + wanted to go the gnome village + but a
ferocious dragon got in
the way.
(Ask students what type of story they think this will be? Their answers should be
something like: An action
adventure with battles and fire.)
3. Build out the character some more by using our five senses.
Ask students for adjectives or strong action verbs that describe the characters
introduced above. (Use the
Awesome Adjectives List and Vibrant Verbs List for ideas.)
Option 1: A charming, young fairy
Looks like: (ex: sparkling skin, delicate wings, elegant arms and legs)
Sounds like: (ex: melodic, excited)
Moves like: (ex: graceful, quick)
Acts like: (ex: adventurous, curious, friendly)
Smells like: (ex: flowery, fresh)
Feels like: (ex: soft, smooth)
Option 2: A combat-boot-wearing- fairy
Looks like: (ex: grungy, tattered, muscular)
Sounds like: (ex: gruff, menacing)
Moves like: (ex: deliberate, forceful)
Acts like: (ex: intense, serious)
Smells like: (ex: sweaty, woodsy)
Feels like: (ex: hard muscles, slick skin)
✔Student Activity
Using your own main character idea, complete the Describing your Character
Worksheet. (Use the Awesome
Adjectives list, Adverbs List, and Vibrant Verbs List for ideas.)
(Need a character idea? Use a story idea from Step 1: Story Ideas Lesson Plan, or
use the Creative Writing
Prompts Worksheet. )
3. Write your introductory paragraph
Now that you know what your character is like, it’s time to introduce him/her to your
reader.
In the beginning of a story, you’ll introduce the character and his/her basic problem
(the WHO + WHAT+ WHY
NOT.) Think about where the character is and what the character is doing as a way
to show what he looks, feels,
_____________________________________________________________________________________
__
Pg. 4 Find more resources for teaching creative writing at
SuperEasyStorytelling.com © 2015 LoveWell Press
acts like.
Include details about clothes, appearance, smells, textures, personality as they fit
with the picture you are
painting of where they character is and what he/she is doing.
✔Class Activity
Let’s take the story idea above and write an introductory paragraph.
Story idea:
A charming, young fairy + wanted to go to the gnome village + but a baby dragon
got in the way.
Intro Paragraph Example:
Fluttering from petal to petal, a young fairy giggled as she spun through the air and
gently landed on a bright
yellow rose. The fairy’s dewy skin and flowing dress nearly blended in with the
yellow rose, but the sparkling
magenta slippers gave her away to the bees hovering nearby. She leaned in,
cupped her pointy fingers around
her petite pink lips and whispered merrily to the rose, “I’m going to the gnome
village today. They are having
their annual wagon races and I can’t wait to cheer on my friends.” Poised to twirl
away once again, the fairy
suddenly froze. A huff of hot air ruffled her spiky hair. A peculiar sound floated
through her garden, one she felt
she must investigate.
Example for younger students:
A cute, young fairy with pointed ears and small pink lips was excited to go to the
gnome village. She danced
around on the flowers and whispered to each one, “I can’t wait to get to the gnome
village today.” Just as she
was ready to twirl away, she felt a hot puff of air ruffle her spiky hair. A strange
sound was in her quiet garden,
and she had to investigate.
Ask students, what are some of the descriptive words (adjectives, verbs, adverbs)
that help us to know:
• What the character looks like: dewy skin, flowing yellow dress, magenta slippers,
petite pink lips, pointy
fingers, spiky hair
• How the character moves: fluttering, gently landed, poised to twirl away
• What kind of mood/personality the character has: giggled, danced, whispered
✔Student Activity
Using your own main character, complete the write and introductory paragraph for
your story. Remember to use
where your character is and what he/she is doing to show details about what the
character looks, acts, feel,
smells, moves like.
More resources to extend the lesson
• Writing Paper- Printable lined paper that includes the super easy storytelling
formula at the top
• Picture + writing paper – Printable lined paper with a box to draw a picture
• Main Character Worksheet- Create main character ideas
• Story Planning Worksheet- Create a story idea and add describing words
• Creative Writing Step 3: Add Action Lesson Plan – Continue the lesson by adding
rising and falling action