Character Interview

This activity invites students to generate questions for one another that will help deepen character development and exploration. 

Character Interview

Character Interview

Contribuido por Libby Mislan

Description

This activity invites students to generate questions for one another that will help deepen character development and exploration. 

Direcciones

  • As students walk in, they each find a Post-it note on their desk. They look up to the board to see an opening prompt: On your Post-it, write a question you might ask someone to get to know them better.  
  • Presente a los estudiantes la idea de un character interview. Define the verb “to interview”–to talk with someone to get information–as a group. You can show some pictures or a video to demonstrate. Let students know that for the character interview, they are going to become their main character from the short stories or scenes they are writing. They will answer questions from their classmates as their character.  
  • Pick a student volunteer and ask them to share the name of their main character. Write their character’s name on the board. Spin them around three times and say, “This is no longer ___(student name), they are now ____(character name).” Then have the student sit in a chair in front of the classroom.  
  • To begin the activity, encourage students to start with the questions they wrote on their Post-it note during their opening ritual. As time goes on, encourage students to ask questions that have more depth in order to reveal more about the character. Give 2.5 minutes for each interview session. Allow several students to take a turn in the “hot seat.”   
  • Reflexión: Los estudiantes pueden reflexionar sobre cómo se sintió al responder preguntas en el lugar, cómo se sintió al formular preguntas interesantes y por qué esta actividad podría ayudarnos como autores.

Transition Into Activity

Pregunte a los estudiantes cómo les iría para conocer a un nuevo compañero de clase, maestro o amigo. Resalte el papel de las preguntas para aprender más sobre una persona.

Transition Out of Activity

Conecta la actividad con la próxima tarea de escritura: “Recuerda, no necesitas incluir todos los detalles sobre tu personaje en tu historia, pero como autor, tienes la autoridad para saber todo sobre tu personaje. Piensa y escribe sobre tu personaje como un individuo único y complicado ".

Arreglo del aula

Students are seated in an audience formation, with one student at the front of the room. (They could also be in a half circle, whole circle, or with the audience at their desks.)

Soportes / Materiales adaptables / Herramientas

  • Model the activity first. Ask a Classroom Teacher or Paraprofessional to take the hot seat, or do it yourself. You can also model asking compelling questions that get at deeper information about the character.  
  • To provide added structure, time the activity: Set a timer for 2.5 minutes, and let students know that is the amount of time they’ll have to ask questions (e.g. “Two and a half minutes are on the clock. Okay…go!”).  
  • Si el aula incluye estudiantes con problemas de movilidad, haga que todos los personajes se sienten al frente del aula cuando estén asados. 
  • For students who are shy or more hesitant and would do better with a lower-focus option, allow them to try out being interviewed as their character for just one minute, from their seat, or with a partner.  
  •  Spinning may be uncomfortable for people with sensory sensitivities or with vestibular differences. It also may not be suited for students in wheelchairs (depending on the chair). Consider using a sound/movement to signal the transformation.

Possible Roles for Classroom Professionals

  • If the students are hesitant to volunteer to be interviewed, Classroom Professionals may volunteer to go first.
  • Teachers and Paraprofessionals may participate by writing their own questions on Post-it notes, and actively asking questions during the character interview exercise.

Adjustments for Remote Instruction

Share the prompt on a slide or in the chat. Students may still write their questions on paper at home or share them in the chat. To keep each interview session running smoothly, the Teaching Artist may need to take a more active role in calling on students to ask their questions.

Formas de arte

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Hora

15 minutos