Lesson Plan
Behind the Scenes of a Family Lesson Plan
Students will analyze how a character's family background influences their behavior and choices in chapters 12-13, developing empathy and social awareness aligned with Missouri Counseling Standards.
Understanding a character's family background helps us understand *why* they do what they do, just like in real life. This builds empathy, critical thinking, and helps students recognize complex feelings and diverse perspectives, fostering responsible decision-making and stronger relationship skills.
Audience
4th Grade
Time
30 minutes
Approach
Through reading, discussion, and an interactive activity, students will connect family background to character choices, developing empathy and social awareness.
Prep
Teacher Preparation
15 minutes
- Review Slide Deck: Why Do They Act That Way?.
- Read chapters 12-13 of the selected text.
- Review Discussion Questions: Chapters 12-13 and prepare to facilitate, focusing on empathy, decision-making, and emotional recognition.
- Review Activity: Character Hot Seat Questions and plan for group organization, emphasizing active listening and understanding character perspectives.
Step 1
Empathy Check-in
5 minutes
- Display the first slide of Slide Deck: Why Do They Act That Way?.
- Ask students to share a time they misunderstood someone's actions, only to realize later there was a complex reason or feeling behind it. (Brief partner share or whole group quick share.)
- Explain that today we'll look at why characters act the way they do, especially focusing on their families and the complex emotions and decisions that stem from their background, building our empathy and social awareness.
Step 2
Read & Discuss Chapters 12-13
15 minutes
- Have students independently or silently read Chapters 12-13 (or listen to an audio reading).
- Use the Discussion Questions: Chapters 12-13 to facilitate a class discussion. Focus on identifying specific actions or choices made by characters, brainstorming how their family background might have influenced these, and recognizing the complex feelings involved. Emphasize active listening and respecting diverse perspectives.
- Guide students to make text-to-self and text-to-world connections, reflecting on how family shapes personal responsibilities and decisions.
Step 3
Hot Seat: Character Interview
8 minutes
- Introduce the "Character Hot Seat" activity. Explain that a student will pretend to be a character from chapters 12-13, and others will ask them questions about their family background, choices, and feelings. Remind interviewers to practice active listening to understand the character's perspective.
- Choose one or two key characters from the chapters.
- Select a student volunteer to sit in the "hot seat" and embody the chosen character.
- Students use the Activity: Character Hot Seat Questions to ask the 'character' questions, focusing on their emotions, decisions, and relationships as influenced by their family.
Step 4
Journal Prompt
2 minutes
- Display the final slide of Slide Deck: Why Do They Act That Way? with the journal prompt.
- Instruct students to write a short response in their journals or on a separate sheet of paper.
- Prompt: "Choose a character from chapters 12-13. Describe a complex feeling they had because of their family. How did their family influence a significant choice they made? What does this teach us about understanding others and our own personal responsibilities?"
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Slide Deck
Why Do They Act That Way?
Ever wonder why someone does what they do? Today, we'll explore how family shapes characters and helps us understand others!
Welcome students and introduce the day's topic: understanding why characters (and people!) act the way they do by looking at their family backgrounds, and how this builds empathy and social awareness.
Empathy Check-in
Think about a time you misunderstood someone, then realized there was a complex reason or feeling behind their actions. Share with a partner or the class!
Facilitate a quick check-in. Ask students to share a time they misunderstood someone and later learned the complex reason or feeling behind it. This builds empathy and awareness of diverse perspectives.
Chapters 12-13: Read & Discuss
As you read (or listen), pay close attention to the characters:
- What choices do they make?
- How do their family experiences shape their behavior and decisions?
- What complex feelings do they have because of their family?
- Who is in their family, and what are their relationships like?
Remind students they will be reading chapters 12-13. Guide them to think about character actions, choices, the complex feelings they experience due to family, and how family influences their decisions.
Character Hot Seat!
Get ready to interview a character!
One classmate will pretend to be a character from Chapters 12-13.
You will ask them questions to understand their family, choices, and feelings. Remember to listen actively!
Explain the 'Hot Seat' activity. A student will embody a character, and others will ask questions to understand their background, choices, and feelings. Emphasize practicing active listening to truly understand the character's perspective.
Journal Reflection
Choose a character from chapters 12-13.
Describe a complex feeling they had because of their family. How did their family influence a significant choice they made? What does this teach us about understanding others and our own personal responsibilities?
Present the journal prompt for reflection. Encourage thoughtful, longer-form responses that connect family influence to emotions, decisions, and personal responsibility.
Discussion
Discussion Questions: Chapters 12-13
Understanding Character Choices and Feelings
- What big decision or action did [Character A] make in Chapter 12 or 13? How might this decision impact them or others?
- Who is in [Character A]
's family? Describe their family life or important family members. - How do you think [Character A]
's family or home life might have influenced this decision or action? What steps did they take (or not take) in their decision-making process? - What complex feelings do you think [Character A] experienced because of their family situation or the choices they made? (e.g., frustration, pride, worry, loyalty)
- Can you think of a time when your own family or someone you know acted a certain way because of their family background, leading to a specific feeling or decision? (Share if you feel comfortable.)
- What did [Character B] do in these chapters? How might their family situation explain why they acted that way? Did their family influence how they handled any conflicts?
- Do you think characters always have a choice, or are they sometimes stuck because of their family? How does understanding their family help us respect their situation?
- What does it mean to practice active listening when someone is sharing their perspective, especially when it comes to understanding how their family has shaped them? How does this build empathy?
Activity
Character Hot Seat: Interview a Character
Instructions: One student will sit in the "Hot Seat" and pretend to be a character from Chapters 12-13. The rest of the class will ask questions from the list below. The student in the hot seat should try their best to answer as the character, using details from the book and their imagination, and expressing the character's complex feelings and decision-making process. Remember to practice active listening!
Questions for the Interviewers:
- [Character Name], what is your favorite memory of your family, and what feeling does it bring you?
- What is one challenge your family faces or has faced, and how do you cope with that challenge?
- How has your family taught you to be strong or brave, and how do those lessons influence your actions now?
- What is something your family expects of you, and how does that affect your personal responsibilities and choices?
- How do you feel about your family right now? Can you describe some complex feelings you have?
- Did your family influence the choice you made to [mention a specific choice from chapters 12-13]? If so, walk us through your thinking process and the steps you considered.
- What do you wish others understood about your family, and how does understanding their background help us show them respect?
- If you could change one thing about your family situation, what would it be and why? How might that impact your feelings or future choices?
- How does your family make you feel happy, sad, or worried, and how do you manage those complex emotions?
- What is one important lesson you have learned from your family about relationships or solving problems with others?