In my personal reading, I really enjoy trying to pinpoint what motivates literary characters. To me, figuring out what makes complex characters “tick” feels a little bit like solving a puzzle. This is one of the reasons I love teaching characterization to middle or high school students! Drawing their attention to the various ways that authors provide information about specific characters feels a little bit like giving them a “cheat code” to literary analysis. And with so many great activities for teaching characterization, this is a great opportunity to flex some creative muscle in the classroom and really engage students in their learning.

If you’re looking for some creative activities to teach characterization in middle or high school English language arts, I’ve rounded up a few of my favorites for you! These activities help students understand what characterization is, as well as how to apply their learning. Best of all, many of them allow students to express their creativity, work collaboratively, and show what they know in multiple ways.

Introducing Characterization

If you’re looking for a creative activity to introduce the concept of characterization, why not pair your lesson with a fun escape room-style reading challenge? This is a great lesson to help kick off a larger unit (such as a novel study, a short story unit, or a film study) where students may need to complete additional character analysis tasks.

Escape room-style challenges are one of my favorite ways to introduce and reinforce concepts in middle or high school ELA. These high-interest activities incorporate teamwork and a little bit of friendly competition – perfect for motivating more reluctant students!

CHARACTERIZATION CHALLENGE

First, I like to begin with a short lesson to explain the concept of characterization. The detailed presentation introduces different types of characters (such as protagonist, antagonist, static, dynamic, foil, etc.), why understanding characterization is important, and how an author can reveal the personalities of various characters. Lots of examples are provided!

Once students have a firm grip on the basics, the fun can really begin. An original narrative backstory sets the scene for students to decode a hidden message in a mysterious painting. In order to “unlock” the solution, students must apply their understanding of characterization. This task also reinforces other literary features: setting, point of view, plot, conflict, theme, mood, and tone! 

To add to the fun, I often offer small prizes to teams who crack the hidden message. I keep a stash of dollar store goodies—fun erasers, colorful pencils, or small candies—in my desk for these spontaneous rewards. Of course, these prizes are not essential: the real reward can just be the thrill of the challenge itself.

Creative Activities to Reinforce Characterization

Whether you’re facilitating a whole-class novel study or encouraging students to complete self-directed reading, flexible activities that let middle or high schoolers demonstrate their learning are a great way to incorporate student voice and choice. These creative activities for teaching characterization can work with many different texts and can be scaffolded for a variety of different learning styles!

DYNAMIC CHARACTER SPEECH

The Dynamic Character Speech activity is a great alternative to a traditional book report! In this task, students take on the role of “keynote speakers” at the Dynamic Character Speaking Conference. At this event, they will give a speech to highlight the transformative journeys of characters who have undergone significant inner change. 

What’s especially cool about this low-prep project is that it contains everything your students need to hit the ground running, including a captivating, hand-drawn video introduction by John Spencer! Provided handouts include comprehensive graphic organizers to support students with the pre-writing process, as well as editing checklists to ensure no detail is missed.

CHARACTER HOROSCOPES

Creative students often appreciate activities for teaching characterization that let them take a unique approach as they demonstrate their learning. In the Zodiac Sign Character Analysis activity, middle and high school students dive into character analysis with an outside-the-box approach! I love offering this assignment at the end of a self-directed book study, a whole-class novel study, or classroom book clubs. With the right group of students, it can result in a vibrant and engaging bulletin board display!

First, students examine brief descriptions of the personalities associated with each of the 12 zodiac signs. After they examine the personal qualities linked to each star sign, they determine the most fitting sign for each character! As they work through the task, they are encouraged to provide detailed justification, supported by text evidence, to support their thinking.

Other Activities for Teaching Characterization

Here are a few more of my favorite creative activities for teaching characterization in middle or high school ELA:

• Litflix Playlist: In this engaging and creative activity, students imagine what type of shows and movies a literary character would watch on a streaming service. As they build a “playlist” of films for their character to enjoy, they need to consider their interests, likes, and dislikes. 

• Character Yearbook: Remember the “Most Likely To” awards in your high school yearbook? This assignment puts a creative literary twist on this traditional list. Here, students assign awards to four different characters from their text. ​​As they create their list, they need to draw on their understanding of the characters’ personalities and provide evidence to support their choices.

• Trash Treasures: Students always get a giggle out of this task. It’s definitely one of my most creative activities for teaching characterization! Begin by asking: What does a person’s trash reveal about them? From here, your class can imagine what would be in their chosen character’s trash. Of course, they must support their theories with evidence from the text! 

• Character Tattoos: Creative students will love this art-inspired characterization task. After reading a text, have students design two tattoos that symbolize aspects of a character’s personality. Each tattoo must be supported by evidence from the text. This encourages students to explore the character’s traits and motivations more deeply.

There you go! I hope this list gives you plenty of creative ideas for teaching characterization in middle or high school ELA!

Looking for more flexible assignments to support students with reading comprehension? Check out my post on 50 Creative Activities You Can Use With Any Novel or Short Story!