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    Complex Characters

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    At a Glance:

    Grades:10, 11, 12, 9
    Subject:ESL/ELL (English Language Learning)
    Topic:Narration, Expression, Conflict
    Lesson Length:45 mins - 1 hour

    Standards / Framework:

    What will students learn in this activity?

    Students will display multiple points of view.

    What should students know before this activity?

    Students should be familiar with what it means to contrast opposing viewpoints and, as a class, have read at least one book or novel with main characters who don’t agree.

    How can teachers introduce this lesson?

    • Ask students:
      • “What are some examples of differences of opinion?”
      • “Can every type of conflict be resolved?”
      • “How can looking at conflict in literature help us resolve conflicts in our own lives?”

    What will students do?

    • Have students read a book that has characters with conflicting ideas.
    • Have students identify the conflict or conflicts between two characters.
    • As a class, create a comic using a conflict from the book for students to use as an example.
    • Using the sample comic as a guide, have students create a comic displaying a person or character that represents two literary characters from another story they have read that contains a conflict.

    How can teachers wrap up the lesson?

    • Have students share their comics with the class or in small groups.
    • Have students explain why they chose that book and that conflict from the book.
    • Discuss how similar conflicts may appear in students’ lives, e.g., differing ideas about how to accomplish the same goal; different beliefs about people.
    • Emphasize how conflict resolution occurs or does not occur in stories, just as in real life.

    How can teachers differentiate this activity?

    • Allow students to use the speech-to-text feature.
    • Allow students to work in pairs or groups as needed.
    • Allow students to use the voiceover feature to read their comics aloud.
    • Allow students to choose the type of conflict they wish to portray; some students will be comfortable with more significant conflicts than others.
    • Allow students to use digital dictionaries/translators as appropriate for your class policy.

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