Character Maps

Rationale

Character maps are graphic organizers that use a simple drawing of a person, with questions connected to the person’s symbolic features. They can be used to prompt reflection on historical or fictional characters.

Procedure

Choose a Historical or Fictional Character
You can base this activity on a character or historical figure in any document, image, video clip, or other resource that you think might prompt significant engagement, wonder, or emotion from your students. Once you have chosen the character, give students time to read, watch, or observe.
Students Create Character Map
Students use evidence from documents, images, video clips, or other resources to respond to the following prompts as they annotate the illustration:
- Head: What does this person think about their society?
- Mouth: What is this person saying?
- Heart: What is this person feeling? Or, who is at the center of this person’s universe of obligation?
- Hands: What actions has this person taken, what choices have they made?
- Feet: What might be some consequences of this person’s choices?
Debrief
After completing their character maps, students can post them in the classroom and participate in a brief Gallery Walk to view what their classmates created and reflect on the patterns, similarities, and differences in their character maps.

Handout

Character Map

Looking at Citizenship through a Literary Lens

This article by Laura Tavares explains how teaching novels can develop empathy, humility, and tolerance.

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Lesson

Global Immigration

The Sharps’ Dilemmas

Students are introduced to upstanders Waitstill and Martha Sharp, an American minister and his wife who undertook a rescue mission to help save Jews and refugees fleeing Nazi occupation.