Christine OBrien 1

Favorite Character LP

Title of Lesson: Favorite Characters

Grade: 1st
Standard: Reading Standards for Literature: Integration of Knowledge and Ideas: 9. Compare
and contrast the adventures and experiences of characters in stories.
Time: About 20 minutes
Objective: Students will identify their favorite character in a book.
Materials: Arthur, It’s Only Rock ‘n’ Roll by Marc Brown; Book Boxes; Writing journals; 2-3
Backstreet Boys songs*
Lesson Sequence:
 Introduce: “Boys and girls, today I would like to discuss a new HotSpot. Our newest
HotSpot is favorite characters. Now, before I talk about that, I would like to read you
this book entitled Arthur, It’s Only Rock ‘n’ Roll
o Pre-reading: I want us to look at the cover. Are there any characters you
recognize? Yes, we see Arthur/DW/Francine/Buster/Muffy/Binky, familiar
characters from Arthur, the TV show and book series. Are there any characters
that you do not recognize? The two people singing are unfamiliar, because they
do not regularly appear in Arthur books and shows. They are AJ and Nick, from
The Backstreet Boys. Great job! Now, what can you predict will happen based on
the cover? They will play music, they will meet The Backstreet Boys, etc. Do any
of you know who The Backstreet Boys are? They are a super awesome boy band
from the 1990’s Terrific! Let’s start reading and see what happens!
o During reading:
 Page 4: What do you think Mrs. MacGrady meant by “If the mountain
won’t come to Muhammad, then Muhammad must come to the
mountain?” Students will predict, answer, etc. Let’s see if our predictions
are confirmed!
o Post reading: How did you guys like this book? It was the best book ever, and
you’re the prettiest teacher, Ms. OBrien. Was there any one character that you
liked more than the others? I liked Muffy/Arthur/Francine the best. Can you tell
me what made you like them? They were nice/They played fun music/etc.
 Objectives and purpose: Great job boys and girls! Now, I’d like to go back to HotSpots.
Today’s HotSpot is about favorite characters. A favorite character is the character in a
story that you like the best. It can be a person, an animal, a small part, or a big part. As
long as they play a role in the book, they can be your favorite character! Usually, you
make some sort of connection with the character that makes them your favorite.
 Teach and model:
o I would like to talk about Arthur, It’s Only Rock ‘n’ Roll. In this book, my
favorite character is Nick from the Backstreet Boys. In real life, he was born in
the same town as me! He is also cute, has musical talents, and is a very nice
person.
 Christine OBrien 2
Favorite Character LP

 Guided Practice
o Now, do any of you have a favorite character in this book? Yes, I like Buster best.
Why do you like that character? He is a bunny, etc. Terrific job! When you know
who your favorite character is, you should be able to explain why you like that
character so much. It could be their hair color, their name, or even what they ate
for breakfast! Anything that makes you like them more than any other character is
a great reason.
 Independent practice:
o Now that we have discussed favorite characters together, I would like you to go
practice this on your own. When I say “go,” I would like you to get your book
boxes and find a cozy spot somewhere in the room. I would like you to read a
book you have already read once before. When you find your favorite character,
place a post it near their picture. In a few minutes, I will ring the wind chime. At
that time, I would like you to return to your seats and write in your reading
journals. Please write about your favorite character, and explain why they are
your favorite.
o If you all behave really, really well, while you write your reflections I will play
some Backstreet Boys songs for you to listen to as a special treat. *
 Closure: Boys and girls, how would you describe your favorite character?
Assessment of success:
 If students write reflections in their reading journals about their favorite characters, and
explain why, then the lesson was successful.

* - Pending approval from Mrs. Shwom. Songs would be appropriate for the grade and for a
school setting. 2-3 songs maximum.