LAFS.910.RL.1.3Archived Standard

Analyze how complex characters (e.g., those with multiple or conflicting motivations) develop over the course of a text, interact with other characters, and advance the plot or develop the theme.
General Information
Subject Area: English Language Arts
Grade: 910
Strand: Reading Standards for Literature
Idea: Level 3: Strategic Thinking & Complex Reasoning
Date Adopted or Revised: 12/10
Date of Last Rating: 02/14
Status: State Board Approved - Archived
Assessed: Yes
Test Item Specifications
  • Item Type(s): This benchmark may be assessed using: TM , EBSR , MS , MC , OR , GR , SHT item(s)

  • Assessment Limits :
    Items may address any aspect of character development over the course of a text. Items should focus on major characters who may exhibit evidence of change over the course of the passage. Items that address character interactions should focus only on significant character interactions. Focus should be on character development that is consistent with the major theme(s) of the passage or significantly contributes to the advancement of the plot.
  • Text Types :
    Items assessing this standard may be used with one or more grade-appropriate literary texts. Texts may vary in complexity.
  • Response Mechanisms :
    The Technology-Enhanced Item Descriptions section on pages 3 and 4 provides a list of Response Mechanisms that may be used to assess this standard (excluding the Editing Task Choice and Editing Task item types). The Sample Response Mechanisms may include, but are not limited to, the examples below.
  • Task Demand and Sample Response Mechanisms :

    Task Demand

    Explain how complex characters develop, interact with other characters, and advance the plot or theme.

    Sample Response Mechanisms

    Selectable Hot Text

    • Requires the student to select sentences or phrases that show the development of a complex character over the course of the text, which are used to advance the plot or theme.
    • Requires the student to select the correct description of a character’s development and then to select words or phrases from the text that support this development and advance the plot or theme. 
    • Requires the student to select the correct description of a dynamic character’s development from the choices and then to select an explanation of this change’s impact on the plot or theme. 

    Multiple Choice

    • Requires the student to select a correct analysis of how a character develops and advances the plot or theme.
    • Requires the student to explain how characters interact with other characters and advance the plot or theme. 

    Multiselect

    • Requires the student to select several quotations that provide key details about how a complex character develops over the course of a text and advances the plot or theme.

    EBSR

    • Requires the student to select the correct analysis of a dynamic character’s development and then to select evidence that supports this development and advances the plot or theme. 

    Open Response

    • Requires the student to explain, in one or two sentences, a significant change in a complex character that advances the plot or theme. 

    GRID

    • Requires the student to identify key details about the development of major characters that advance the plot or theme and place them into a graphic organizer. 

    Table Match

    • Requires the student to complete a table by analyzing complex characters’ development with respect to plot or theme.

Related Courses

This benchmark is part of these courses.
1200400: Foundational Skills in Mathematics 9-12 (Specifically in versions: 2014 - 2015, 2015 - 2022, 2022 and beyond (current))
0400350: Theatre History and Literature 1 (Specifically in versions: 2014 - 2015, 2015 - 2022, 2022 and beyond (current))
0400360: Theatre History and Literature 2 Honors (Specifically in versions: 2014 - 2015, 2015 - 2022, 2022 and beyond (current))
0400380: Acting 2 (Specifically in versions: 2014 - 2015, 2015 - 2022, 2022 and beyond (current))
0400420: Technical Theatre Design & Production 2 (Specifically in versions: 2014 - 2015, 2015 - 2022, 2022 and beyond (current))
1000400: Intensive Language Arts (Specifically in versions: 2014 - 2015, 2015 - 2022 (course terminated))
1000410: Intensive Reading (Specifically in versions: 2014 - 2015, 2015 - 2021 (course terminated))
1001320: English Honors 1 (Specifically in versions: 2014 - 2015, 2015 - 2022, 2022 and beyond (current))
1001350: English Honors 2 (Specifically in versions: 2014 - 2015, 2015 - 2022, 2022 and beyond (current))
1001800: Florida's Preinternational Baccalaureate English 1 (Specifically in versions: 2014 - 2015, 2015 - 2022, 2022 and beyond (current))
1001810: Florida's Preinternational Baccalaureate English 2 (Specifically in versions: 2014 - 2015, 2015 - 2022, 2022 and beyond (current))
1002300: English 1 Through ESOL (Specifically in versions: 2014 - 2015, 2015 - 2022, 2022 and beyond (current))
1002310: English 2 Through ESOL (Specifically in versions: 2014 - 2015, 2015 - 2022, 2022 and beyond (current))
1002380: English Language Development (Specifically in versions: 2014 - 2015, 2015 - 2018, 2018 - 2022, 2022 and beyond (current))
1005350: Literature and the Arts 1 Honors (Specifically in versions: 2014 - 2015, 2015 - 2019, 2019 - 2022, 2022 and beyond (current))
1008300: Reading 1 (Specifically in versions: 2014 - 2015, 2015 - 2021 (course terminated))
1008310: Reading 2 (Specifically in versions: 2014 - 2015, 2015 - 2021 (course terminated))
1008320: Reading Honors (Specifically in versions: 2014 - 2015, 2015 - 2021 (course terminated))
1009320: Creative Writing 1 (Specifically in versions: 2014 - 2015, 2015 - 2021, 2021 and beyond (current))
1009330: Creative Writing 2 (Specifically in versions: 2014 - 2015, 2015 - 2018, 2018 - 2021, 2021 and beyond (current))
1001310: English 1 (Specifically in versions: 2014 - 2015, 2015 - 2022, 2022 and beyond (current))
1001340: English 2 (Specifically in versions: 2014 - 2015, 2015 - 2022, 2022 and beyond (current))
7910111: Access English 1/2 (Specifically in versions: 2014 - 2015, 2015 - 2018 (course terminated))
0400409: Technical Theatre: Design and Production for Costume, Makeup, and Hair (Specifically in versions: 2014 - 2015, 2015 - 2022, 2022 and beyond (current))
1001315: English 1 for Credit Recovery (Specifically in versions: 2014 - 2015, 2015 - 2022, 2022 and beyond (current))
1001345: English 2 for Credit Recovery (Specifically in versions: 2014 - 2015, 2015 - 2022, 2022 and beyond (current))
1002305: English 1 Through ESOL for Credit Recovery (Specifically in versions: 2014 - 2015, 2015 - 2020 (course terminated))
1002315: English 2 Through ESOL for Credit Recovery (Specifically in versions: 2014 - 2015, 2015 - 2020 (course terminated))
1002381: Developmental Language Arts Through ESOL (Reading) (Specifically in versions: 2014 - 2015, 2015 - 2022, 2022 and beyond (current))
7910115: Fundamental English 1 (Specifically in versions: 2013 - 2015, 2015 - 2017 (course terminated))
7910120: Access English 1 (Specifically in versions: 2013 - 2015, 2015 - 2017, 2017 - 2018, 2018 - 2022, 2022 and beyond (current))
7910125: Access English 2 (Specifically in versions: 2013 - 2015, 2015 - 2017, 2017 - 2018, 2018 - 2022, 2022 and beyond (current))
1005345: Humane Letters 1 Literature (Specifically in versions: 2019 - 2022, 2022 - 2023, 2023 and beyond (current))
1005346: Humane Letters 1 Literature Honors (Specifically in versions: 2020 - 2022, 2022 - 2023, 2023 and beyond (current))
1005347: Humane Letters 2 Literature (Specifically in versions: 2020 - 2022, 2022 - 2023, 2023 and beyond (current))
1005348: Humane Letters 2 Literature Honors (Specifically in versions: 2020 - 2022, 2022 - 2023, 2023 and beyond (current))

Related Access Points

Alternate version of this benchmark for students with significant cognitive disabilities.

Related Resources

Vetted resources educators can use to teach the concepts and skills in this benchmark.

Lesson Plans

An Abridged Hero: The Archetypal Hero's Journey in Novella, Poem, and Music Video Form:

The hero's journey is still an archetypal plot structure found in modern novels and can also be found in popular poetry and music. After students have read the novella Anthem, they will examine the poem "Invictus" and the lyrics and music video for "Run Boy Run" for elements of the Hero's Journey. Students will work collaboratively to decide whether or not all aspects of the hero's journey are demonstrated efficiently in this variety of sources. Student worksheets, answer keys, and a writing rubric are included with the lesson.

Type: Lesson Plan

Close Reading: Monster or Not? Three Excerpts from Frankenstein:

In this lesson, students will conduct close readings of several extended text excerpts from Frankenstein in which the creature is the narrator. The students will utilize a text-coding strategy during the first reading of the text and follow up with an analysis of selected vocabulary words from the text. During the second close reading, students will answer text-dependent questions about the text that focus on how the creature changes and what causes those changes. Students will then participate in a Socratic Seminar. As a summative assessment for the lesson, students will write extended paragraph responses for three questions.


Type: Lesson Plan

Close Reading Exemplar: 1984:

Students often have difficulty envisioning and making sense of a story that is set in a markedly different time or circumstance than their own. This two-day activity introduces students to the dystopian society of 1984 by George Orwell. By analyzing Orwell's carefully chosen words, details, repetitions, and characterizations in these first few pages, students can construct a strong understanding of some of the key features of this society that will give them a solid framework for comprehending the rest of the novel. Doing this kind of close reading work also reinforces to students that authors do not randomly select the details they include in a text; they choose words carefully to create a mood or construct a particular image of a character or place in a reader's mind. The overriding question that students should be able to answer at the end of this exercise is: What can we understand about Winston Smith and the society he lives in based on the descriptive details George Orwell includes in the first few pages of 1984?

Type: Lesson Plan

Character Resumes:

From the resource:

After reading a play, students create a resume for one of the characters. Students first discuss what they know about resumes, then select a character from the play to focus on and jot down notes about that character. Next, they search the internet for historical background information. Students then explore the play again, looking for both direct and implied information about their characters and noting the location of supporting details. Finally, students draft resumes for their characters and search a job listing site for a job for which their character is qualified.

Type: Lesson Plan

Action is Character/Exploring Character Traits with Adjectives:

This lesson allows students to explore characters and their traits through a series of exercises using text evidence. Both printed materials and online organizers are provided. The final culminating activity asks students to "become" a character and describe himself/herself as well as describing other characters. Students then guess which character is being described.

Type: Lesson Plan

Charlotte Perkins Gilman's "The Yellow Wall-paper"—Writing Women:

A study of Charlotte Perkins Gillman's short story, "The Yellow Wall-Paper", this lesson touches upon literary elements such as setting, characterization, symbol and narration, in addition to addressing the social and historical aspects of the author and her times. There is a preceding lesson at the same location that speaks to a woman's role in society during the early part of the 20th Century.

Type: Lesson Plan

Happily Ever After? Exploring Character, Conflict, and Plot in Dramatic Tragedy:

How would the story have changed if Romeo had received the letter? This lesson encourages students to pick a turning point in a tragedy and show how the action of the play would have been significantly altered had a different decision been made or a different action taken. Students use a graphic organizer to analyze the plot of the play. They identify a turning point in the play, alter the decision that the characters make, and predict the characters' actions throughout the rest of the play. Students create a plot outline of their altered play and present their new stories to the class. Teachers can test students' content knowledge and understanding of conflicts within the play while also challenging their creativity and their understanding of plot. This lesson focuses on Shakespearean tragedy, but it can be used with any tragedy that students have read or as a book report alternative.

Type: Lesson Plan

“Greek Mythology Version 2.0: To Be or Not to Be an Epic Hero?”:

In this second lesson out of a three lesson unit, students will be able to continue analyzing the different characteristics that make a Greek Hero as they read books 1-10 of The Odyssey. On a more macro level, students will be able to analyze characteristics by looking at the ways in which characters are developed through the decisions they make and/or fail to make. The student handouts with all of the activities and links to the story are provided.

Type: Lesson Plan

Greek Mythology: The Odyssey, Odysseus and What Makes an Epic Hero:

In this lesson, students will explore books 13-23 of The Odyssey through text coding and analysis of both character development and theme. For the summative assessment, students will write an essay analyzing characterization and theme in the text and drawing conclusions, supported by textual evidence, about the nature of heroes. Student handouts for all activities are provided.

Type: Lesson Plan

From Aesop to Steinbeck--Lesson 3: TIQA TIQA Writing, Supporting, and Proving Theme Statements:

The overarching goal of this series of three lessons is for ninth-grade students to be able to read for subtext in works of literature, write their own theme statements, provide text-based supporting details and a thorough analysis, proving their theme statements. Lesson One has students receive instruction and practice with writing theme statements and including primary support details. Students will use a series of three texts from Aesop's Fables. Lesson two presents students with a longer and more challenging children's story titled One. Students will draft their own theme statements and support and analyze the text using a literary analysis paragraph structure titled TIQA.

*Finally, lesson three culminates with students using their assigned fiction novel Of Mice and Men, and writing a TIQA TIQA paragraph, a longer literary analysis paragraph supported not only with textual evidence and/or quotes, but also with strong literary analysis.

Through collaborative discussions and repeated reading, responding, writing and analyzing, students will learn to consistently craft correct theme statements and support them with relevant textual details and analysis.

*The bolded section is relevant only to this lesson, the third in a series of three.

Type: Lesson Plan

I am the Messenger: Setting, Character Development, and Main Idea:

This is a four day lesson that is designed to be completed at the beginning of a class book reading assignment for the novel I am the Messenger by Markus Zusak. The lesson addresses taking notes, determining character traits and analyzing character development, tracking key events happening during a chapter, and determining the main (central) idea of a chapter. This lesson is designed for struggling secondary readers.

Type: Lesson Plan

From Aesop to Steinbeck--Lesson 2: TIQA Writing, Supporting, and Proving Theme Statements:

The overarching goal of this series of three lessons is for ninth-grade students to be able to read works of literature, write their own theme statements and provide text-based supporting details and thorough analysis proving their theme statements. Lesson One includes instruction and practice with writing theme statements and including primary support details with a series of three texts from Aesop's Fables. *Lesson two presents students with a longer and more challenging children's story titled One. Students will draft their own theme statements and support and analyze the text using a literary analysis paragraph structure titled TIQA*. Finally, lesson three has students returning to Aesop's Fables and writing a TIQA paragraph, a longer literary analysis paragraph supported by not only textual evidence or quotes, but also strong literary analysis. Through collaborative discussions and repeated reading, responding, writing and analyzing, students will learn to consistently craft correct theme statements and support them with relevant textual details and analysis.

*The bolded section is relevant only to this lesson, which is the 2nd in a series of 3.

Type: Lesson Plan

From Aesop to Steinbeck--Lesson 1: Writing Theme Statements and Including Supporting Details:

The overarching goal of this series of three lessons is for ninth-grade students to be able to read works of literature, write their own theme statements, provide text-based supporting details/evidence, and thorough analysis, proving their theme statements. *Lesson One includes instruction and practice with writing theme statements and including primary supporting details with a series of three texts from Aesop's Fables.* Lesson two presents students with a longer and more challenging children's story titled One. Students will draft their own theme statements and support and analyze the text using a literary analysis paragraph structure titled TIQA. Finally, lesson three has students returning to Aesop's Fables and writing a TIQA paragraph, a longer literary analysis paragraph supported not only by textual evidence or quotes, but also including strong literary analysis. Through collaborative discussions and repeated reading, responding, writing and analyzing, students will learn to consistently craft correct theme statements and support them with relevant textual details and analysis.

*The bolded section is relevant only to this lesson, the first in a series of three.

Type: Lesson Plan

I Feel Inside Out:

The purpose of this lesson is to provide students with an opportunity to analyze a character, in particular, one who suffers from a mental illness. The selected text is Terry Truman"s Inside Out (710L) in which the main character, Zach, suffers from schizophrenia. However, other suggested titles are provided and would suffice for this lesson. Specifically, students will be required to identify what the main character thinks, says, and does in order to support a multi-paragraph character analysis that incorporates textual evidence.

Type: Lesson Plan

The Sniper by Liam O'Flaherty - Lesson on Conflict and Suspense:

This lesson teaches students to identify and analyze conflict, suspense, and sequence within a text using the short story "The Sniper" by Liam O' Flaherty. Students will complete a Vocabulary Chart to learn new vocabulary used throughout the text. Students will also complete short responses to comprehension questions to analyze conflict and suspense.

Type: Lesson Plan

Analyzing Vonnegut's View of the Future and his Commentary on the Present in “Harrison Bergeron”:

In this lesson (lesson one in a two-part unit), students will read Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.'s short story "Harrison Bergeron" examining the usage of literary elements in order to develop an objective summary describing how the author uses language to portray characterization, impact tone and mood, and develop the central ideas of the text. Students will be able to remark upon/critique the author's criticism of society through his combination of the above elements.

Type: Lesson Plan

Ambush by Tim O'Brien: Excerpt from The Things They Carried:

This lesson provides secondary students with opportunities to analyze a character's motivation in an excerpt from a work of literary nonfiction.

Type: Lesson Plan

Don't Bite Your Thumb at Me, Sir! Using Storyboards to bring Act One of Romeo and Juliet to Life:

The text of Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet" is not only challenging, but presents students with opportunities to explore a wide variety of timeless themes. As students typically struggle with the language of Shakespeare, it is important that we pause from time to time and allow students to process the new knowledge. The story boards are a great way to assess students' understanding of the plot, characters, and setting before the final test.

Type: Lesson Plan

Fair is Foul and Foul is Fair: Analyzing Language in Macbeth:

In this lesson, students will analyze character motivation, dialogue, and theme by performing a close reading of a scene from Macbeth. By breaking down the Shakespearean language and rewriting the text in modern day language, students will input their new dialogue into an internet based program called GoAnimate to transform their new version of the text into an anime cartoon movie. Students will use this cartoon in a formal presentation to the class where they will point out literary elements from the story and describe the motivations and actions of the characters.

Type: Lesson Plan

Greek Mythology: Exploring Perseus and the Qualities of an Epic Hero:

In this lesson (part one of a three-part unit), students will be able to differentiate the different characteristics that make a Greek hero. Using the story of "Perseus," students will analyze how the main character develops and how he helps develop the theme of the story. Students will closely read the text, ask, and answer text dependent questions as they read the story. At the end of this lesson, students will show what they have learned by answering a final set of comprehension questions. The student handouts with all of the activities, questions, links to the story, and a rubric are provided. These skills will then culminate in later lessons (part two and three) with a product in the form of an essay and written speech about "Perseus."

Type: Lesson Plan

Saints vs. Sinners:

This lesson will explore the concept of Saints vs. Sinners in terms of the literature that has been studied throughout the ninth grade year. In this lesson students will identify protagonists (saints) and antagonists (sinners) and draw conclusions about the authors" handling of the material or any patterns that have become apparent upon closer examination. After their exploration, they will write an argument explaining their findings. Students will participate in peer review of each other"s writings to assist them with the revision process. In the closure for this lesson, students can share their writing with the class.

Type: Lesson Plan

Character Analysis of “Two Thanksgiving Day Gentlemen”:

In this lesson, students will read the O. Henry short story "Two Thanksgiving Day Gentlemen." Through scaffold learning tasks, the students will analyze the two main characters and their interactions throughout the story. Students will practice using various strategies to determine the meaning of unfamiliar words in context. Students will also analyze the author's word choice, including his use of figurative language, and its impact on the tone of the story. These activities will build toward students' participation in a Socratic Seminar as the summative assessment for the lesson. The text of the story, reading comprehension questions, a teacher guide to assist with discussion, a vocabulary handout, and Socratic Seminar questions are all included within the lesson.

Type: Lesson Plan

How did Katniss get so Round? Teaching Characterization through The Hunger Games:

The purpose of this lesson is to teach students the different elements and types of characterization using the popular novel The Hunger Games.

Type: Lesson Plan

Original Student Tutorials

A Character Reborn in The Count of Monte Cristo -- Part Three:

Explain how Edmond Dantès’ overall transformation takes the plot in a new direction as you continue to examine how the main character is reborn from a prisoner into a newly freed man in a chapter from The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas.

You should complete Part One and Part Two before beginning Part Three.

  • Click HERE to launch Part One.
  • Click HERE to launch Part Two. 

Type: Original Student Tutorial

A Character Reborn in The Count of Monte Cristo -- Part Two:

As you continue to study a chapter from The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas, you'll examine how the main character, Edmond Dantès, is reborn from a prisoner into a newly freed man, identify his key character traits or strengths, and examine how he begins to transform as he works to secure his freedom.

This is part 2 of a three-part interactive tutorial series. Make sure to complete all three parts!

  • Click HERE to launch Part One.
  • Click HERE to launch Part Three. 

Type: Original Student Tutorial

A Character Reborn in The Count of Monte Cristo -- Part One:

Study a chapter from one of the most popular adventure stories of all time: The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas. In this interactive tutorial, you will identify key character traits or strengths of Edmond Dantès and determine how he draws on these strengths as he struggles to survive and avoid recapture.

This is part 1 of a three-part series. Make sure to complete all three parts!

  • Click HERE to launch Part Two. 
  • Click HERE to launch Part Three. 

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Scout Learns Life Lessons: Analyzing How a Character Develops Themes:

Examine some of the various topics and themes present in the American classic To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee. In this interactive tutorial, you'll read excerpts from the novel and examine the development of the main character, Scout. You'll analyze how her words and actions help develop the important themes of the novel. You'll wrap up the tutorial by creating your own theme statement based on the text.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Analyzing A Complex Character - Fahrenheit 451:

Analyze a complex character’s development in text excerpts from the novel Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury. In this interactive tutorial, you'll analyze how the main character is described and developed through his interaction with other characters.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Project

Understanding Julius Caesar Through Diaries:

Understanding Julius Caesar Through Diaries allows students to read and understand Shakespeare's Julius Caesar by getting involved in an on-going project that promotes engagement throughout the play. Instead of simply reading the work, students become actively involved with plot and characterization. At the beginning of the unit, each student chooses a character that they want to be throughout the duration of the play. At the end of each act students complete diary entries for this character, so in addition to documenting the major action in the play, they also report it from the viewpoint of one specific character.

Type: Project

Teaching Ideas

Resources to Support the Study of Harrison Bergeron :

Are your students having trouble understanding Kurt Vonnegut's short story "Harrison Bergeron"? Use this resource from EDSITEment! to select videos that describe Vonnegut's America, dig into the character of Harrison Bergeron, and examine the satire in the story. Discussion questions are included for extended analysis.

Type: Teaching Idea

Unlocking the Underlying Symbolism and Themes of a Dramatic Work:

This lesson invites students to explore the things relevant to a character from Lorraine Hansberry's play A Raisin in the Sun, such as Mama's plant, to unlock the drama's underlying symbolism and themes. Students explore character traits and participate in active learning as they work with the play. Students use an interactive drama map to explore character and conflict, and then write and share character-item poems.

Type: Teaching Idea

Become a Character: Adjectives, Character Traits, and Perspective:

Students use an online chart to match the character traits of a character in a book they are reading with specific actions the character takes. Students then work in pairs to "become" one of the major characters in a book and describe themselves and other characters, using Internet reference tools to compile lists of accurate, powerful adjectives supported with details from the reading. Students read each other's lists of adjectives and try to identify who is being described.

Type: Teaching Idea

Student Centered Comprehension Strategies: Night by Elie Wiesel:

Students will use teaching strategies as they read and discuss Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel's memoir Night. Everyone in the classroom takes a turn assuming the "teacher" role in a reciprocal teaching activity, as the class works with four comprehension strategies: predicting, question generating, summarizing, and clarifying.

Type: Teaching Idea

Online Resources for Analyzing Character:

This is an online resource that is great for students to develop critical thinking with regard to character development and using source material to infer qualities that characters might have. It links to a facebook-type profile template for literary characters.

Type: Teaching Idea

Tutorial

An Antihero of One's Own :

In this very engaging animated video from TEDed, you will learn about antiheroes. Antiheroes can be hard to distinguish from typical heroes. However, through this video you will be able to identify what an antihero is and understand how these complex characters with often unclear motivations play such important roles in great literature.

Type: Tutorial

Unit/Lesson Sequences

Sample English 2 Curriculum Plan Using CMAP:

This sample English II CMAP is a fully customizable resource and curriculum-planning tool that provides a framework for the English II course. This CMAP is divided into 14 English Language Arts units and includes every standard from Florida's official course description for English II. The units and standards are customizable, and the CMAP allows instructors to add lessons, class notes, homework sheets, and other resources as needed. This CMAP also includes a row that automatically filters and displays e-learning Original Student Tutorials that are aligned to the standards and available on CPALMS.

Learn more about the sample English II CMAP, its features, and its customizability by watching this video:

Using this CMAP

To view an introduction on the CMAP tool, please .

To view the CMAP, click on the "Open Resource Page" button above; be sure you are logged in to your iCPALMS account.

To use this CMAP, click on the "Clone" button once the CMAP opens in the "Open Resource Page." Once the CMAP is cloned, you will be able to see it as a class inside your iCPALMS My Planner (CMAPs) app.

To access your My Planner App and the cloned CMAP, click on the iCPALMS tab in the top menu.

All CMAP tutorials can be found within the iCPALMS Planner App or at the following URL: http://www.cpalms.org/support/tutorials_and_informational_videos.aspx

Type: Unit/Lesson Sequence

Things That Are: Making Choices:

Things That Are features a mystery: How can a 17-year-old girl who is blind and learning how to deal with her disability help an elusive fugitive wanted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)? In this unit, students learn how this teen manages her own life, including finding her way in the community, keeping on top of school work, and, more importantly, nurturing a special relationship, as they work to cite textual evidence to support text analysis, participate in collaborative discussions to determine and analyze its theme and how complex characters are developed, and give a presentation of their findings and supporting evidence.

Type: Unit/Lesson Sequence

The Running Dream: We Both Win!:

The Running Dream is the story of Jessica, a 16-year-old star runner who loses her leg in a bus accident. She learns to look beyond the disability and discover the real person inside as she becomes friends with Rosa, who has cerebral palsy. In this unit, students examine the issues and challenges of coping with a disability and its effect on relationships and self-esteem as they analyze how complex characters develop over the course of the story, and write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas.

Type: Unit/Lesson Sequence

Creating Psychological Profiles of Characters in To Kill a Mockingbird:

This lesson asks students to explore the motivation behind characters' actions in To Kill a Mockingbird. Students first engage in a free-write activity. They then do research and creative thinking to design a poster and plan a presentation representing a psychological profile for a selected character, while determining what specific factors (such as family, career, environment, and so forth) have the greatest influence on the characters' decision making throughout the novel. The groups present their findings to the class by assuming the persona of their character and explaining the psychological factors influencing their behavior in the novel.

Type: Unit/Lesson Sequence

Original Student Tutorials for Language Arts - Grades 6-12

A Character Reborn in The Count of Monte Cristo -- Part One:

Study a chapter from one of the most popular adventure stories of all time: The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas. In this interactive tutorial, you will identify key character traits or strengths of Edmond Dantès and determine how he draws on these strengths as he struggles to survive and avoid recapture.

This is part 1 of a three-part series. Make sure to complete all three parts!

  • Click HERE to launch Part Two. 
  • Click HERE to launch Part Three. 

A Character Reborn in The Count of Monte Cristo -- Part Three:

Explain how Edmond Dantès’ overall transformation takes the plot in a new direction as you continue to examine how the main character is reborn from a prisoner into a newly freed man in a chapter from The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas.

You should complete Part One and Part Two before beginning Part Three.

  • Click HERE to launch Part One.
  • Click HERE to launch Part Two. 

A Character Reborn in The Count of Monte Cristo -- Part Two:

As you continue to study a chapter from The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas, you'll examine how the main character, Edmond Dantès, is reborn from a prisoner into a newly freed man, identify his key character traits or strengths, and examine how he begins to transform as he works to secure his freedom.

This is part 2 of a three-part interactive tutorial series. Make sure to complete all three parts!

  • Click HERE to launch Part One.
  • Click HERE to launch Part Three. 

Analyzing A Complex Character - Fahrenheit 451:

Analyze a complex character’s development in text excerpts from the novel Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury. In this interactive tutorial, you'll analyze how the main character is described and developed through his interaction with other characters.

Scout Learns Life Lessons: Analyzing How a Character Develops Themes:

Examine some of the various topics and themes present in the American classic To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee. In this interactive tutorial, you'll read excerpts from the novel and examine the development of the main character, Scout. You'll analyze how her words and actions help develop the important themes of the novel. You'll wrap up the tutorial by creating your own theme statement based on the text.

Student Resources

Vetted resources students can use to learn the concepts and skills in this benchmark.

Original Student Tutorials

A Character Reborn in The Count of Monte Cristo -- Part Three:

Explain how Edmond Dantès’ overall transformation takes the plot in a new direction as you continue to examine how the main character is reborn from a prisoner into a newly freed man in a chapter from The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas.

You should complete Part One and Part Two before beginning Part Three.

  • Click HERE to launch Part One.
  • Click HERE to launch Part Two. 

Type: Original Student Tutorial

A Character Reborn in The Count of Monte Cristo -- Part Two:

As you continue to study a chapter from The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas, you'll examine how the main character, Edmond Dantès, is reborn from a prisoner into a newly freed man, identify his key character traits or strengths, and examine how he begins to transform as he works to secure his freedom.

This is part 2 of a three-part interactive tutorial series. Make sure to complete all three parts!

  • Click HERE to launch Part One.
  • Click HERE to launch Part Three. 

Type: Original Student Tutorial

A Character Reborn in The Count of Monte Cristo -- Part One:

Study a chapter from one of the most popular adventure stories of all time: The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas. In this interactive tutorial, you will identify key character traits or strengths of Edmond Dantès and determine how he draws on these strengths as he struggles to survive and avoid recapture.

This is part 1 of a three-part series. Make sure to complete all three parts!

  • Click HERE to launch Part Two. 
  • Click HERE to launch Part Three. 

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Scout Learns Life Lessons: Analyzing How a Character Develops Themes:

Examine some of the various topics and themes present in the American classic To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee. In this interactive tutorial, you'll read excerpts from the novel and examine the development of the main character, Scout. You'll analyze how her words and actions help develop the important themes of the novel. You'll wrap up the tutorial by creating your own theme statement based on the text.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Analyzing A Complex Character - Fahrenheit 451:

Analyze a complex character’s development in text excerpts from the novel Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury. In this interactive tutorial, you'll analyze how the main character is described and developed through his interaction with other characters.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Tutorial

An Antihero of One's Own :

In this very engaging animated video from TEDed, you will learn about antiheroes. Antiheroes can be hard to distinguish from typical heroes. However, through this video you will be able to identify what an antihero is and understand how these complex characters with often unclear motivations play such important roles in great literature.

Type: Tutorial

Parent Resources

Vetted resources caregivers can use to help students learn the concepts and skills in this benchmark.