English · Foundation

Active learning ideas

Identifying Character Traits and Feelings

Active learning works for identifying character traits and feelings because young students grasp abstract emotions and personalities more concretely when they embody them. Moving, sorting, and discussing in structured ways builds memory and deepens comprehension beyond passive listening or reading alone.

• ACARA Content Descriptions
• AC9EFLA01

• 15–30 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 4 activities

Activity 01

• Role Play
• 20 min · Pairs

Pairs: Emotion Charades

Prepare cards with story character feelings and actions. One student acts out the feeling using expressions and gestures from the story, while the partner guesses and cites story evidence. Switch roles and discuss matches between action and emotion.

Analyze how a character's actions reveal their personality.

Facilitation Tip

During Emotion Charades, model exaggerated facial expressions first so students understand how to communicate feelings without words.

What to look for

Show students pictures of characters from a familiar story displaying different expressions. Ask students to point to the picture that shows a character feeling 'sad' and explain why they think so, using a word like 'frown' or 'tears'.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Social Awareness
• Self-Awareness

Activity 02

• Role Play
• 30 min · Small Groups

Small Groups: Trait Sorting Stations

Provide printed story actions on cards. Groups sort cards into trait categories like brave, kind, or grumpy, then justify choices with story quotes. Rotate stations for different stories to compare characters.

Compare the feelings of two different characters in a story.

Facilitation Tip

At Trait Sorting Stations, circulate and ask guiding questions like 'What did the character do that makes you think they are patient?' to prompt evidence-based reasoning.

What to look for

Provide students with a simple worksheet. On one side, they draw a character performing an action (e.g., sharing a toy). On the other side, they write one word describing a trait or feeling shown by that action.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Social Awareness
• Self-Awareness

Activity 03

• Role Play
• 25 min · Whole Class

Whole Class: Character Role-Play Circle

Read a story excerpt aloud. Students stand in a circle; call a character's name and situation, students volunteer to act out predicted reactions based on traits. Class votes and explains evidence from the text.

Predict how a character might react in a new situation based on their traits.

Facilitation Tip

In the Character Role-Play Circle, sit in the circle with students to model turn-taking and emotional expression, creating a safe space for participation.

What to look for

Read a short passage about a character's behavior. Ask: 'What did [character name] do? What does that action tell us about them? How do you think they were feeling when they did that?' Encourage students to use vocabulary like 'kind,' 'excited,' or 'worried'.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Social Awareness
• Self-Awareness

Activity 04

• Role Play
• 15 min · Individual

Individual: Feeling Faces Draw

Students draw a character's face showing a feeling from the story, label the emotion, and write one action that caused it. Share drawings in pairs for peer feedback on accuracy.

Analyze how a character's actions reveal their personality.

Facilitation Tip

For Feeling Faces Draw, provide mirrors so students can study their own expressions before drawing to improve accuracy.

What to look for

Show students pictures of characters from a familiar story displaying different expressions. Ask students to point to the picture that shows a character feeling 'sad' and explain why they think so, using a word like 'frown' or 'tears'.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Social Awareness
• Self-Awareness

A few notes on teaching this unit

Teach this topic by grounding abstract concepts in concrete actions and visual cues. Avoid relying solely on verbal explanations; instead, use drama, art, and sorting tasks to make traits and feelings tangible. Research shows that when students act out emotions or sort traits while discussing evidence, their inferencing skills improve more than with worksheets alone. Keep the language simple and repetitive, using anchor charts with trait and feeling words displayed prominently.

Successful learning looks like students confidently connecting actions to traits, explaining how expressions reveal feelings, and using vocabulary like 'generous,' 'frustrated,' or 'hopeful' to describe characters. They should also justify their ideas with evidence from the text or their own performances.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During Emotion Charades, some students may assume feelings are only expressed through words.

  During Emotion Charades, pause the game to discuss how facial expressions and body language often show feelings more clearly than words. Have students repeat a scene without speaking to highlight this.

• During Trait Sorting Stations, students may think traits change frequently throughout a story.

  During Trait Sorting Stations, ask groups to compare cards from the beginning, middle, and end of a story. Have them explain which traits stay the same and why feelings shift.

• During Feeling Faces Draw, students may believe only words describe traits, not actions.

  During Feeling Faces Draw, provide action cards (e.g., 'sharing a snack,' 'crossing arms') and have students draw the face that matches the feeling. Then ask, 'What does this action tell us about the character?'

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Methods used in this brief

• Role Play