Foundations of Language and Literacy · Junior Infants

Active learning ideas

Characters Like Me, Characters Not Like Me

Young children learn best when they move, see, and touch. For this topic, active tasks let them compare themselves to characters through drawing, acting, and talking. These concrete experiences help them notice both shared experiences and differences in a safe, playful way.

• NCCA Curriculum Specifications
• NCCA: Primary - Comprehension
• NCCA: Primary - Empathy

• 20–30 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 4 activities

Activity 01

• Role Play
• 20 min · Pairs

Pair Mirror: Same Actions

Pairs select a book scene where a character performs a daily action, like brushing teeth. One child acts it out while the partner mirrors exactly, then discusses: 'I do this too.' Switch roles and share one similarity with the class.

What does this character do that is the same as something you do?

Facilitation Tip

During Pair Mirror: Same Actions, stand near pairs to quietly name what you see them mirror, like 'You’re both holding a cup like the girl in the book.'

What to look for

After reading a story, ask students to point to a picture of a character and say one thing that character does that is the same as them, or one thing that is different. For example, 'He eats breakfast like me,' or 'She has a sister, I have a brother.'

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

Activity 02

• Role Play
• 25 min · Whole Class

Circle Share: Different Homes

Gather the whole class in a circle with book images of characters' homes. Each child holds a drawing or photo of their own home, passes it around, and says one difference, such as 'My house has two floors, theirs has none.' Teacher models first.

How is this character's home or family different from yours?

Facilitation Tip

In Circle Share: Different Homes, hold up two home pictures and say, 'Tell me one thing you notice that is the same — like both have a door — and one that is different — like one has a garden.'

What to look for

Show two pictures: one of a character from the story and one of a child in the class. Ask: 'How are these two the same? How are they different?' Encourage students to use vocabulary like 'similar' and 'different' when describing the characters.

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

Activity 03

• Role Play
• 30 min · Small Groups

Drama Stations: Character Feelings

Set up three stations with feeling cards from stories: happy, sad, surprised. Small groups rotate, act out the feeling as the character, then guess together. Record one sentence about why the character feels that way.

How do you think this character is feeling in this part of the story?

Facilitation Tip

At Drama Stations: Character Feelings, model how to freeze and name a feeling, 'I’m sad because my friend moved away,' before children act.

What to look for

Give each child a drawing of a simple house. Ask them to draw one thing inside the house that is the same as their own home and one thing that is different. They can then tell the teacher about their drawing.

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

Activity 04

• Role Play
• 25 min · Individual

My Character Book: Draw and Label

Children work alone to draw themselves next to a character, adding simple labels like 'same: play ball' or 'different: big family.' Share in pairs before displaying on walls for ongoing reference.

What does this character do that is the same as something you do?

Facilitation Tip

During My Character Book: Draw and Label, remind children to write one word under each drawing, such as 'play' or 'sleep,' to connect the image to the story.

What to look for

After reading a story, ask students to point to a picture of a character and say one thing that character does that is the same as them, or one thing that is different. For example, 'He eats breakfast like me,' or 'She has a sister, I have a brother.'

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

A few notes on teaching this unit

Teachers guide children to notice both sameness and difference without rushing to judgment. Start with obvious connections, like eating breakfast, then gently introduce contrasts, like family size or traditions. Use open questions that require children to look closely and think before they speak. Avoid leading statements like 'Don’t you think this is weird?' Instead, ask, 'What do you notice about how this home looks?' Research shows that when children feel safe naming differences, empathy grows naturally.

Children will point to similarities and differences between themselves and story characters with confidence. They will use simple vocabulary like 'same' and 'different' when describing homes, actions, and feelings. Their work will show growing empathy as they connect emotions across different experiences.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During Pair Mirror: Same Actions, watch for...

  Some children may assume all characters act the same. Redirect by asking, 'Can you find one action in the story that is different from what you do?' Help them name the difference, like 'The boy in the story walks to school alone, I walk with my brother.'

• During Drama Stations: Character Feelings, watch for...

  Children may think only characters who look like them feel certain emotions. Use the feeling cards to ask, 'Is this character happy or sad? How do you know?' Guide them to notice facial expressions and body language to confirm universal feelings.

• During My Character Book: Draw and Label, watch for...

  Some children may avoid drawing characters who look different from them. Encourage them with, 'This character has curly hair like your friend — what might they like to do?' Provide mirrors or photos to help them connect features to actions.

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Methods used in this brief

• Role Play