It’s always fun to find alternative ways for students to show what they know about characters they read about, while practicing other language arts skills. Here’s one writing assignment called, “DAY IN THE LIFE OF…”. adapted from an assignment found on the TeachIt website.
After students have completed the study of a major work that has complex characters, assign them to write a magazine article that includes substantiation for their choice of contents based on direct references and quotations with citations from the literary work they’ve just finished.
Rather than making this a time-consuming assignment for grading, read it for accuracy of information and correctness of structure and formatting of citations. Consider creating a rubric based on the Six-Traits rubric in which you add to the IDEAS and CONTENT section. See rubric at this link,
Consider doing this in a 50-55 class period. Have assignment details on a handout or projected on slides. Students read the assignment aloud and ask questions for clarification.
Then, set timer for 20 minutes for students to write. Now distribute or project the rubric. Now, for 10 minutes. Have students exchange writing, read and circle their assessment of their partner’s draft.
Finally, invite five students to read aloud their writing. Goals met. Students have reflected on reading, written and shared their imaginative visions of minor characters, heard the writing of classmates, and you have no reading or grading to do. But you know what students are learning based on what you are teaching.