Activity Overview
As students read, a storyboard can serve as a helpful character reference log. This log (also called a character map) allows students to recall relevant information about important characters. When reading a play, small attributes and details frequently become important as the plot progresses. With a character map, students will record this information, helping them follow along and catch the subtleties which make reading more enjoyable!
Using a character map for Shakespeare is even more beneficial. It also allows students to record nuances of characters and identify dramatic foils. The ability to visually see contrasts helps students with understanding, and assists in reviewing. It also makes it easier for students to keep track of the myriad of characters that appear in the play.
Copying the assignment will provide you with both the example above and a blank character map template to customize as you wish. Printing it as a worksheet for your students to complete while reading is a fast and easy way to incorporate this character map into your classroom.
It is important to focus on each of the character's particular love interests and motivations. When Puck creates a love triangle, it further confuses the already complicated situation. Look at the character map below, and take notice of the particular pairings.
Example:
Puck (Robin Goodfellow)
Traits:
Fairy, Trickster
View of Love:
What's that?
Quote about Dreams:
"If you were offended, think of this play as a dream... "
What conflict does this character cause?
Mischief, thy name is Puck! He causes Titania to fall in love with Bottom, and both Lysander and Demetrius to fall in love with Helena.
Template and Class Instructions
(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)
Student Instructions
Create a character map for the major characters.
- Identify the major characters in A Midsummer Night’s Dream and type their names into the different title boxes.
- Choose a character from the "Classical Era", "Monsters and Myths", or "Greek Mythology" tabs to represent each of the literary characters.
- Select colors and a pose appropriate to story and character traits.
- Choose a scene or background that makes sense for the character.
- Fill in the text boxes for Traits, View of Love, Quote About Dreams, and What conflict does this character cause?.
Lesson Plan Reference
- [ELA-Literacy/RL/11-12/1] Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text, including determining where the text leaves matters uncertain
- [ELA-Literacy/RL/11-12/3] Analyze the impact of the author’s choices regarding how to develop and relate elements of a story or drama (e.g., where a story is set, how the action is ordered, how the characters are introduced and developed)
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[ELA-Literacy/RL/11-12/10] By the end of grade 11, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and poems, in the grades 11-CCR text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range.
By the end of grade 12, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and poems, at the high end of the grades 11-CCR text complexity band independently and proficiently
Rubric
(You can also create your own on Quick Rubric.)
| Proficient 33 Points | Emerging 25 Points | Beginning 17 Points | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Character Picture & Scene | The characters and scenes are both appropriate for the book's characters. | Many of the characters and scenes match the book's characters. | More than half of the characters and scenes do not match the characters in the book. |
| Accuracy of Notes | Most of the information of the notes is correct. | Many of the notes have correct information, but some are incorrect or missing. | Less than half of the information of the notes is correct and relevant. |
| Effort | Work is complete, thorough, and neat. | Most of the sections of the character map were at least attempted and work is presentable. | Character map is unfinished and/or disorganized. |
How To Understand a Large List of Characters
Teach Students About Characterization
In a full class discussion, ensure that students understand characterization. Anything a character says or does contributes to characterization, or what others say about them. Understanding characters will help students understand the deeper meaning of the story.
Set Up a Graphic Organizer
In order to keep characters straight, helping students to build a graphic organizer is a great idea. Students can use quotes from the characters, a simple drawing of each, and other distinguishing characteristics to differentiate characters.
Use Details to Understand Deeper Truths
Once the students create a graphic organizer and can understand each character, this will help them to understand the play as a whole and the deeper meanings.
Frequently Asked Questions about A Midsummer Night's Dream Character Map
How do character maps benefit the reader?
In a Shakespearian play, one of the difficulties for students is the sheer number of characters. Using a character map helps students keep everyone straight. In A Midsummer Night's Dream, there are four different storylines to follow, so a character map will be invaluable.
How are characters and conflicts related?
Conflicts and characters are intricately linked. In A Midsummer Night's Dream, the characters are actively causing conflicts for other characters in the play, and there are many Person vs. Person conflicts. Keeping track of all of this can be tricky.
What is a dramatic foil?
A dramatic foil is a character who is working directly against another character. They try to get in the way of the character's progress and cause trouble. A Midsummer Night's Dream has many dramatic foils.
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A Midsummer Night's Dream
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