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What is a Character Map?
A character map is a useful graphic organizer used to keep track of characters in a story in all types of literature. This organizer tool may be simple with name and description, or may be more complex with physical descriptions, analytical questions, changes over time. Character maps are called many different things but their fundamental use remains the same including terms such as: character diagram, character web, character chart, character organizer, character flowchart, character cluster, character outline, or character profile.
A character profile normally consists of a central image or drawing of the character, surrounded by a series of bubbles or boxes that represent different aspects of the character's personality, attributes, physical description, or behavior. Each bubble or box may contain a word, phrase, or sentence that describes or analyzes the corresponding aspect of the character. The bubbles or boxes may also be connected by lines or arrows that show relationships between different aspects.
Why are Character Map Worksheets Important and How are They Best Used?
Identifying and analyzing traits or how the character changes over time is important to understanding the theme or the plot of the novel as a whole. Writers likely use character writing templates to develop their characters. In the classroom, they are great for both younger students and older, more advanced students before, during, and after reading for different activities such as character comparison worksheets. You can also use them when studying a poem or a play! They are also useful when planning ideas for a narrative or creative writing during the writing process. They help students develop their critical thinking and literacy skills, as well as their ability to analyze and interpret complex texts.
Types of Character Graphic Organizers
There are different types of character profiles, each with a unique format and purpose. Some common types include:
- Venn Diagrams: These diagrams compare and contrast two characters or more, highlighting similarities and differences between them.
- Flowcharts: These maps depict the sequence of events in a character's life, tracing their development and transformation over time. Flowcharts may be most appropriate to describe character's development, beliefs, and transformation over the course of a story or across multiple texts.
- Timeline Maps: These maps show the chronology of events in the character's life, from birth to death or from the beginning to the end of the story. Timeline maps may be most appropriate for analyzing the sequence of events in a character's life or in a story, helping students understand how the character's experiences and actions shape their development and relationships.
- Bubble Maps: These maps feature a central bubble with the character's name and surrounding bubbles that represent different aspects of the character's personality, behavior, and relationships with other characters. Bubble maps may be most appropriate for analyzing characters in literary texts, as they allow students to visually represent and connect different aspects of a character's personality and relationships.
- Double-entry Journals: These maps are divided into two columns, with one column dedicated to quotes or passages from the text that reveal the character's thoughts, feelings, and actions, and the other column dedicated to the student's reflections and analysis of the character. Double-entry journals may be most appropriate for closely analyzing and reflecting on specific quotes or passages from a text that reveal a character's thoughts, feelings, and actions.
How to Make a Character Map Worksheet
Choose One of the Premade Templates
We have color, black and white, portrait, or landscape templates. Take a look at our colorful example for inspiration!
Click on "Copy Template"
Once you do this, you will be directed to the storyboard creator.
Give Your Worksheet a Name!
Be sure to call it something related to the topic so that you can easily find it in the future.
Edit Your Worksheet
This is where you will include directions, specific questions and images, and make any aesthetic changes that you would like. The options are endless!
Click "Save and Exit"
When you are finished with your worksheet, click this button in the lower right hand corner to exit your storyboard.
Next Steps
From here you can print, download as a PDF, attach it to an assignment and use it digitally, and more!
Create Your Own Character Chart Template Worksheets
These instructions are applicable for creating your online templates, using the tools provided on this website. The instructions are adaptable and can also be used in a classroom setting, for instructional purposes with your typical whiteboard and markers or other modes of instruction.
There are different types of worksheets you can design, whether it be their character traits, physical characteristics
or for comparison purposes.
The instructions below explore ways to create templates for four different types of worksheets:
- Bubble Map Worksheets
- Venn Diagram Worksheet
- Double-Entry Journal Character Worksheet
- Timeline Map Worksheet
Creating A Bubble Map Worksheet
- Start by writing the character's name in the center of the page or whiteboard.
- Draw a circle around the character's name.
- Around the circle, draw smaller circles, each representing a different aspect of the character's personality, behavior, or relationships.
- Label each circle with a trait, characteristic, or relationship, such as "honest," "loyal friend," or "parent of [other character]."
- Use lines to connect the smaller circles to the central circle, indicating how each trait, characteristic, or relationship is connected to the character's overall identity.
Creating A Venn Diagram Worksheet
- Draw two overlapping circles on a piece of paper or whiteboard.
- Label one circle with the name of one character and the other circle with the name of another.
- In the overlapping section of the circles, write down traits, characteristics, or relationships that both characters share.
- In the non-overlapping sections of the circles, write down traits, characteristics, or relationships that are unique to each character.
- Use lines or arrows to connect the traits, characteristics, or relationships to the corresponding character's name.
Creating A Double-Entry Journal Worksheet
- Draw a vertical line down the center of a piece of paper.
- On the left side of the line, write down quotes or passages from the text that reveal the character's thoughts, feelings, and actions.
- On the right side of the line, write down your reflections and analysis of the character based on the quotes or passages.
- Use the left side to record evidence from the text and the right side to analyze the evidence, making connections and drawing conclusions about the character's personality, behavior, and relationships.
Creating A Timeline Map Worksheet
- Draw a horizontal line across the page or whiteboard.
- Write the character's name on the left side of the line.
- Above the line, write the character's birth year or the beginning of their story.
- Below the line, write the significant events in the character's life, such as "graduated from college" or "fell in love."
- Use arrows to connect the different events, indicating the sequence of events in the character's life.
- Additionally, you can add labels or icons to the events to help visualize their significance.
More Storyboard That Resources and Examples
Do you like what you see? Don't forget to browse our other worksheet pages to find any resource that you are looking for! Our visual tools will help boost student understanding, enhance any project, and will surely be a teacher time saver!
- Character Analysis Worksheet Templates
- Social Studies Vocabulary Worksheet Templates
- Social Studies Graphic Organizer Templates
- Seating Chart Templates
- Graphic Organizer Templates
Happy Creating!
Frequently Asked Questions About Character Maps
What is character mapping, and how can it help students with learning disabilities?
Character mapping involves using a graphic organizer to help students analyze and understand a particular character in a story or text. The use of graphic organizers can significantly improve the reading comprehension and overall academic performance of students with learning disabilities because they help students to better organize information, make connections, build vocabulary, improve writing skills and enhance critical thinking.
How do you create a character map, and what should it include?
To make a character map graphic organizer template, start with a central image or drawing of the character and surround it with bubbles or boxes that represent different aspects of the character's personality, appearance, or behavior. Effective outlines usually include information about traits, motivations, relationships, and actions, as well as connections to other elements of the story. You can create your own chart using paper and markers or by using one of the templates available. You can also create your own template.
Can character maps be used for vocabulary development?
Yes, character organizers can be used to facilitate vocabulary development and comprehension, especially for at-risk readers. For teachers, the use of a specific schema theory strategy, such as semantic mapping, can help students make connections between new vocabulary words and their existing knowledge and experiences.
What are the benefits of using character maps in the classroom?
Using character maps in the classroom can help students develop their critical thinking and literacy skills, as well as their ability to analyze and interpret complex texts. The use of graphic organizers, including character flowcharts, can significantly improve the reading comprehension and overall academic performance of students with learning disabilities.
How do I make a blank character map template or character web?
To make your own, start with a central image or drawing of the character and surround it with bubbles or boxes that represent different aspects of the character's personality, appearance, or behavior. You can create your own using paper and markers or by using one of the character map maker templates available online. There are many character web makers and character web templates available.
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