Looking for characterization activities for high school that help students move beyond simply listing character traits? These five activities give students opportunities to analyze characters’ motivations, relationships, and growth—and support their ideas with evidence from the text.
One of my favorite things to do with a text—especially a longer one like a novel or play—is to analyze the characters. I like to start with pre-reading characterization activities so students can review and practice character analysis before jumping into the text.
During reading, we pause to discuss the characters: what they want, what gets in their way, and how they change. After reading, I like to give students a way to show what they understand through a creative character analysis project.
Keep reading for five of my favorite activities, with ideas for using them during reading or as a final assessment.
Characterization Activity 1: Character Analysis Graphic Organizers
One engaging characterization activity is a character analysis graphic organizer. Have students complete an organizer for each character, or assign students a specific character to track throughout the course of the text.
Suggested things to track:
- characterization (I lean towards indirect characterization using the STEAL method)
- Static or dynamic? Round or flat? Protagonist or antagonist?
- Conflict
- Theme development
- Motivations
- Thoughts and emotions
- Important quotes
I’ve also used this template to create character analysis mini flip books in the past (although I’ve since transitioned to full sheets to allow for more space and analysis opportunities).
How to implement:
- Briefly explain the STEAL method: speech, thoughts, effect on others, actions, and looks
- Include a model sequence: evidence -> inferred trait -> explanation
- Evidence: A character risks getting into trouble for defending a friend
- Inferred trait: loyalty
- Explanation: the character values their friendship more than than avoiding punishment
- Have students revisit and add to their organizers and adjust their interpretations
Characterization Activity 2: Perspective Writing Practice
In most traditional plot structures, the reader only gets the perspective of one, maybe two, characters. One way for students to demonstrate their understanding of a character is to write part (or all, if the text is short enough) of the story from the perspective of a character other than the protagonist.
This characterization activity challenges students to maintain their chosen character’s voice while showing how that character interacts with others, influences the plot, and contributes to the theme. I always try to include this as an option on project choice boards.
How to implement:
Have students rewrite one significant scene from another character’s perspective, then explain how their writing choices reflect that character’s motivations and relationships. For an extra challenge, have them imitate the author’s style—bonus points for attempting Shakespeare’s iambic pentameter!
Characterization Activity 3: Body Biography Character Analysis Project
This is one of my favorite characterization activities. A body biography is a visual character analysis project that asks students to represent what they know about a character through quotations, images, and symbols.
Assign students a character or let them choose one themselves. Have them draw an illustration of the character and include the following:
Character name
Quotations: Two or three direct quotes that reveal something important about the character.
Song lyrics: Choose a song whose lyrics connect to the character and explain the connection.
Symbolic representations:
Backbone: Motivations—what drives the character?
Feet: Fundamental beliefs about life—what does the character stand for?
Legs: Virtues and vices, supported with textual evidence.
Gut: What the character feels about themselves.
Head: Something the character learns throughout the story.
The last time I taught “The Most Dangerous Game,” I used this activity, and it was a huge success. I gave each group a giant piece of paper—the type that’s like a giant sticky note. One group got creative and traced another student to use as their “body.” Hands down—top three lessons that year. This activity has also been a hit after reading act 2 of The Crucible; students choose one character and create a poppet that represents that character.
How to implement: Have students explain each symbolic choice and support it with textual evidence. A brief gallery walk gives groups a chance to share their interpretations and compare how they represented the characters.
Characterization Activity 4: Social Media Accounts
Our students are obsessed with social media. Instagram. TikTok. Why not lean into that? (Just don’t suggest Facebook—unless you want to be made to feel like you’re ready for the nursing home.)
Have students choose a character and create a mock social media profile for them, complete with a biography, posts, images, and captions. They could also make a video as that character. I had two students choose to do a “Get Ready With Me”-style video for their independent reading project. Speaking skills + text knowledge + understanding of the character’s voice and motivations? Check, check, and check.
Another angle is text messages. Have students create an imaginary conversation between two characters, maintaining each character’s tone and voice throughout the exchange.
How to implement: For a profile, have students create a short biography and three posts connected to significant moments in the text. For a video or text conversation, have them focus on a key event or relationship. Whichever format they choose, ask students to explain how specific details reflect the character’s personality, motivations, and relationships, using textual evidence to support their choices.
Characterization Activity 5: Choice Board Projects
Another one of my go-to characterization activities is a character analysis project—specifically, a choice board. With all of the mandated curricula, pacing guides, and testing we work around, students often have little choice in what happens in class. I like to give them some ownership when possible, including how they demonstrate their understanding of a text.
If your students are burned out on multiple-choice tests, and the thought of grading yet another essay makes you want to curl up in the corner and cry, then choice boards are an excellent alternative.
Creating a social media profile from the perspective of a character, as mentioned above, is just one option. Other character analysis projects include creating a scrapbook or writing a journal from the character’s perspective.
For the independent reading project mentioned above, one student chose to write a journal from the perspective of Coriolanus Snow from The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (ya know, President Snow of Hunger Games infamy before he was President Snow). She got so into it that she had to make herself stop writing because she had so much to say. How many multiple-choice/true-false tests bring that level of engagement?
How to implement: Give every choice board option the same core analysis requirements: explain the character’s traits, motivations, relationships, and development, using textual evidence to support the interpretation. Use a shared rubric so students can choose their format while working toward the same learning goals.
The great thing about using projects is that you can tackle not just characterization, but theme, plot, setting, symbolism, and much more. Plus, they allow students to tap into their creativity. Win-win.
There you go. Five characterization activities for high school students. What’s your favorite way to teach characterization? Comment below.
Want more characterization activities? Check out 3 Engaging Ideas for Teaching Characterization to High School Students.
Looking for an engaging way to study not only characterization in a short story but also plot, theme, and more? Subscribe below and receive your FREE short story analysis mini flip book 🙂
Looking for done-for-you character analysis graphic organizers? Check out these popular texts, or find all my character analysis graphic organizers here.
