Using fun and engaging read alouds is my absolute favorite way to teach different reading skills! My classroom usually focuses on a new reading skill each week, therefore I try to fit in as many read alouds as possible.
Teaching Character Traits
Using picture books to teach Character Traits is a complete game changer! Picture books can teach us so many different skills and they can be so interactive. Consequently, using picture books is the perfect way to teach character traits! Since picture books are not as long as chapter books, there are not as many descriptions for characters. Due to this, students need to infer and use other clues from the book when describing character traits.
Tips for teaching Character Traits:
- Create an Anchor Chart with your class to use as a reference when reading
- Discuss character traits (internal) vs. physical traits (external)
- Give students a mini anchor chart to keep in their folder to use as a learning tool
- Use Character Trait vocabulary as often as possible
Character Trait Read Alouds:
- The Invisible Boy: This book shows us that a small act of kindness can go a long way
- No David!: This funny story is about a boy named David who is a mischievous character
- Chrysantheum: She thinks her name is perfect, until the first day of school when she is teased
- A Bad Case of Stripes: Camilla worries about what everyone else thinks of her
- The Bad Seed: When the Bad Seed hears negative comments, he begins to change is actions
- Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse: Lilly loves her purse, but then her teacher takes it away
- Giraffe’s Can’t Dance: All Giraffe wants is to learn to dance, but it is very difficult at first
- Amazing Grace: Grace loves stories and knows exactly who she wants to play in Peter Pan
- Pig the Pug: Pig is a greedy pug, but he finds out that being greedy has its consequences
- We’re All Wonders: The world fell in love with the Chapter Book “Wonder”, this is an amazing shorter version of the story
All of these picture books can help your students understand character traits! When I first introduce Character Traits, I create an anchor chart with my students and post it in the classroom. Then, students use the chart when we read these amazing picture books to describe the characters in each story. My Character Traits anchor chart is included in my Reading Skills Anchor Charts on my Teachers Pay Teachers Store! Check out the different skills that are included in this resource 🙂
I hope you enjoy these book recommendations for teaching Character Traits! If you have a favorite book that you like to use when teaching your students this reading skill, I would love to hear it!
