Within the goal of Character Development, we decided to focus on the comprehension skill of inferencing. This skill is very important when understanding various texts because it allows for the reader to use clues to determine a meaning that is not directly stated in the text. For character development, this could include background information, emotions, and other scenarios that impact the story.

For our anchor text, we believed there were four skills that would allow for students to practice inferencing for character development.

• The first strategy was Consider the Character in Context.
  • Since this book is historical fiction, the characters are being impacted by a historical event that some students may not know about. When we are able to provide context to the students, they will be able to understand character's choices and emotions in a deeper way.

• The next strategy is a lesson called Feelings Change.
  • Within this strategy, students will be able to analyze how characters in the story are constantly having feelings that are changing based on context and character development. If students are able to notice how feelings change throughout a story, they can infer how the character has grown based on internal and external challenges.

• Another strategy we decided to focus on was Interaction Can Lead to Inferences.
  • Within this strategy, students will determine a time in the story when a secondary character is interacting with the main character.
  • There are a lot of opportunities for students to find this in any sort of text. Students will begin to analyze how the secondary character's actions are making the main character feel, think, or act.
  • Rather than inferencing based on the details provided about the main character, find even more information by analyzing the secondary character and how it impacts the main character. Relationships are a big factor when inferencing character development.

• The final stategy that we thought reflected White Bird was Conflict Brings Complexity.
  • With a historical event like the Holocaust, there is a lot of conflict and a lot of complexity that can impact the character. When we are able to determine a conflict in the story, we can then start to notice how the character is reacting before and after the conflict.
  • Just like people, characters are complex and have various sides of him or her. This strategy can help us follow a plot line and actions by the character to determine who they are as a person.

1. Consider the Character in Context → 2. Feelings Change → 3. Interactions Can Lead to Inferences → 4. Conflict Brings Complexity

When practicing the strategies listed above, a great format to follow is to find two chunks of text that can help students apply the skills. When working within a large text, it is sometimes difficult for students to find moments in the text that apply to what we are teaching.

As a teacher, we can scaffold students' learning by providing chunks that are close proximity to one another (about 20 pages maximum) to practice the strategy.

Below is a sample of three lessons based on the strategies. Linked, you can find a printable google document of everything we have listed on this page in an easy to read format!

Consider the Character in Context (6.22)

Feelings Change (6.4)

Interactions Can Lead to Inferences (6.14)

The two chunks of texts will be provided with context information of what was occuring in the story at this time and the direct quote we will be focusing on. We will also provide lesson language to follow and questions to invite and scaffold active involvement in the strategy.

The first chunk of text will be a modeling activity so the teacher can show the students what the strategy is and how to properly master the strategy.

The second chunk of text will be an active involvement where the teacher and student will be working together to complete the strategy.

At the end of each lesson, we will include additional places in the book where the strategy can be applied and a visual representation of what the strategy may look like.

Chunk 1 [Model/Teach]: Page 18-19 whole spread

Sara’s life begins to change while living in France. Even though she can still do a lot of the things that she normally does, she finds that her life is no longer normal because of the increasing Nazi presence in her town.

• “I remember Papa circling Aubervilliers-aux-Bois on a map and saying how lucky we were to not live in the occupied zone. Our lives could continue as normal as possible. I could ride my scooter to school everyday. I could walk to the market with my friends after school, same as always. My parents and I could go to the cinema on the weekends, same as always. I could still ride my bicycle to the edge of Mernuit, same as always. All these things, together, gave the illusion of normalcy. But things were not normal, of course. Nothing was really normal anymore. Not if you were Jewish, like us.”

Model/Think Aloud:

“Today, we are going to look at our characters in our historical fiction novel. Let's think about characters in the context of that time in history. For example, if we were reading a book about a knight in medieval times we would think about how knights were treated, what was expected of them, their jobs, and we could even look at knights in different stories and compare them to get a good idea."

"Here, we are going to look at how Sara’s life is changing and why. As we read the chunk of text *read chunk of text*."

"We see that Sara is making a comparison between what used to be, and how she feels now. What is one of the examples of change?"

--Potential student answer: She is talking about all of the things she used to be able to do and now nothing is normal, not if you were Jewish like her.

"This helps us see what was going on for her in that part of history, and what really was normal for her. It wasn’t xbox games like today, it was riding scooters to school! This strategy is important for us to get to understand the main character.”

Chunk 2 [Active Involvement]: Page 20-21 whole spread

On these pages we find background on what is going on during the war. It provides a lot of context about the world in which this book takes place. It details the things that Jewish people went through during this time in history.

• “The illusion of normalcy did not last very long, anyway. The Vichy government passed a series of anti-Jewish laws. They banned Jews from going to certain public places. They kept lists of Jewish people and where they lived. They stamped the word Juif or Juive on our identity cards. “Jew.” They would not let Jews work in certain jobs. Maman lost her job at the university. There began a systemized campaign of anti-Jewish propaganda, blaming Jews for all the troubles in France. Posters, movies, and even radio programs sought to dehumanize us, turn us into hideous stereotypes.”

Prompts/questions to invite and scaffold active involvement related to the strategy:

1. What have we learned about how the characters (mainly Sara) feels after we read this chunk of text?
2. What is historically accurate here? How is Sara acting that is specific to the time of the holocaust?
3. What clues do the characters give us about how they are feeling now?

Additional places in the book where strategy can be applied:

1. Pg. 136: For the first time in more than a year, Sara is able to leave the barn with Julien.
2. Pg. 157: Sara realized that the journal Vincent had brought to find her meant that Julien was probably in a difficult situation. Knowing that Vincent is part of the Milice, she could only assume that Julien could be hurt or even killed.
3. Pg. 181: Even knowing what the answer was, Jean-Paul and Vivienne never gave up trying to find Julien.
4. Pg. 203: After knowing the difficulties that arose from other historical events, people from all over are coming together to end mass hatred of a group of people.

Visual:

Chunk 1 [Model/Teach]: Page 30 whole spread

In the school hallway, people are whispering rumors about Tourteau (Julien). People bullied Julien because he was disabled due to contracting polio at a young age. Tourteau is a nickname that kids gave him to insult the way he walks. When Julien approaches Sara and her friends to return Sara’s sketchbook, her friends responded with a rude compliment.

• “No one talked to Tourteau. There was a rumor that he had caught polio from his father, who was an egoutier a sewer worker. People said Tourteau smelled like the sewers. Now I sat next to him everyday for years, since his last name was Beaumier and mine was Blum…and I can say with certainty that he did not smell. But I did not talk to him anyway. ‘Um excuse me Sara?’, ‘ew, what does he want?’ (whispers)”

Model/Think Aloud:

"During this strategy, we are going to focus on what is happening to the character in the book and how his or her feelings change. When something happens to you that is fun or exciting, you are most likely happy and have a grin on your face. But when something goes wrong, like you don't get to eat breakfast or a toy breaks, you might cry or have sad face on."

"Show me how you might look if something exciting happened to you."

"Show me how you might look if someone broke on of your toys."

After both- "Great! Look around, this is showing how someone feels."

"When you notice a character (Tourteau or Sara) have a feeling, let's write or draw it on a sticky note. There are some for each of you at your desk."

"Let's read the chunk of text together *reads it*."

"Take a minute and re-read it or think about what we read and tell me if you saw or felt a character have a feeling! (students might say that this would make Tourteau feel sad, or sara might feel embarrassed.) Lets share with the people at your table and then share with the class. This strategy helps us see characters feelings so we know when they change in a story and why!"

Chunk 2 [Active Involvement]: Page 58-59 whole spread

Sara is hiding in the belltower from the Nazis who came to round up the Jewish children from the school. Julien has just found Sara hiding in the belltower and is leading her to safety.

• ‘Sara? They will find you here. I know a way out (Julien)’. “I was too astonished to speak. Remember, I had never said more than two words to this boy..and yet here he was, risking his life to save mine. ‘Come on! Follow me! (Julien). I did not ask where we were going. I just followed him.”

Prompts/questions to invite and scaffold active involvement related to the strategy:

1. From the first chunk of text we looked at to this one, what feelings do YOU think Tourteau is feeling?
2. Is Sara feeling the same things in both chunks of texts?
3. How have his feelings changed over time?
   1. What events tell us that his feelings or someone else’s feelings have changed? (Sara)

Additional places in the book where strategy can be applied:

1. Pg. 87: Sara was able to find something positive about hiding in the barn. She was able to see Julien at nights.
2. Pg. 113-114: Sara is beginning to realize the seriousness of not being found. If she is found by the Nazis, not only will she die, but so will the Beaumiers.
3. Pg. 129: Sara’s feelings for Julien begins to change as he matures. A new type of relationship is forming.

Visual:

Chunk 1 [Model/Teach]: Page 111 whole spread

Vincent had followed Julien home from school thinking that he was hiding someone. Vincent starts fighting Julien in the barn while Sara was watching from above. She wanted to help him, but knew the consequences if she was found by the Nazi police.

• “At that moment, I knew I could not stay quiet any longer. I had to get Julien’s parents, even if it meant the Germans finding me. So I started getting up. And I think somehow Julien knew what I was about to do.” “V-v-v…” “What did you say?” “V-vive…. VIVE L’HUMANITE!”

Model/Think Aloud:

"We are going to learn a strategy to focus on the relationship between the main character and a secondary character."

"For example, in the story Cinderella, it could be a relationship between Cinderella and the mice. Here, we are looking at sara, VIncent and Julien."

"We could focus on Sara and Julien for this part since Sara is the main character and Julien is (kind of) a secondary character even though he is a big part!"

"Let's think about why Sara wouldn’t want to get up and stand up for Julien? Why would she? (she wouldn't want to because she would get Julien’s family in trouble if the Nazis found out. She does want to stand up for Julien because he has been protecting her and she might feel like she owes him)."

"When I think about both of these characters, I think about how much their friendship has grown so far in this book. Is there anything else that this interaction between Sara and Julien could tell us?"

Chunk 2 [Active Involvement]: Page 120-121 whole spread

After Julien was beat up by Vincent, he was avoiding Sara. He felt bad for what he had said to Sara when she was almost found hiding at their house. Both felt sorry for one another. Julien was upset that he wasn’t brave enough while Sara was upset that she was being selfish in her decision making.

• “I just- I hate that you saw me get beat up like that. It’s so humiliating. I’m so tired of being seen as this weak, pathetic little creature. The crab. Before I got polio… I used to run so fast, Sara. I was the fastest kid in my class. And the thing is… I still remember what that felt like. I know I’ll never run like that again, but that doesn’t make me weak, or pathetic, which is how people see me.’ (Julien). ‘I don’t see you like that. I see you as being really brave.’ (Sara). ‘Ugh! That’s even worse! You think I’m brave because I walk with crutches? Crutches don’t make me brave! They make me walk!’ (Julien). ‘Oh! Yes, of course. I’m… I’m sorry, Julien.’ (Sara). ‘You just don’t get it.’ (Julien). ‘No, I do! I get it all. And you’re right. I’ve been so selfish. I am self-absorbed. And childish. I never stood up for you when people were being mean to you in school.’ (Sara). ‘ No, no Sara. Please stop. You don’t need to apologize.’ (Julien). ‘But I want to! I’m sorry I used to be like the rest of them! I’m sorry I didn’t know your name.’ (Sara). ‘Sara, it’s okay. Really. Look, I’m sorry I said those things. You’re the best friend I’ve ever had. The truth is, it doesn’t matter how you used to be. It only matters how you are now. The other day with Vincent, you were willing to risk your life just to save mine. No one’s ever done that for me before. I should be thanking you. That was really brave of YOU.’ (Julien). ‘It was? Thank you. Look, when I say I think you’re brave, it’s not because of your crutches. It’s because of how you stood up to them. It’s because of everything you’re risking to help me.’ (Sara).”

Prompts/questions to invite and scaffold active involvement related to the strategy:

1. Find a place where the characters might be interacting.
2. How is Sara treating Julien here?
3. This is only one instance of where these two meet and interact in the story. Does this represent how their whole relationship is?
4. Talk about and explain how Sara might be making Julien feel? How might Julien be making Sara feel?

Additional places in the book where strategy can be applied:

1. Pg. 68-69: Julien has just shown Sara where she can hide in the barn and they are laughing and discussing that she can trust him and his parents.
2. Pg. 94-95: “he had become my best friend”; Julien and Sara talk about her father and the bird reference.
3. Pg. 113: Julien just got beat up and is yelling at Sara for almost coming out of her hiding place.
4. Pg. 136-139: Julien and Sara leave the barn and go walking in the forest. Sara gives Julien her sketchbook on the next page. (Last time they saw each other).

Visual: