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Year 3

Developing a character profile for Alina in 'The Moon Dragons'

I can understand and describe the character of Alina.

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New
New
Year 3

Developing a character profile for Alina in 'The Moon Dragons'

I can understand and describe the character of Alina.

Download all resources
Share activities with pupils

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. The protagonist is a main character or central figure in a story or narrative.
  2. Alina is the protagonist in 'The Moon Dragons'.
  3. Character traits are the special qualities that make a character in a story unique and interesting.
  4. We can identify Alina's character traits by exploring her experiences and interactions and making inferences.
  5. Alina displays a range of character traits such as resilience, bravery, and morality.

Common misconception

Some of the vocabulary used to describe Alina's connection to nature and the moon dragons may be unfamiliar, e.g. 'intuitive'.

Explore the word 'intuitive' and its definition. Ask the children to consider moments that they feel a sense of intuitiveness and how this guides them to make decisions.

Keywords

  • Protagonist - a main character or central figure in a story or narrative

  • Character traits - the special qualities that make a character in a story unique or interesting

  • Role on the wall - a character analysis activity which encourages readers to infer

Create a shared role on the wall at the beginning of the lesson or allow children to do the activity in groups to share ideas and build Alina's character profile.
Teacher tip

Equipment

You will need a copy of the 2015 Andersen Press Ltd. edition of ‘The Moon Dragons’ written by Dyan Sheldon and illustrated by Gary Blythe for this lesson.

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Video

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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Put the following moments in order to tell the beginning of Alina's story.
1 - Alina grew up hearing stories about moon dragons and dreaming of them.
2 - Alina said she would find the moon dragons.
3 - Everyone laughed at Alina for thinking she could find the moon dragons.
4 - Alina was unwavering in her belief that she would find the moon dragons.
Q2.
Put the following moments in order to tell the rest of Alina's story.
1 - Alina ventured up the mountains alone, feeling a connection to nature.
2 - Alina slept inside a tree. She awoke to hear a variety of sounds.
3 - Alina discovered the moon dragons and watched in awe, moving in sync with them.
4 - Alina lied and said she had failed the quest in order to protect the dragons.
Q3.
True or false? The King and Alina have the same motivations for finding the moon dragons.
Correct Answer: False, false
Q4.
What is a character trait?
Correct answer: the qualities that make a character who they are
the clothes a character wears
the words a character says
the actions a character takes
Q5.
Which character in the story shows the most admirable character traits?
the King
the huntsman
the villagers
Correct answer: Alina
Q6.
What comprehension strategy do we use to draw meaning from clues within the text?
retrieval
summarising
Correct answer: inference

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
What is a protagonist?
the first character introduced in a story
the oldest character in a story
Correct answer: a main character or central figure in a story
the character who has the most power
Q2.
How can we identify a character trait?
through what a character wears
Correct answer: through what a character says and does
Correct answer: through a character's experiences
Q3.
What character traits can we infer from Alina's decision to venture up the mountain alone?
Correct answer: bravery
timidness
Correct answer: confidence
Q4.
What character traits can we infer from Alina's connection to nature and the moon dragons?
Correct answer: sensitivity
selfishness
Correct answer: intuitiveness
impatience
Q5.
What character traits can we infer from Alina's decision to protect the dragons and forego the reward of gold?
Correct answer: morality
Correct answer: kindness
disregard
evilness
Q6.
Alina's decision to lie could be considered an example of how lying is not always bad or wrong.
Correct Answer: True, true