Creative writing: character and script writing tasks
This useful PowerPoint offers a character development stimulus for KS3 students, followed by two script writing tasks to develop the character's voice.
Students choose an animal, identify its key characteristics and any adjectives they could use to describe it, before using the technique of zoomorphism to apply those ideas to a character.
This is then followed by modelled script writing activities.
There's clear scaffolding for all tasks and exemplars to help students to develop their own ideas.
An example slide from the PowerPoint lesson:
Now, try to transfer those qualities to a human being.
This is called zoomorphism (when a person is compared to an animal).
For example: ‘Lennie dabbled his big paw in the water...’
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Description of animal (giraffe) |
Description of a character (based on an animal’s qualities) |
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Tall and slender
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Lean but taut and strong. Gives an impression of vitality and power. |
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Unusual |
Skin might be scarred or marked in some way? Teeth are distinctive. Long face and head. Intimidating gaze. |
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Calm (but dangerous?) |
Masquerading as a businessman but actually a con man or swindler. |
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Slow (with the potential for speed) |
Moves slowly until engaged in a task, but then moves quickly. Capable of cruelty. |
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Resourceful |
Amoral. Cunning. |
