Primary 1 · English · Literature
Characters and settings
Talking about who is in a story and where it happens, and describing how characters feel and act.
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These lessons were written around Australian Curriculum strands and matched to Singapore levels by age (Primary 1 is the first year of primary school). They are not aligned to MOE syllabuses or the PSLE, so check them against the syllabus your child is working towards.
Learning goals
Learners will
- Identify the characters in a story and describe where and when it happens.
- Describe how a character feels, using clues from the words and pictures.
- Talk about what a character does and what that shows about them.
Success looks like
- I can name the characters in a story.
- I can say where and when the story happens.
- I can say how a character feels and point to the clue.
The big idea
Every story has characters and a setting. The characters are the people or animals in the story. The setting is where and when the story happens: a forest at night, a busy kitchen in the morning, a farm on a sunny day.
Read this short story together. 'Mo the mouse lived in a cosy hole under an old oak tree. One windy morning, Mo's best hat blew away. Mo stamped his feet and cried, "That was my favourite hat!" Then his friend Bella the bird flew down. She soared high into the sky and brought the hat back. Mo smiled and gave her a big hug.'
The main character is Mo the mouse, because the story is mostly about him. Bella the bird is another character. The setting is under an old oak tree on a windy morning.
Authors do not always tell us how a character feels. Instead they give us clues:
- What the character does: Mo stamped his feet.
- What the character says: 'That was my favourite hat!'
- How the character looks in the pictures: a frown, tears or a big smile.
From these clues we can tell Mo was upset. Later he smiled and hugged Bella, so he felt happy and thankful. What Bella did, flying high to fetch the hat, shows us she is a kind friend.
Worked examples
Finding the setting
Where and when does the Mo story happen?
- Look for place words: 'in a cosy hole under an old oak tree'.
- Look for time words: 'One windy morning'.
- Put them together.
Answer: Under an old oak tree, on a windy morning.
Using clues for feelings
How did Mo feel when his hat blew away?
- Find what Mo did: he stamped his feet.
- Find what Mo said: 'That was my favourite hat!'
- Ask: when do people stamp their feet and shout? When they are upset or cross.
Answer: Mo felt upset (or cross). The clues are that he stamped his feet and cried out.
What actions show
What does Bella's action tell us about her?
- Find what Bella did: she flew high to bring the hat back.
- Ask: why would someone do that? To help a friend.
Answer: Bella is kind and helpful.
Practice check
Have a go, then check your answers. Each answer comes with an explanation.
Answer guide for parents
Who is the main character in the Mo story?
Mo the mouse — The story is mostly about Mo the mouse.
Where does Mo live?
in a hole under an oak tree — 'Mo the mouse lived in a cosy hole under an old oak tree.'
How did Mo feel when his hat blew away?
upset — He stamped his feet and cried out, which shows he was upset.
How do we know Bella is kind?
She flew up high to get Mo's hat back. — Her action of fetching the hat shows she is kind.
What is the setting of a story?
where and when it happens — The setting is where and when the story takes place.
What blew away in the Mo story? Type one word.
hat — 'Mo's best hat blew away.'
What kind of animal is Bella? Type one word.
bird — Bella is a bird.
What did Mo give Bella at the end of the story?
a hug — 'Mo smiled and gave her a big hug.'
Watch out for
- Thinking the setting is only a place. The setting includes when, too, such as 'one windy morning' or 'at night'.
- Guessing feelings without a reason. Always ask, 'What clue tells you that?'
- Thinking only people can be characters. Animals, toys and creatures can all be characters.
Tips for parents
- Pause during a story and ask, 'How do you think they feel now? How can you tell?'
- Look closely at the pictures together. Illustrators show feelings through faces and body language.
- Use feelings cards so your child can point to a face if they cannot find the word.
Go further
- Draw a favourite character and write three words around it that describe them.
- Draw the setting of a story and add labels such as 'old oak tree' and 'windy sky'.
- Put a familiar character in a new setting (Mo at the beach) and tell a new story aloud.
About 25 minutes
You'll need
- A picture book with clear characters and settings
- Paper and crayons
- Feelings faces drawn on cards (happy, sad, cross, scared, surprised)
Key words
- character
- A person, animal or creature in a story.
- main character
- The character the story is mostly about.
- setting
- Where and when a story happens.
- feelings
- How a character feels, such as happy, sad, scared or cross.
- clue
- A word or picture that helps us work something out.
Still tricky?
For parents
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