Developing a character profile for 'Mulan'
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can understand and describe the character of Mulan.
Key learning points
- The protagonist is a main character or central figure in a story or narrative.
- Mulan is the protagonist who drives the actions and whose quest impacts the fate of herself, her family and her country.
- Character traits are the special qualities that make a character in a story unique and interesting.
- We can identify Mulan’s character traits by exploring her experiences and interactions and making inferences.
- Mulan displays a range of character traits such as courage, resilience and determination.
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 and interesting
Role on the wall - a character analysis activity which encourages readers to infer
Common misconception
Children may find it difficult to understand the difference between feelings and character traits.
Distinguish between a temporary feeling and a character trait. E.g. Mulan does not always experience worry, this is a result of circumstances. However, the worry is a symptom of her consistent care for others, so we can infer that she is thoughtful.
Teacher tip
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 Mulan's character profile, then display these in the classroom. You could compare the character of Mulan to other character's the pupils have studied in English.
Equipment
You need a copy of the 2014 Oxford University Press edition of ‘Mulan' written by Michaela Morgan for this lesson.
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Who is the main character in the story of 'Mulan'?
Q2.True or false? Girls and boys are allowed to be soldiers in Mulan's country.
Q3.What would happen if nobody from Mulan's family joined the army?
Q4.Why couldn't Mulan's father and brother go?
Q5.How did Mulan disguise herself as a boy?
Q6.True or false? Mulan succeeded in her quest to become a soldier and keep her identity as a girl a secret.
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.What is a protagonist?
Q2.True or false? Mulan's quest only impacted her own fate.
Q3.What is a character trait?
Q4.How can we identify a character trait?
Q5.Which character traits can we infer from Mulan's decision to disguise herself as a boy and fight in the war in place of her father or brother?
Q6.Mulan did not find her quest easy. It was physically and emotionally challenging for her, but she persevered. What character traits can we infer from these actions?
To help you plan your 3 English lesson on: Developing a character profile for 'Mulan', download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 3 English lesson on: Developing a character profile for 'Mulan', download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 2 English lessons from the 'Mulan': reading unit, dive into the full primary English curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.