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Mr. A's Writing Tools
writingtools.org
Writing Assignment
Jack and the Beanstalk
Standard: Describe characters in a story (e.g., their traits, motivations, or feelings) and explain how their actions contribute to the sequence of events.
What to Do
Assignment OverviewLet's read Jack and the Beanstalk! Then you'll describe what Jack and the Beanstalk
1
Jack and his mother were very poor. They had no food and no money. All they had was one old cow. "Take the cow to market and sell her," Jack's mother said sadly.
2
On the way to market, Jack met a strange old man. "I will trade you these magic beans for your cow," the man said. Jack was curious and excited. He traded the cow for the beans without thinking. When his mother saw the beans instead of money, she was very upset. She threw the beans out the window.
3
The next morning, Jack woke up to see a giant beanstalk growing all the way up to the clouds! Jack was brave and curious, so he climbed up. At the top, he found a giant's castle. Inside, he found a bag of gold coins. Jack grabbed the gold and climbed back down.
4
Jack climbed the beanstalk two more times. He took a hen that laid golden eggs and a magic harp. But the giant woke up and chased Jack down the beanstalk! Jack thought quickly. He grabbed an axe and chopped down the beanstalk. The giant fell, and Jack and his mother were safe. They were never poor again because of the golden hen. Vocabulary Bank
Writing Steps
1
Meet the Characters!
Tell us about the characters in this story:
- Who are the main characters? - What do you notice about them? You can use short sentences or bullet points. There is no wrong way to answer this! Try starting with: - "The main characters are..." - "In this story, there is..." Let us read this story together! As you read, pay attention to the characters - the people or animals in the story.
Think about: - Who is in this story? - What are they like? - How do they feel? After you read, tell us about the characters you met!
Scoring Guidance — Step 1
Look for:
Main Idea Detail / Evidence 1 Detail / Evidence 2 Detail / Evidence 3
2
What Are the Characters Like?
Describe the characters using character traits:
1. Character name: Write the name of one character. 2. What are they like? Write 1-2 words that describe what this character is like (for example: kind, brave, lazy, clever, mean, hardworking). 3. How you know: What does the character do or say that shows this trait? Try starting with: - "[Character name] is _____ because..." - "I can tell [character name] is _____ because in the story..." Now let us think about what the characters are LIKE. We call these character traits.
A character trait is a word that describes what kind of person (or animal) someone is. For example: - Kind - they help others - Brave - they do things even when they are scared - Lazy - they do not want to work hard - Clever - they are smart and think of good ideas What kind of person is Jack, and how do his choices lead to what happens in the story? Look at the story and think about what the characters are like inside.
Scoring Guidance — Step 2
Look for:
Think about what the character DOES - that shows you what they are like
Is the character kind? Mean? Brave? Lazy? Smart?
What does the character do that shows this trait?
Sentence Starters
In the text, the author shows that ___.
The author writes, "___," which shows ___.
This is important because ___.
Overall, the text shows that ___.
3
What Do the Characters Do?
Tell us about the important things the characters do:
1. Action 1: Write one important thing a character does in the story. 2. Action 2: Write another important thing a character does. 3. Why they did it: Why do you think the character did this? What were they feeling or thinking? Try starting with: - "[Character name] does... because..." - "An important thing [character name] does is..." - "I think they did this because they felt..." Great job describing the characters! Now let us look at what they do in the story.
Characters make choices and take actions. These actions are important because they make things happen in the story! Go back to the story and find important things the characters do.
Scoring Guidance — Step 3
Look for:
What are the most important things the characters do?
Why do you think they made that choice?
What were the characters feeling when they did this?
Sentence Starters
In the text, the author shows that ___.
The author writes, "___," which shows ___.
This is important because ___.
Overall, the text shows that ___.
4
How Do Actions Change the Story?
Explain how a character's actions change what happens in the story:
1. The action: What does the character do? 2. What happens because of it: What happens in the story BECAUSE of this action? 3. How it changes things: How does this action change what happens next? Try starting with: - "Because [character] does..., then..." - "When [character] ..., it causes..." - "[Character's] action changes the story because..." You are doing an amazing job! Now let us think about something really cool:
When characters DO things, those actions make other things happen in the story. One thing leads to another! For example: "Because the pig built a strong brick house, the wolf could not blow it down." Look at the actions you found. How do they change what happens in the story?
Scoring Guidance — Step 4
Look for:
Use the word 'because' to show how one thing leads to another
Think about cause and effect: What does the character do? What happens because of it?
How would the story be different if the character did something else?
Sentence Starters
In the text, the author shows that ___.
The author writes, "___," which shows ___.
This is important because ___.
Overall, the text shows that ___.
5
Put It All Together
Write your complete answer in 3-5 sentences. Your answer should:
1. Describe what the characters are like (their traits) 2. Tell what the characters do (their actions) 3. Explain how their actions change what happens in the story Try starting with: - "In this story, [character] is..." - "[Character] is _____ because..." Make sure your sentences connect to each other! Amazing work! Now let us put everything together to write about the characters in this story.
You will answer our question using everything you learned: What kind of person is Jack, and how do his choices lead to what happens in the story? Tell us about the characters, their traits, and how their actions change the story.
Scoring Guidance — Step 5
Look for:
Start by describing the character
Tell us what they do in the story
Explain how their actions change what happens
Make sure your sentences go together
Sentence Starters
In the text, the author shows that ___.
The author writes, "___," which shows ___.
This is important because ___.
Overall, the text shows that ___.
Self-Check Rubric
Before You Turn InI completed the planning step
I completed Step 2: What Are the Characters Like?
I completed Step 3: What Do the Characters Do?
I completed Step 4: How Do Actions Change the Story?
I completed Step 5: Put It All Together
I re-read my writing and fixed any spelling or grammar mistakes
I am proud of this work
ReflectionWhat was the hardest part of this assignment? What would you do differently next time? Want the AI-coached version of this assignment?
Get step-by-step AI feedback on student writing — free for teachers at writingtools.org. Same assignment, with grade-level rubric scoring, revision coaching, and printable reports.
writingtools.org/printables/character3_jack_beanstalk_v1
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