Story Pirates University: Show, Don't Tell: Character Traits
4 min2nd3rd4th5thReading & Writing (ELA)Theatre
Summary
A short 'show, don't tell' writing lesson from Story Pirates University, the storytelling program run by the Story Pirates comedy troupe. This lesson reveals character traits through action and dialogue instead of just listing them. A Story Pirates professor models the difference, then students revise a sentence of their own.
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All ages
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Teaching resources
Discussion questions
Discussion
'Show, don't tell' lets readers feel a story instead of just being told about it.
- What's the difference between telling ('she was scared') and showing ('her hands shook')?
- Which detail in the example did the most work?
- How could you show a feeling without naming it?
Quick work-a-long
Vocabulary: show don't tell, sensory detail, simile, character trait.
Try it: Rewrite a 'telling' sentence so it shows instead. Read both versions to a partner and see which they prefer.