Number the Stars

The sixth graders in Mrs. Crews's classes have started a new novel, Number the Stars by Lois Lowry.

The evacuation of Jews from Nazi-held Denmark is one of the great untold stories of World War II. On September 29, 1943, word got out in Denmark that Jews were to be detained and then sent to the death camps. Within hours the Danish resistance, population and police arranged a small flotilla to herd 7,000 Jews to Sweden. Lois Lowry fictionalizes a true-story account to bring this courageous tale to life. She brings the experience to life through the eyes of 10-year-old Annemarie Johannesen, whose family harbors her best friend, Ellen Rosen, on the eve of the round-up and helps smuggles Ellen's family out of the country. Number the Stars won the 1990 Newbery Medal. 

Character Sketch in Reading

Directions:  While reading your novel, take “Sticky Notes” on the following topics.  You can use your sticky notes to complete this graphic organizer and the final written character sketch.  Final typed character sketch is due 4/26.

A CHARACTER SKETCH describes the personality and the physical appearance of a person/character in a novel.  It is a portrait of a person drawn in words.  It describes what he or she is like inside and out. 

A successful CHARACTER SKETCH should:

• Present a vivid picture of the personality and physical appearance of the person
• Give main impressions of the person
• Include dialogue, mannerisms, descriptions that show, rather than tell, what the person is like
• Reveal the writer’s response to the person
• Place the person in surroundings that help the readers understand him or her
• Have a clear structure, a strong beginning and a strong conclusion