Developing Your Character's WANTS - a Lesson Plan with the book "The Unlikely Hero of Room 13B" by Teresa Toten

The Unlikely Hero of Room 13B by Teresa Toten

The Unlikely Hero of Room 13B is an award-winning book written by Canadian author Teresa Toten. This young adult novel explores mental illness, family dynamics, friendship, and teenage love.

Despite his many flaws, the main character, Adam, is someone you root for. Why? Because Teresa Toten wrote him as an active character with a driving want. From the very first chapter, we know that Adam has one burning desire: to win the heart of Robyn. On page three, Adam even lists everything he needs to accomplish to get her attention (including "grow immediately").

Readers care about characters who have a strong, well-defined goal. It helps us latch onto the story. We think, "Oh, he wants to find love? But he has so many flaws! How will he possibly accomplish that?" and we're hooked.

If you're reading The Unlikely Hero of Room 13B in your classroom or book club, try this simple activity to practice developing goals for your characters.

ENGAGE

-Read the third paragraph of The Unlikely Hero of Room 13B by Teresa Toten.

"It was like he had drowned in a wave of want."

-Ask:

-Why is the word want italicized?

-What does that sentence mean? What does Adam want?

-How does it feel to want something very badly? Does it feel like drowning?

-Imagine writing this chapter without Adam developing his crush on Robyn. What would the chapter be about? Would it be as interesting? To make it interesting, you would have to replace his crush on Robyn with a different want or goal.

EXPLAIN

-Your characters need to have goals, and characters become more realistic and interesting if the goals are specific.

-Talk about S.M.A.R.T. goals:

Specific: Adam wants to date Robyn.

Measurable: She'll look at him. She'll talk to him. She'll smile at him. She'll agree to date him.

Action-oriented: what he can do to get Robyn to notice him (Grow immediately. Find courage. Keep courage. Get normal).

Realistic/Relevant to the problem at hand: He is going to see her in his group session every week. These feelings are going to come up every week.

Timebound: He needs to get her attention before Wolverine does.

EXPLORE

-Show some artwork that features a character. Norman Rockwell paintings would work well for this. Students pick a painting and develop a S.M.A.R.T. goal for one of the characters.

EXTEND

-Have them write an opening page or chapter introducing their character and his or her goal.