Create Trading Cards for Favorite Characters
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Activity Description
You've got your book club going, and everyone is having a great time reading their favorite books. But when you all get together suddenly no one has anything to say! Jump-start the conversation by having children in the group use an online tool to make trading cards about their favorite characters.
Why This Is Helpful
Part of becoming a strong reader is learning to think carefully about what one reads. The online Trading Card Creator tool uses a fun and familiar format that looks like a sport or action figure trading card to have children think critically about a book. By asking questions that help children look not only at what a character does, but why and how these actions affect the story, the tool helps children gain a deeper understanding of the book. It also is a chance for children to think and write about their opinions and feelings about the story.
This activity was modified from the ReadWriteThink lesson plan Sharing Favorite Books Using Interactive Character Trading Cards.
What You Need
- Computer with Internet access and printer
- Online Trading Card Creator tool, planning sheet, and sample card
- A favorite book
- Cardstock or heavy paper (optional)
- Art supplies and scissors (e.g., crayons, markers)
Here’s What to Do
Before beginning this activity, visit the online Trading Card Creator tool and sample card so you can see how it works. You may want to print the planning sheet so that you have a list of all of the questions that are on the card.
| 1. | Begin the conversation by asking the child what he or she thinks of the book you are discussing and to write down three favorite things about the story. Talk about them together, asking which characters caused or were affected by these three things that you listed. |
| 2. | Transition to further discussion about the characters in the book. Explain that one of the reasons we like a book or a story is because of the characters in it. Sometimes we want to keep reading to find out what happens to a character. Other times we think a character is funny or interesting or reminds us of someone we know, even ourselves. |
| 3. | Help the child pick a favorite character in the book. Questions you might ask include:
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| 4. | Once you have chosen a character, you can either use the planning sheet to look at the questions that will appear on the card or go directly to the online Trading Card Creator tool and start filling it in. Encourage the child to type in the answers to the questions and offer help if needed. Help the child think critically by asking him or her to explain each response and why it was given. |
| 5. | Have the child upload a picture of the character in the space at the top of the card. |
| 6. | Print the completed card. Cut the two pieces out, and tape them together to make a two-sided card. You may want to use cardstock or heavier paper. |
| 7. |
Use these cards at a book club meeting in various ways, such as:
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Visit the Trading Card Creator page for more information about this tool.
The issue with the trading cards printing improperly has been fixed. As for the saving functionality, we are working on implementing that for some of our interactives soon, but it will take some time before we have that feature implemented throughout the site.
Thanks for your comments!
Wes
Associate Editor
The issue with the trading cards printing improperly has been fixed. As for the saving functionality, we are working on implementing that for some of our interactives soon, but it will take some time before we have that feature implemented throughout the site.
Thanks for your comments!
Wes
Associate Editor
The issue with the trading cards printing improperly has been fixed. As for the saving functionality, we are working on implementing that for some of our interactives soon, but it will take some time before we have that feature implemented throughout the site.
Thanks for your comments!
Wes
Associate Editor
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