When first graders begin writing about what they read, how to teach characters in first grade is a great place to start. Children naturally notice who is in a story, but identifying the main character and writing about that character are new skills that need to be taught one step at a time.

I do not begin by handing students a worksheet and asking them to write. First graders need to hear the thinking, practice saying their answers, and watch their teacher model the writing before they are expected to do it independently.

Begin With a Read Aloud

Choose a familiar picture book with a clearly identifiable main character. Read the story aloud and talk about the people or animals in the story.

Ask questions such as:

• Who is this story mostly about?
• Which character is in most of the story?
• Who is the main character?
• What do we know about this character?

At first, I keep the discussion simple. The goal is for students to understand that stories can have several characters, but the main character is the person or animal the story is mostly about.

Practice Orally Before Writing

Before students write anything, give them plenty of opportunities to say their answers to teach characters in first grade.

You might have students respond together:

“The main character is ______.”

Once they can identify the character, help them add one detail:

“The character is ______.”

That second sentence might describe what the character looks like, feels, does, or is like in the story.

This oral practice is important. If children cannot explain their thinking aloud, they will have an even harder time putting it on paper.

Model the Entire Process

Next, I display the actual response page on the SmartBoard or place it on a chart. I model every step while thinking aloud.

I might say:

“I know the main character is ______ because the story is mostly about this character. First, I am going to draw the character. Then I will complete the sentence, ‘The main character is ______.’”

I show students how to draw the illustration, complete the sentence, use a capital letter, leave spaces, and add punctuation.

Even if these steps seem obvious to adults, they are not obvious to six year olds. Modeling the entire page helps children understand both the reading skill and the writing expectations.

When Teaching Characters in First grade, Complete One Together

After modeling with one book, read another story and complete a response together.

Let students help identify the main character. Practice the sentence orally before writing it. Invite students to help you decide what to draw and what detail you could include.

This guided practice lets students participate without being responsible for the entire task yet.

Move Toward Independent Practice

When students are ready, give them the same response page to complete with another familiar story.

Keep the routine consistent:

1. Listen to the story.
2. Identify the main character.
3. Say the answer aloud.
4. Draw the character.
5. Complete the sentence.

Using the same routine allows children to focus on their comprehension instead of learning a completely new assignment each time.

As students become more confident, they can add a second sentence telling something they know about the character. Over time, their responses can grow from naming the character to describing the character and supporting their ideas with details from the story.

Keep It Simple

Writing about reading does not need to begin with long written responses. A labeled illustration and one complete sentence are meaningful first steps.

The goal is to build a routine students understand and can eventually complete independently. Begin with oral language, model every step, practice together, and gradually release the work to your students.

That is how we help first graders become confident readers who can communicate what they understand.

Listen to the Podcast Episode

Would you like to hear more about how I teach this routine in my classroom? In this episode of The Education Connection, I explain how I introduce main characters, model the response activity, and use simple sentence starters to help first graders write without becoming overwhelmed.

Podcast details: Season 3, Episode 94, published July 20, 2026.

Get the Free Main Character Activity

You can use the same simple response page with your own students. Children draw the main character, identify the character in writing, and share something they know about the character.

Thank you for reading this article on How to Teach Characters in First Grade