Grade 8 English Language Arts | FL B.E.S.T. Standard: ELA.8.R.1.1
ELA.8.R.1.1: Analyze how the interaction between characters contributes to the development of the plot, including internal and external conflict, and advances the theme.
By the end of this unit, students will be able to:
| Term | Definition | Student-Friendly Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Motivation | The reasons or driving forces behind a character's actions and decisions | Why a character does what they do - what they want or need |
| Internal Conflict | A struggle that takes place within a character's mind or heart | A battle inside the character - deciding between right and wrong, wanting two different things |
| External Conflict | A struggle between a character and an outside force | A character fighting against something outside themselves - another person, nature, society |
| Character Development | How a character changes throughout a story as a result of experiences and decisions | How a character grows, learns, or transforms from beginning to end |
| Consequences | The results or outcomes of a character's choices | What happens because of a character's decision - the ripple effects |
| Complex Character | A character with multiple traits, motivations, and dimensions | A realistic character who isn't all good or all bad - they have layers |
| 7th Grade Focus | 8th Grade Advancement |
|---|---|
| Analyze character traits and motivations | Analyze complex and conflicting motivations |
| Identify types of conflict | Analyze how internal/external conflicts interact |
| Describe how characters change | Trace how decisions create consequences that advance plot |
| Connect characters to theme | Analyze how character interactions develop theme |
| Day | Focus | Activities |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Complex Motivations | Introduce the idea of conflicting motivations. Use Student Concept Worksheet. |
| 2 | Internal vs. External Conflict | Distinguish conflict types and analyze how they interact within a character. |
| 3 | Decisions and Consequences | Trace how character choices create ripple effects that advance the plot. |
| 4 | Character Interactions & Theme | Analyze how character relationships develop theme. Complete Practice Worksheet. |
| 5 | Assessment | Administer FAST Format Quiz. Review and reteach as needed. |
Draw an iceberg diagram to show:
Above water (visible): Character's actions and words
Below water (hidden): True motivations, fears, desires
Help students see that complex characters have hidden depths that drive their visible behavior.
For each major character, identify:
WANTS: What the character thinks they want (often surface-level)
NEEDS: What the character actually needs (often deeper, emotional)
CONFLICT: What happens when wants and needs collide
This helps students understand internal conflict as wanting conflicting things.
Create a flowchart that traces:
Decision #1 --> Consequence --> New Situation --> Decision #2 --> Consequence...
This visual shows how every major plot event connects to a character choice, and how one decision creates the circumstances for the next.
After a key character decision, ask:
- "What if the character had chosen differently?"
- "How would the plot have changed?"
- "What does this choice reveal about the character's priorities?"
This emphasizes agency and helps students see characters as active drivers of plot.
Correction: Complex characters often have multiple, sometimes conflicting motivations. A character might want success AND meaningful relationships - and these desires might conflict.
Correction: Internal and external conflicts often interact. An external conflict (pressure from society) might trigger an internal conflict (questioning one's values). Help students see these connections.
Correction: In well-crafted stories, plot emerges from character decisions. Characters are not passive recipients of events - their choices create consequences that drive the story forward.
Correction: Often readers must infer motivation from actions, dialogue, and context. Teach students to look for clues rather than waiting for direct statements.
On the FAST assessment, character motivation questions at Grade 8 typically ask students to:
Key Strategy: Teach students to ask "WHY did the character make this choice?" and "WHAT happened as a result?" for every major decision in a text.