“By using the product, they were so excited and they learned so much...”–K-5 Librarian and Instructinal Technology Teacher
Manyara and Nyasha are two very different people, despite both sharing beauty. The type of person they are affected how the story unfolded. For this activity, students will create a chart that describes and illustrates the main traits of Manyara and Nyasha. Students will provide two examples from the story as evidence to support their choices.
(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)
Due Date:
Objective: Create a chart comparing the main traits of Manyara and Nyasha, including evidence from the text.
Student Instructions:
Grade Level 2-3
Difficulty Level 2 (Reinforcing / Developing)
Type of Assignment Individual
Type of Activity: Character Map
(You can also create your own on Quick Rubric.)
| Proficient 33 Points | Emerging 25 Points | Beginning 17 Points | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Character Trait Analysis | Written explanation of the scene clearly and accurately explains the connection between the character's actions and his or her personality and character development. | Written explanation of the scene attempts to explain the scene's connection to the character's personality and development. Some explanations may be unclear. | Written explanation of the scenes fails to correctly explain the connection between the actions depicted and the character's personality and development. |
| Storyboard Scenes | Storyboard cells clearly show connection with the character trait, through depiction of a specific instance in the text. | Storyboard cells show some connection with the character trait, through depiction of the novel, but some storyboard cells are difficult to understand or fail to capture a specific event in the text. | Storyboard cells do not demonstrate the appropriate character traits or fail to include any specific textual references. |
| Effort and Editing | Work is complete, thorough, and neat. Spelling and grammar are correct. | Most of the sections of the storyboard were at least attempted and work is presentable. The text contains some errors in spelling and/or grammar. | Storyboard is unfinished and/or disorganized. The text contains many errors in spelling and/or grammar. |
Manyara and Nyasha are two very different people, despite both sharing beauty. The type of person they are affected how the story unfolded. For this activity, students will create a chart that describes and illustrates the main traits of Manyara and Nyasha. Students will provide two examples from the story as evidence to support their choices.
(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)
Due Date:
Objective: Create a chart comparing the main traits of Manyara and Nyasha, including evidence from the text.
Student Instructions:
Grade Level 2-3
Difficulty Level 2 (Reinforcing / Developing)
Type of Assignment Individual
Type of Activity: Character Map
(You can also create your own on Quick Rubric.)
| Proficient 33 Points | Emerging 25 Points | Beginning 17 Points | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Character Trait Analysis | Written explanation of the scene clearly and accurately explains the connection between the character's actions and his or her personality and character development. | Written explanation of the scene attempts to explain the scene's connection to the character's personality and development. Some explanations may be unclear. | Written explanation of the scenes fails to correctly explain the connection between the actions depicted and the character's personality and development. |
| Storyboard Scenes | Storyboard cells clearly show connection with the character trait, through depiction of a specific instance in the text. | Storyboard cells show some connection with the character trait, through depiction of the novel, but some storyboard cells are difficult to understand or fail to capture a specific event in the text. | Storyboard cells do not demonstrate the appropriate character traits or fail to include any specific textual references. |
| Effort and Editing | Work is complete, thorough, and neat. Spelling and grammar are correct. | Most of the sections of the storyboard were at least attempted and work is presentable. The text contains some errors in spelling and/or grammar. | Storyboard is unfinished and/or disorganized. The text contains many errors in spelling and/or grammar. |
Invite students to share their ideas about Manyara and Nyasha's character traits with the class. This helps build speaking and listening skills while deepening understanding of the story.
Write down traits for each sister as students suggest them. Seeing the list visually helps everyone compare and contrast the characters easily.
Show students how to locate specific examples that support each character trait. Point out page numbers or read passages aloud to demonstrate using text evidence.
Ask students to use the class discussion and text examples to fill out their own charts. Encourage creativity in both their written and illustrated responses.
Provide time for students to share their charts with a partner or the class. This reflection step reinforces understanding and allows for meaningful feedback.
A character trait chart for Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters is a graphic organizer that helps students compare the main qualities of Manyara and Nyasha, using descriptions and evidence from the story to highlight their different personalities.
To compare Manyara and Nyasha’s traits, list each character’s name with a trait, give a brief description based on the story, and provide two examples as evidence. Illustrate each trait with a relevant scene from the book.
Manyara is often shown as jealous and selfish, while Nyasha is depicted as kind and generous. Specific scenes from the story provide evidence for each trait.
Using evidence from the text supports your trait choices and helps students practice citing sources, ensuring their character analysis is accurate and based on the story itself.
The best way is to use simple drawings that show key scenes or actions representing each trait, making it easier for grade 2–3 students to connect traits to story events.
“By using the product, they were so excited and they learned so much...”–K-5 Librarian and Instructinal Technology Teacher
“I'm doing a Napoleon timeline and I'm having [students] determine whether or not Napoleon was a good guy or a bad guy or somewhere in between.”–History and Special Ed Teacher
“Students get to be creative with Storyboard That and there's so many visuals for them to pick from... It makes it really accessible for all students in the class.”–Third Grade Teacher