Summary
In this lesson students will practice identifying first, and third person point of view. This lesson will not include 3rd person omniscient. This lesson should take 2-3 days.
Essential Question(s)
How does point of view affect our understanding of the story?
Snapshot
Engage
Students explore point of view by analyzing a newspaper story excerpt from Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief and a made up version as told by Percy.
Explore
Students create a class T-chart to record the analysis of the excerpt and the other version.
Explain
Students participate in a modified 4 corners to practice point of view.
Extend
Students watch a Pixar short to identify point of view and determine how it would change based on who is telling the story.
Evaluate
Students are given various opportunities to write using point of view.
Materials
Trenton Register-News - Third Person Newspaper Excerpt
Bus Accident - Percy's First Person Version
Point of View Slides
Modified 4 Corners - Point of View Examples - PowerPoint
Signs for Modified 4 Corners Activity
Engage
Direct students to read both versions of the bus accident and discuss similarities and differences in their groups. Use the guiding questions below to scaffold the discussion.
Explore
For this part of the lesson you will need to create a class T- chart. The first column should be labeled, Trenton Newspaper and the second column Percy's Version.
based on the findings from the group discussion.On a chart or the board draw a T. On one side label it "Newspaper" and label the other side "Percy's version." Record the findings from the previous discussion. Have the students analyze the findings.
Ask?" Why are these versions so different?" Guide students to identify that they are being told by different people.
Explain
Introduce point of view with the slides provided. Review the passages from the previous activity and discuss the point of view. Then place students in groups and explain the four corners strategy, 4 corner strategy. This will be a modified version of 4 corners. Display the examples and place 1st person, 2nd person, and 3rd person labels in three corners of the room. Students will discuss the slides to determine the point of view and move to the corner that identifies the point of view. Discuss. Repeat this process for each example.
What clues helped you determine the point of view? Lead students to identify the different clue words used in the different points of view.
Extend
Show students the Pixar short, "Snack Attack". Snack Attack .
Ask "Who is telling the story?" The grandma
Ask" Is this first person or third person point of view?' First
Ask" What would it sound like if she were telling the story?"
Students can tell or write the story depending on their level.
Ask" What would it sound like if the boy was telling the story?"
Ask" Is this a first or third person point of view?" First
Repeat the process of telling or writing the story?
Ask "What if the story was told in third person? How would that sound"
Repeat the process from above.
Evaluate
Encourage students to think of situations which would require them to use different points of view. The following scenarios are suggestions:
Thank you note for first person
Writing an advice letter in the form of Dear Abby for second person
(Students could do a first person and second person version for
this one.)
Students could narrate a story for third person. This could be written for most students or done orally for students who are working below level.
Resources
Riordan, R. (2006). Percy Jackson and the Olympians, book one the lightning thief. Hyperion.