Your next great Lessn starts here.

Exploring Points of View in Stories – Understanding perspectives – Defining Point of View – The narrator’s position in relation to the story being told – Significance in storytelling – It shapes how readers experience the story – Examples of Point of View – First person uses ‘I’, third person uses ‘he’ or ‘she’ | This slide introduces the concept of Point of View (POV) and its importance in literature. Begin by discussing how everyone sees things differently, using relatable examples like witnessing an event from different places in a room. Define POV as the perspective from which a story is told, which can be first person, second person, or third person. Explain that POV is crucial because it influences how readers connect with the characters and understand the plot. Use examples from well-known children’s books to illustrate different POVs. Encourage students to think about their favorite stories and what POV they are written in, preparing them for an activity where they will identify the POV in various texts.

Understanding First Person Point of View – Told by a character in the story – The narrator is a part of the story, often the protagonist – Look for ‘I’, ‘me’, ‘my’ – These pronouns signal first person narration – See the world through their eyes – We only know what this character knows and observes – Experience the character’s feelings – It’s like walking in their shoes | This slide introduces the concept of the first person point of view in literature. It’s important for students to recognize that in this point of view, the narrator is a character within the story, often using pronouns like ‘I’, ‘me’, and ‘my’. This perspective allows readers to see the world through the character’s eyes and experience events and emotions as the character does. Encourage students to think about how this point of view might limit the information they receive since they only know what the character knows. Ask students to find examples of first person narration in their favorite books or stories and consider how it affects their understanding of the narrative.

Understanding Third Person Point of View – Narrator outside the story – The storyteller is not part of the story events – Look for ‘he’, ‘she’, ‘they’ – These pronouns indicate third person narration – Offers a broad perspective – We can see thoughts and actions of many characters – Examples in literature – ‘Harry Potter’ series: The story is told from an outside perspective, not by Harry himself | This slide introduces the concept of the third person point of view in literature. It’s important to explain that in this perspective, the narrator is not a character in the story but an outside observer. Highlight the use of third person pronouns as a key indicator of this point of view. Discuss how this perspective allows the reader to understand the story from a wider angle, often getting insights into multiple characters’ thoughts and actions. Use well-known literature like the ‘Harry Potter’ series as examples to illustrate this point of view. Encourage students to think of other books they have read that are told from the third person perspective.

Comparing Points of View: First vs. Third Person – First vs. third person POV – First person uses ‘I’, third person uses ‘he/she/they’. – Examples of narrative POVs – ‘I went to the park’ vs. ‘She went to the park.’ – Narrator’s influence on story – The narrator’s perspective can change how we see the story. – How POV shapes the story – A story can feel personal or more distant depending on the POV. | This slide aims to help students understand the difference between first and third person points of view (POV) and how they affect storytelling. First person POV uses ‘I’ or ‘we’ and lets the reader see through the character’s eyes, while third person uses ‘he’, ‘she’, or ‘they’ and can offer a wider perspective of the story. Provide examples from well-known children’s books to illustrate the differences. Discuss how the narrator’s position influences the reader’s connection to the story and characters. Encourage students to think about how they feel as readers when the story is told from different POVs and to consider why an author might choose one over the other.

Contrasting Points of View – Impact of different viewpoints – What details emerge or disappear? – Story changes with viewpoint shifts – Imagine the story from another’s eyes – Activity: Rewrite a scene – Choose a book scene, write it from another character’s perspective – Understanding through practice | This slide aims to help students understand how a narrative can change when the point of view shifts. Discuss with students how the information available to the reader can either be limited or expanded based on whether the story is told from a first-person, second-person, or third-person perspective. Encourage them to consider what insights or biases might be introduced with each point of view. For the activity, guide students to select a scene from a familiar story and rewrite it from a different character’s point of view. This exercise will help them grasp the concept of perspective and its influence on storytelling. Provide examples and assist them in identifying cues that indicate the point of view in their chosen scene. After the activity, have students share their rewritten scenes and reflect on how the new point of view altered the narrative.

Class Activity: Point of View Role Play – Form small groups for role play – Act out a scene from varied perspectives – Each group presents the same scene but from a different character’s viewpoint – Observe how viewpoints alter perception – Group discussion on perspective impact – How did the scene feel different? What new details emerged? | This activity is designed to help students understand that different characters can have unique perspectives on the same event, which can change the audience’s understanding of the scene. By acting out a scene from multiple points of view, students will see firsthand how perspective can shape storytelling. Teachers should prepare a few scenes from familiar stories or create new ones that are relatable to the students. After the role play, facilitate a discussion to help students articulate their observations on how the scene’s interpretation changed with each new point of view. Encourage them to consider why understanding different perspectives is important in both literature and real life.