Activity Overview
Understanding a book's point of view is something that helps students better understand the story, and how the POV can differ from the narrator. Point of View (POV) refers to who is telling or narrating a story. A story can be told from the first person, second person, or third person point of view. First person is when “I” am telling the story. The character relates their experiences directly. Second person is when story is told to “you.” Third person limited is about “he”, “she", or "they". The narrator is outside of the story and relating the experiences of a character. Third person omniscient is when the narrator is “he”, "she", or "they", but the narrator has full access to the thoughts and experiences of all characters in the story.
After reading the book and discussing the point of view, students can create a storyboard that describes what type of narrator(s) the story has and the perspective(s) in the story. They should give evidence from the text to support their claims.
To scaffold or tailor this activity, teachers may choose to fill in text or illustrations and have students fill in the blanks. They may also have students define what each point of view is in addition to describing what it is. Be sure to update the student instructions as necessary!
Template and Class Instructions
(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)
Due Date:
Objective: Create a storyboard analyzing the narrator's point of view in the story.
Student Instructions:
- Click "Start Assignment".
- Identify the point of view of the Narrator or narrators and write it in the heading.
- Add appropriate characters, scenes and items to illustrate the point of view using examples from the book.
- Write a description for each cell using evidence from the text to describe the narrator's point of view.
Lesson Plan Reference
Rubric
(You can also create your own on Quick Rubric.)
First person point of view. First person is when “I” am telling the story. The character is in the story, relating his or her experiences directly.
Second person point of view. The story is told to “you.” This POV is not common in fiction, but it’s still good to know (it is common in nonfiction).
Third person point of view, limited. The story is about “he” or “she.” This is the most common point of view in commercial fiction. The narrator is outside of the story and relating the experiences of a character.
Third person point of view, omniscient. The story is still about “he” or “she,” but the narrator has full access to the thoughts and experiences of all characters in the story.
Create a storyboard that identifies each point of view and describes each using a written explanation and an illustration.
| Proficient 25 Points | Emerging 19 Points | Beginning 13 Points | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Identify the Points of View | The student identified all points of view the author employed in the novel correctly. | The student identified most of the points of view. | The student did not identify the correct point of view, |
| Written Explanations | Text descriptions clearly explain the points of view used in the novel and described the differences in their perspectives. | Text descriptions explain the points of view, but may lack clarity. | Text descriptions do not accurately describe the points of view. |
| Storyboard Images | Illustrations show scenes clearly connected to the point of view and perspective described and use visual elements to show a difference between perspectives. | Illustrations show scenes connected to the point of view and perspective described but may be simplistic or lack detail. | Scenes do not clearly describe the points of view employed in the novel. |
| 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. |
How To Help Students Create Different Point of Views for the Same Story
Explain the Concept
Begin the lesson by explaining the concept of different points of view present in a narrative. Teachers can first identify different types such as first person’s point of view, second person’s point of view, and third person’s point of view. Then explain each type with the help of a simple example. Teachers can also ask the students to give examples from books they have already read.
Select a Narrative
Once the students are familiar with these concepts and have had some practice to apply them in real life, ask them to select a story that has one of the POVs which had been discussed earlier. Guide the students to read and analyze the story and the POV. Explain to the students how they will be creating other POVs for this narrative.
Brainstorm and Foster Creativity
Help the students brainstorm different ideas for their interpretation of the story and create different POVs accordingly. For instance, with the help of the information provided in the original story and adding their own elements of imagination, students can give a new face to the story by adapting it to the main character’s POV.
Talk About the Reader's Experience
Talk about how the reader's experience is impacted by the point of view decision with the students. The Second person POV directly involves the reader, whereas third person POV offers a more comprehensive perspective of the narrative. The first person POV frequently establishes a more intimate relationship.
Encourage Reflection and Discussion
Encourage students to explore how the choice of viewpoint affects the narrative with peers after they have shared their various POV versions. Peer review can offer insightful comments as well as recommendations for enhancement. Students can also share their perspectives and talk about why they chose a specific POV.
Frequently Asked Questions About Identifying and Analyzing the Narrator's Point of View
Which point of views are commonly used in literature?
First person (I, me), second person (you), and third person (he, she, they) are the three common types of POVs in literature. Third-person perspectives can be further divided into limited (knows the thoughts of only one character) and omniscient (knows the thoughts of all characters).
How does the POV used in the narrative relate to the narrator's credibility?
POV is directly related to a narrator's credibility or the degree to which the reader can believe their point of view. For instance, first-person narrators may not be trustworthy because of their own prejudices. Ask the students to identify factors that make the POV of a narrator more credible with the help of research.
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