Point of View Lesson Plan: Craft and Structure

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This lesson accompanies the BrainPOP topic Point of View, and supports the standard of analyzing how a narrator’s point of view influences how events are described. Students demonstrate understanding through a variety of projects.

Step 1: ACTIVATE PRIOR KNOWLEDGE

Display sentences written in first, second, and third person point of view, like those shown below. Ask students to identify the point of view of each: 

• To make a delicious cake, you should add plenty of icing.
• I always look forward to traveling to the beach in the summer.
• Jaden searched for his soccer ball in the basement, not knowing his brother already took it to the park.

Step 2: BUILD BACKGROUND

• Read aloud the description on the Point of View topic page.
• Play the Movie, pausing to check for understanding. 
• Have students read one of the following Related Reading articles: “Arts and Entertainment” or “In Practice.” Partner them with someone who read a different article to share what they learned with each other.
  

Step 3: ENGAGE

Students express what they learned about point of view while practicing essential literacy skills with one or more of the following activities. Differentiate by assigning ones that meet individual student needs.

• Make-a-Movie: Create a video journal that responds to this prompt: Describe your day from the point of view of a third person omniscient narrator. (Essential Literacy Skill: Determine central ideas)
• Make-a-Map: Make a concept map identifying the different points of view, and an example of each. (Essential Literacy Skill: Summarize key details)
• Creative Coding: Code a learning game challenging players to sort pronouns and literary terms as relating to first, second, or third person point of view. (Essential Literacy Skill: Acquire and use domain specific words and phrases)

Step 4: APPLY & ASSESS 

Apply: Students take the Point of View Challenge, applying essential literacy skills while demonstrating what they learned about this topic.

Assess: Wrap up the lesson with the Point of View Quiz. 

Step 5:  EXTEND LEARNING

Related BrainPOP Topics: Deepen understanding of the writing process with these topics: Types of Writing, Writing in Sequence, Research, and Outlines.

Additional Support Resources:

• Pause Point Overview: Video tutorial showing how Pause Points actively engage students  to stop, think, and express ideas. 
• Modifications for BrainPOP Learning Activities: Strategies to meet ELL and other instructional and student needs.
• BrainPOP Learning Activities Support: Resources for best practices using BrainPOP.