• Students identify the features of a passage narrated in first-person point of view.

• Students  identify the features of a story narrated in third-person point of view. 

• Teachers explain that point of view is the way in which an author reveals a viewpoint or perspective using characters and narration.

• Teachers explain that a passage narrated in first-person point of view is when the narrator is speaking directly about himself or herself (e.g., singular = I, me; plural = we, us).

• Teachers provide opportunities for students to identify the features of a passage narrated in a first-person point of view.

• Teachers explain that a passage narrated in third-person point of view is when the narrator tells a story from someone else’s viewpoint and is not a character in the story (e.g., singular = he, him, she, it; plural = his, hers, its).

• Teachers provide opportunities for students to identify the features of a passage narrated in a third-person point of view.

• Teachers model how to use features from the text to infer whether the narrator’s point of view is written in first or third person.

• Teachers provide opportunities for students to use features from the text to decide whether the narrator’s point of view is written in first or third person.

• Teachers check for student understanding and provide feedback when making inferences to determine if a passage is in first- or third-person point of view. 

When students struggle with determining points of view, teachers can…

• create anchor charts or journal entries identifying the pronouns used in determining point of view for students to review. 

• read stories about the same topic with opposing points of view.  For example, read the traditional story of the three little pigs, then read The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs by Jon Scieszka.  Lead a class discussion on how the story changes based on who the narrator is. 

When students struggle with determining points of view, teachers can: 

• ask the students to write about and/or illustrate a topic in groups of two, in this example using snails.

• Assign each student a different character.

• One child would be the snail, using first-person pronouns.  

• The second person would be the gardener using third-person pronouns.  

• Lead a class or small-group discussion about how the stories are different because of the different points of view of the characters. 

When students struggle with determining points of view, teachers can…

• use a wordless picture book and have students write the story as they see it. Groups share differences in their stories, and students realize that their stories are different due to the point of view of the narrator even though they were shown the same illustrations.

• First person: the narrator uses first-person pronouns such as I, me, and my to tell the story.
• Point of View: the way in which an author reveals a viewpoint or perspective through characters, ideas, events, and/or narration.

• Third person limited: the narrator uses third-person pronouns such as they, she, and he to tell the story from one character’s perspective.

• 4.3.R.1:  Author’s Purpose

• 4.8.R: Independent Reading

• 4.8.W: Independent Writing