Happy day, friends! Last week in 5th grade, we spent our time talking about point of view and how a narrator’s perspective influences a story’s events. It was our first no-snow day week in a while, so I definitely packed the moments with hands-on activities that kept my students motivated to learn!
We start our learning out this the ever-popular Flocabulary and followed up the next day with BrainPop’s Point of View video.
Then, we use guided notes to record pronouns that help us determine the point of view of a story, as well as, what different points of view (1st, 2nd, 3rd limited, 3rd omniscient) mean.
From these notes, we summarized our learning into this anchor chart – the 3 points of view, key words, and a basic definition. This chart was an easy visual reminder for students as they worked throughout the week.
Acting as a fast-paced formative assessment, we then played a few rounds of Quiz, Quiz, Trade to the tune of “Everything is AWESOME!” This is a Kagan structure that we use all the time. I give each student a question card, and students partner up (by holding their hands up). After students have partnered up, the team takes turns
asking/answering the questions, complimenting his/her partner, thanking him/her
for their time, and then, trading cards. After the partners switch cards, they
find another partner. It’s easy to teach and manage plus, the kids love the ‘social’ aspect of it.
asking/answering the questions, complimenting his/her partner, thanking him/her
for their time, and then, trading cards. After the partners switch cards, they
find another partner. It’s easy to teach and manage plus, the kids love the ‘social’ aspect of it.
I also use these question cards for a game of Showdown.
Using the Whiteboard app (or whiteboard and markers), I place a question under
the ELMO. Students write the answer on
their board and hold it to their chest to signal to me they’re ready. Then, on
the count of “1, 2, 3, Showdown”, students hold their boards/iPads in the air for me to
see. Again, another no-prep formative assessment.
Using the Whiteboard app (or whiteboard and markers), I place a question under
the ELMO. Students write the answer on
their board and hold it to their chest to signal to me they’re ready. Then, on
the count of “1, 2, 3, Showdown”, students hold their boards/iPads in the air for me to
see. Again, another no-prep formative assessment.
Using different picture prompts, students wrote about stories from different perspectives and then, partnered (who wrote about the same story from a different point of view) with a classmate to describe how a change in narrator’s influenced the story’s events.
Here students analyzed stories told from 2 different perspectives and wrote a short-answer response as a group. How come everything is WAY more fun on chart paper???
Continuing with the hands-on learning, we worked with a POV sort. Students worked in cooperative pairs to
sort 3 stories according to their narrator. Before students sorted the cards, I
asked they take turns reading the story aloud to their partner, and circling
any pronoun clue words. After students had sorted all 3 stories, they checked
their answers and then, glued the cards down. I printed the answer key on the
back of the sorting sheet, so students could self-check!
sort 3 stories according to their narrator. Before students sorted the cards, I
asked they take turns reading the story aloud to their partner, and circling
any pronoun clue words. After students had sorted all 3 stories, they checked
their answers and then, glued the cards down. I printed the answer key on the
back of the sorting sheet, so students could self-check!
Well, it was definitely a FULL week of learning, but it was a great one. We used a ton of cooperative learning to keep students engaged and practiced point of view is SO many different ways. I can comfortably say all my learners were able to find their ‘just-right’ way of learning this week. 🙂
I gathered all of these activities into a single resources for you! You may check it out by clicking here or on the picture below.
Happy day!
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I love this post, Catherine! And already have this in my cart. Thanks for sharing your wisdom and your enthusiasm…
Kim
Finding JOY in 6th Grade
Of course, Kim! I'm not so sure about the wisdom, but I do know that my 90 kids have a million different learning styles. It seems like I have to try a little of everything to make sure is learning in a way that 'works' for them! Thank you for your support, Kim. 🙂
I love your pictures that you're using in your covers! Where are you getting them? They're so colorful!
What I Have Learned
Hi Jessica! Thank you so much. Actually, they are from my time living abroad. I was in Europe for 5 months, and fell in love with the world. I've need been happier or seen anything more beautiful. I do know though some bloggers are using PhotoStock (photos for commercial use, a year subscription with a coupon code is $99), as well as, Yahoo's picture gallery for Common Use. 🙂
And it must have been Bronco day!!! Loved seeing all of the support! Great activities!! Thank you for reminding me of multiple possibilities for teaching this concept.
GOO PEYTON
Susan
LopezLandLearners
I’m starting this unit tomorrow and I’m so excited. I want one for every standard!
As a teacher for 23 years (mainly a middle school ELA teacher), I have wondered where my 8th graders picked up the notion that the use of first person in a story indicates that the story is told from a first-person POV. I always have to correct this assumption, showing students that “I,Me, Mine” pronouns are frequently used in dialogue, even in literature with a third-person narrator. After reading this lesson (and other similar lessons targeted at elementary teachers), I see the origins of misconception. I once sat in a teacher workshop where 3 other ELA teachers could not identify the POV of The Giver . They thought it was first person because they found dialogue containing first-person pronouns. Please, please stop teaching this concept!
Great activities for 4th graders! 🙂 (5th graders should be focusing on perspective, not so much identifying the POV).