Teaching points of view can be both challenging and exciting! It’s an important skill, and the Common Core covers it across grade levels. Understanding how a narrator’s perspective shapes a story helps students become more thoughtful readers.
Quick Overview of Point of View Standards:
- 4th Grade: Compare and contrast first- and third-person narrations.
- 5th Grade: Explore how a narrator’s perspective influences how events are described.
- 6th Grade: Explain how an author develops the narrator’s or speaker’s point of view.
To help you tackle these skills, I’ve put together six easy-to-use activities that will engage your students in learning about point of view.
Lesson Handout
This handout includes printables and instructions for all activities listed in this post.
Point of View Teaching Ideas
#1 – Organizers
Start with the basics:
Have your students explore different points of view using graphic organizers. These handouts explain the definitions of first, second, and third person and the advantages and disadvantages of each perspective.
Bonus Tip:
Once students understand well, ask them to think about why an author might choose a particular point of view. This activity helps push their thinking beyond simple identification and toward deeper analysis.
#2 – Fun with Advertising Slogans
Want to make learning about point of view more fun? Use well-known advertising slogans! This activity encourages students to sort famous slogans by first, second, or third person.
Here are a few examples:
- Have it your way (Burger King) – 2nd person
- We do chicken right (KFC) – 1st person
- Oh, what a relief it is! (Alka-Seltzer) – 3rd person
This activity is a quick, engaging way for students to practice identifying different perspectives in everyday language.
#3 – Printable Anchor Chart
This anchor chart is a helpful tool for visual learners and is perfect for classroom displays or student notebooks. It includes guiding questions that encourage students to consider why an author might have chosen a particular point of view and how it impacts the story.
Pro Tip: You can print this chart poster-sized to hang on the wall or use smaller versions for students to keep in their notebooks.
#4 – PowerPoint to use with the novel Hatchet
If you’re reading Hatchet by Gary Paulsen with your class, I’ve created a PowerPoint that uses excerpts from the novel to help students identify the point of view. You can easily customize the slides, making them adaptable to your lesson.
#5 – Online Games and Videos
If you want to add some digital fun, there are great online resources to reinforce your point-of-view lessons. One of my favorites is the Point of View Millionaire Game on Quia, where students answer point-of-view questions in a fun, interactive format.
Flocabulary’s Point of View Song is another hit in the classroom. It helps students review different perspectives in a catchy way.
#6 – Anchor Chart Inspiration
Visuals can be powerful in the classroom. Consider creating an anchor chart that shows examples of the same passage written from different points of view. Start with first-, second-, and third-person examples to help students see the differences.
Advanced Tip:
- For older students, move beyond just identifying perspectives.
- Introduce limited, objective, and omniscient third-person terms to deepen their understanding.
- Challenge students to explain why the author chose one point of view over another.
By mixing hands-on activities, visual aids, and digital tools, your students will learn to identify points of view and better appreciate how they shape a story. These flexible activities allow you to adapt them for different grade levels or texts.
Want all these activities in one easy place? I’ve created a free handout that includes everything you need to get started teaching point of view in your classroom. It’s ready to use—just print and go!
See the product that inspired this post.
Our Story Elements Series offers engaging activities in both digital (Google Slides) and printable formats, easily convertible to PowerPoint for offline use. It includes a vocabulary list with definitions, a multiple-choice quiz, question stems by grade level, video lessons with organizers, and various activities. Check out the previews of each book in the bundle, covering Point of View, Characters and Settings, Plot Development, and Theme.
