Identifying the Character’s Point of View — from Teaching in the Heart of Florida–on March 13, 2023 at 6:00 am

Understanding the point of view of a character in a story is an important skill that third-grade students need to master. Students can gain valuable insight into the themes and lessons of any given text by helping them understand how characters make decisions and why they act the way they do. In this blog post, we’ll explore some effective methods for teaching your 3rd-grade students to identify the character’s point of view in any fiction text.

What is the Character’s Point of View?

The first step in teaching 3rd graders how to identify a character’s point of view is to help them understand what it is. Explain that when we say “point of view,” we mean the attitude with which a character narrates or experiences their story. Point out that different characters may have different points of view. Ask your students to provide examples from their own lives. For instance, if two siblings argue over who gets to do the dishes, each one will likely have a different point of view on the matter!

Compare Characters in Different Text

Once your students understand what point of view is, it’s important to get them thinking about how authors use point of view in literature. Have them read passages from different stories and discuss what characters think, feel, and do based on their individual points of view. This will help your students begin connecting specific actions with the attitudes behind those actions. It will also allow them to practice making inferences about characters’ thoughts, motivations, and emotions.

You should also encourage students to think about how the point of view shapes the overall story. How does the character’s perspective affect the narrative arc? Do characters from different points of view conflict with each other or provide new information that helps move the plot forward?

Role Play Activities

Another great way to teach 3rd graders about identifying character points of view is through role-play activities. Role-play activities can help students better understand how different characters might view the same situation. For example, one student could play the role of a character in a story, and another could try to guess what that character’s point of view is based on the facts presented.

Students can then discuss why they believe that character has that particular point of view. This activity can help young learners understand how different characters interpret the same facts differently. Additionally, it provides a fun and interactive way for students to learn about character points of view in a creative way.

Identifying the Character’s Point of View in Text

Once you have identified the character or narrator in a text, it is important to determine their point of view. The following are some common points of view used in literature:

First-Person Point of View

This point of view is told by the character speaking directly to the reader in “I” and “we” terms. The reader experiences events through the thoughts and feelings of this one character.

Third-Person Point of View

In the third person, the narrator is not a character in the story but rather an outside force. This outside force describes what is happening to other characters and provides insight into their thoughts and feelings.

For example, if the reader encounters sentences that start with “I” and “we,” such as “I went to the store” and “We laughed together,” then it is likely that the story is being told from a first-person point of view. On the other hand, if sentences start with “he,” “she,” or “they” such as “He ran to the store” and “They laughed together,” then it is likely that the story is being told from a third-person point of view.

Teaching third-grade students how to identify a character’s point of view is essential to helping them develop strong critical thinking skills and encouraging them to become more engaged readers. By introducing key concepts such as what exactly constitutes “point of view” and having your class practice analyzing passages from literature, you’ll be well on your way towards helping your students become experts at recognizing and interpreting different perspectives within stories!

This 3rd Grade Character’s Point of View Close Reading Packet has everything you need to teach your 3rd graders how to identify the character’s point of view!

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