Whats Your Point of View?

GRADE:

4th Grade

SUBJECT:

Reading

LESSON TOPIC:

3rd Person Omniscient Point of View

NJCCCS AND COMMON CORE INDICATOR(S):

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.4.6
Compare and contrast the point of view from which different stories are narrated, including
the difference between first- and third-person narrations.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.4.1
Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and
when drawing inferences from the text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.3.B
Use dialogue and description to develop experiences and events or show the responses of
characters to situations.
ENDURING UNDERSTANDING:

I want my students to understand and distinguish between the third person limited and
third person omniscient point of view and apply them to writing.
ESSENTIAL QUESTION(S):
How can we apply the understanding of third person omniscient to other subjects?
LESSON OUTCOMES
Content Outcome:
Students will understand that third person omniscient is when a narrator outside of the
story tells the story.
Students will understand the difference between third person limited and third person
omniscient.
Students will understand that the narrator in third person omniscient is all-knowing, and
can see into the minds of all of the characters and reveal what all the characters do, feel,
think, and witness.

Performance Outcome:
Students will be able to identify third person limited and third person omniscient
point of view in various texts.
Students will be able to discuss and analyze the purpose of third person omniscient
point of view.
Students will be able to compose a narrative using third person omniscient point of
view.
ASSESSMENT OF STUDENT LEARNING:
I will assess student learning throughout the lesson by informal assessments such as
observing student progress and comprehension checks to gauge understanding.
I will assess student learning with a creative writing piece. Students will write about
both Squirrel and Moon. They will provide the perspectives of both dogs by writing
how they feel, what they think, and what they say to each other.
STEP-BY-STEP PROCEDURE:
I will introduce the topic and objectives for the lesson.
Today we will learn about third person omniscient point of view and apply
our learning to a creative writing exercise.
Yesterday we learned about third person limited point of view. Can anyone
explain to me what third person limited is?
The narrator is not a character in the story.
Third person pronouns such as he, she, hers, it, its, they, and them
are used in telling the story.
The narrator can see into this characters mind, but not any of the
other characters.
The narrator can see into this characters mind, but not any of the
other characters.
We find out only what this character does, knows, thinks, and
witnesses.
I will explain that point of view is the perspective from which a story is told to the
reader. In third person omniscient point of view the narrator knows the thoughts
and feelings of all the characters.
The narrator is not a character in the story.
Third person pronouns such as he, she, hers, it its, they, and them
are used in telling the story.
The narrator is all-knowing, and can see into the minds of all of the
character. The narrator can also report what is said and done.
We find out what all of the characters do, feel, think, and witness.
I will provide examples to help students distinguish third person limited and third
person omniscient.
Think Check: I will ask: How did I identify the point of view? Students should
respond that I read the text and thought about who was telling the story and

whether or not the narrator knew the feelings and thoughts of any, one, or all of the
characters.
I will ask the students how they can apply third person omniscient point of view to
other subjects?
I will make a connection to Writers Workshop and their fiction stories.
Next, I will turn to our novel, A Dogs Life and begin to discuss how the point of
view gives us the perspective of Squirrel only.
I will ask some critical thinking and comprehension questions on the novel that
focus on Squirrel and Moon.
How do you think Squirrel feels having a companion now?
Explain how Moon is different from Squirrel?
How is life like now that Squirrel has Moon?
How does Squirrel and Moon show loyalty to each other in the chapter,
The Fight?
I will ask students if they would like to read about Moon and her perspective. What
would she say, think, or feel. What did she endure in her past?
I will have students turn & talk to their reading partners to discuss Moon.
We will convene as a class and discuss together.
I will then tell students that they have a challenge and it is to write in third person
omniscient. I will pass out the instructions and worksheet along with clipboards.
Students will sit with their reading partners to share ideas, but they will write
independently.
Once they are finished they will have an opportunity to work on their IDRs for the
week.
If we have time I will have students share their work to the class as a closing
exercise.

Third Person Omniscient

Name____________________

Date____________

A Dogs Life is told from the first person point of

view. However, I want you to write using third person
omniscient.
We are reading the story through the eyes of
Squirrel, but lets think about Moon. What is she
thinking and feeling? What did she experience in her
past?
Write a scene for the novel that includes both Squirrel and Moon. Using
third person omniscient, write about Squirrels and Moons thoughts and
feelings. Include a few lines of dialogue between Squirrel and Moon.
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