Exploring Narrative Perspectives

Overview

This 60-minute Year 7 English lesson introduces students to the concept of narrative perspectives. It aligns with the Australian Curriculum, specifically the "Creating Texts" strand (ACELY1725), which asks students to create imaginative, informative, and persuasive types of texts while considering purpose and audience. This lesson emphasises critical reading and writing skills, aiming to improve students' ability to identify and thoughtfully craft narratives written in different perspectives.

This lesson will engage students in a blend of creative exercises, group collaboration, and independent thinking to build both their understanding and their confidence in using first-person, second-person, and third-person perspectives.

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Learning Objectives:

By the end of the lesson, students will:

• Define and identify first-person, second-person, and third-person narrative perspectives.
• Analyse how narrative perspectives influence storytelling and emotional connection in literature.
• Write a short creative piece in a selected narrative perspective.

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Materials Needed:

• Whiteboard and markers
• Snippets from Australian literary texts (e.g., excerpts from John Marsden or Jackie French)
• A3-sized paper and coloured markers for group activity
• "Perspective Wheel" worksheet (one per student)
• Students’ notebooks or laptops for writing tasks

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Lesson Flow

1. Introduction (10 minutes)

Warm-Up Discussion (5 minutes):

• Begin by writing the following question on the board:
  "If you could tell the story of your weekend, how would you choose to tell it? From your view, someone else’s, or as if you were watching yourself in a film?"
• Guide students through a quick discussion, asking for volunteers to share how they would recount their weekend. Introduce the terms "first-person," "second-person," and "third-person" perspectives during this discussion.

Mini-Lecture (5 minutes):

• Provide clear definitions with concrete examples:
  • First-person: "I went to the park and saw an amazing sunset."
  • Second-person: "You walk to the park and feel mesmerised by the sunset."
  • Third-person: "She strolled through the park, captivated by the vibrant colours of the sunset."
• Discuss how first-person builds intimacy, second-person immerses the reader, and third-person gives a broader perspective.

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2. Activity 1: "Rewriting Perspectives" (15 minutes)

Group Work (10 minutes):

• Divide students into 6 groups of 4 (adjust as needed for class size).
• Provide each group with an excerpt from an Australian literary work, written in one narrative perspective. Examples include:
  • First-person excerpt from Tomorrow, When the War Began (John Marsden).
  • Third-person excerpt from Nanberry: Black Brother White (Jackie French).
  • Second-person example (create one if no strong Australian example is suitable, e.g., "You stand on the cliff, hearing the crash of the waves below.")
• Task: Each group rewrites their excerpt in a different perspective and discusses how the meaning or emotional impact changes.
• Provide them with A3 paper to jot down their rewritten excerpts.

Presentation and Discussion (5 minutes):

• Invite groups to read their rewritten excerpts. Discuss as a class the differences in tone, connection with the audience, and details revealed in each perspective.

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3. Guided Writing Task (20 minutes)

Scenario-Based Writing (10 minutes):

• Introduce a scenario on the board:
  "A new student is joining your school, and you are tasked with introducing them to your favourite spot in the area."
• Each student chooses a narrative perspective to write a brief paragraph describing the scene and their feelings.
  • Remind them of the nuances: First-person should feel personal, second-person direct, and third-person observational.

Peer Feedback (5 minutes):

• Pair students and swap paragraphs. Each partner will underline sentences that effectively aligned with the chosen perspective.

Whole-Class Sharing (5 minutes):

• Select 3-4 volunteers to read their work out loud. Praise creativity and effort, while highlighting examples that closely match narrative conventions.

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4. Reflection and Wrap-Up (5 minutes)

Debrief (3 minutes):

• Ask students to share their thoughts on which narrative perspective they found easiest or most challenging. Write their answers on the whiteboard.

Exit Ticket Question (2 minutes):

• Before leaving, each student writes on a sticky note:
  “Which narrative perspective do you enjoy reading or writing the most, and why?”
• Collect their responses and use them to tailor ongoing lessons to student interests and challenges.

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Assessment and Extension Activities

Formative Assessment:

• Evaluate the rewritten excerpts and writing task to gauge students’ understanding of narrative perspectives. Pay attention to how well they capture the tone and style of their chosen perspective.

Extension Activity:

• Students can choose a short story to read for homework, identifying the narrative perspective and explaining why the author may have chosen it. This can be linked to a future class debate about which perspective is most effective for storytelling.

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Differentiation

• Support for struggling students: Provide sentence starters for their creative writing task. Example:

  • First-person: “I walked into the... and immediately felt…”
  • Second-person: “You step into the... and realise that…”
  • Third-person: “She entered the... and observed the…”

• Extension for advanced learners: Invite them to experiment with mixing perspectives in a single paragraph for creative effect.

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This lesson plan introduces essential concepts while fostering creativity, critical thinking, and collaboration—all aligned with Year 7 English requirements in the Australian Curriculum. It’s designed to leave both students and their teacher inspired to explore the art of storytelling further!