Activities

1. Given a list of nouns, verbs and adjectives, sort the words into categories.
   
   
2. Given a piece of literature, identify words, phrases and ideas that signal the author’s purpose.

3. Write two descriptive paragraphs about the same event, from a 1^st person and 3^rd person point of view.
   
   
4.  Read several pieces of literature or excerpts and identify who is telling the story in each. 

5. Using several short stories, student identifies the points of view and indicates if the points of view are effective.
   
   
6. Using select book jackets and covers of various pieces of literature, identify with evidence the author’s purpose for writing.
   
   
7. Using a given piece of literature, identify instances of agreement and disagreement with the author’s tone. 

Answer Key/Rubric

1. Using a given list of nouns, verbs and adjectives, student performs multiple word sorts into categories.  Student can correctly explain how he sorted the words.  Student can explain the feelings and ideas these words created and the choices for his categorizations.  Student comes up with his own categorization groups without assistance.  Student understands that particular words help the author relay his purpose and message.

For instance, one word sort might be the words, friend, excited, freedom, hugged, and candy that have been sorted together in one category for positive words.  Angry, deceit, detained, smashed, elbowed, hit, enemy might be under a category for negative words.  Door, chapstick, whisper might be under a category for neutral words.

2. Student writes two descriptive paragraphs about the same event, from a 1^st person and 3^rd person point of view.  Student understands that a 1^st person of view is narration that uses the pronouns “I” and “we.”  Student understands that 3^rd person narration uses the pronouns, “he”, “she”, “it” or a name. Student correctly writes two paragraphs in 1^st person and 3^rd person points of view.  Paragraphs make sense.  Student’s spelling, grammar, punctuation and handwriting does not obscure or impede the meanings of the paragraphs.

3. Student uses a piece of literature and identifies words, phrases and ideas used by the author that signal his purpose.  Student correctly identifies words that signal the purpose.  Student looks for key words, phrases or ideas that bring associations to mind indicating that the purpose is to entertain, inform, or persuade.  Student can name the author’s purpose.   

4. Student reads several pieces of literature or excerpts, and identifies who is telling the story in each.  Student correctly identifies who is telling the story in each piece.  Student understands that 1st person narration is when the author has one of the characters tell the story and uses the pronouns I and we (I woke with a terrible feeling).  Student understands that 3rd person narration is when the author tells the story and uses pronouns like he, she, it or a name (He woke with a terrible feeling).  Student understands that omniscient point of view is when the author has unlimited knowledge or god-like knowledge about the thoughts and feelings of all the characters.
   
   
5. Using several short stories, student correctly identifies the points of view and indicates if the point of view is effective.  Student gives logical reasons for determining effectiveness.  Reasons identified as making narration effective or ineffective could be:

• 1st person POV-limits the reader to one person’s perspective.
• 1st person-gives readers access to all the thoughts, words and actions of the narrator.
• 1^st person POV-narrator must be in all scenes or observing the scene.
• 1^st person POV-narration can’t go into the minds of other characters.
• 1^st person POV-has a very personal feeling.
• 3^rd person POV-characters each need a distinct voice or they will all sound alike
• 3^rd person POV-allows movement in the story as the author shifts from one character’s point of view to another character’s point of view.
• 3^rd person POV- narration gives the author more opportunity to write a complex story and plot. 
• 3^rd person POV-can be less personal and may be more dispassionate.
• 3^rd person POV-gives access to multiple characters thoughts and perspectives 

6. Student uses select book jackets and the covers of various pieces of literature to identify, with evidence, the author’s purpose for writing.  Student uses the written summary on the book and the cover photo or illustration to determine the author’s purpose for writing.  Student correctly identifies the probable purpose for writing based on evidence.  Student evidence makes sense and supports the author’s purpose for writing.  Student looks for key words, phrases or ideas that indicate the purpose is to entertain, inform, persuade, describe, enlighten and so forth.
   
   
7. Student uses a given piece of literature and identifies instances in which he agrees and does not agree with the author’s tone.  Student accurately identifies the author’s tone in each instance.  Student expresses why he disagrees with the author’s tone.  Student’s explanations for agreement or disagreement are logical or make sense.