WRITING AS OTHER CHARACTERS

Point of View Writing

Goals for my Students

Understand different points of viewTo understand why authors use this

techniqueUse this method of writing in their own workDevelop writings in different genres

individually and in groups

“I” Poems

Students will start by writing an I poem about themselves to learn the process

Students will write one about a partnerStudents will write one about a character

from a book/story we have read

I am Rebecca

I am a sister, a daughter, a friendI am a studentI am a writer

I have a vivid imaginationI ride horses

I express myselfI hear my parents fighting

I worry about my dad finding a jobI hope I don’t have to moveI feel good about my poem

I am an artistI am smart

I am

Your Turn

Please pair up and write an I poem for your partner

Put yourself in their shoes and try to think like they would

Try to capture their personalityEvery sentence of the poem has to start with

“I”This poem will be read by your partner as if

they wrote it, so make it sound like they wrote it

I amI seeI hearI feelI worryI say

I tryI hopeI thinkI understandI dreamI will

“I” Poem Starters

“I” Poems

Students will start by writing an I poem about themselves to learn the process

Students will write one about a partnerStudents will write one about a character

from a book/story we have read

I am Edward TulaneI am a china doll

I lived with Abilene and her familyI went on a miraculous journey

I met many peopleI lived with a fisherman and his wife

I traveled with a hoboI failed as a scarecrow

I fell in love with a sick little girlI miss Sarah Ruth

I sometimes see her in the starsI was broken, but now I am fixed

I was loved by many peopleI love many people

I am getting a second chanceI am Edward Tulane

Class Poem

Students Role Play

Choose a book with two conflicting characters

Students will write as the character they are assigned

Students will assume a role and talk to a partner

Write a two voice poem with their partner (in character)

Flotsam by David Wiesner

Write a paragraph about what your character is thinking and feeling. Put yourself in the character’s shoes and think like they would think. Take five minutes to write.

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Example of Two Voice Poem

Boy Hermit Crab

What’s this?What’s that?Stop looking at me.

This is really interesting.Where do you live?

I’m gonna die!

Your eyes are so small.That eye is huge!

I wanna take you home I wanna go back home

Using Literature to Springboard Writing

Two Bad Ants by Chris Van Allsburg

Read the story silentlyFill out the point of view chart as you readLook at the pictures and put yourself in the

ants perspectiveThink of other things that they may have seen

in the kitchenHow would they describe it? (You cannot use

the real names of the objects)Jot down some descriptive language for these

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Your Turn

Writing as one of the ants (from the ant’s point of view) compose a letter to a character (in the book or not) explaining your adventure

Use details from the book and/or expand your adventure and go where it takes you

Questions?