The document outlines a mini-lesson plan to teach 5th grade students the difference between first and third person narratives. The lesson plan aims to help students distinguish between the two narratives and explain their reasoning. Students will read a chapter from the book "Free Baseball" and identify whether it is written in first or third person by looking for pronouns. They will then practice changing a section from first to third person. The teacher will assess if students can accurately identify and explain the narratives.

1. Katherine Bailey Mini-Lesson Plan 1 EDN340
October 2, 2011
Lesson Plan: First Person and Third Person Narrative
Children’s assessed need: Students need to distinguish the difference between first person
narrative and third person narrative and be able to explain why they know it is first or third
person. This is a needed exercise because we have done activities with first and third person
before and the students can identify the correct narrative but have difficulties explaining why
they made the choice.
Grade level: 5th Grade
Common Core Standard— RL.5.6. Describe how a narrator’s or speaker’s point of view
influences how events are described.
Measurable objective –The learner will accurately identify first person and third person
narrative and explain why it is first/third.
Evaluation/assessment: I will assess the students writing to ensure that they have been able to
clearly identify first person and third person and are able to recognize the pronouns that are used
with each type of narrative.
Materials and time required
Teacher:
Free Baseball by Sue Corbett, chapter 1
Over head projector
White board
Black and Colored dry erase markers
Student:
Clipboards
Paper
Pen/pencil
Student copy of Free Baseball by Sue Corbett, chapter 1
Time
Time for mini-lesson: 15 minutes (teacher)
Time for independent work/group sharing: 35 minutes (students, if they finish
independent work early the students may split into groups)
Closure/Reflection/Whole class sharing: 10 minutes
Total time: 60 minutes
Differentiation: To make this more challenging for some student I will have them identify
specific phrases that were their clues why first person narrative was used. To make this easier
for students I will ask them to explain why they think it is first person narrative. For ELL
students in the class I will ensure that they understand the pronouns: I, me, us, and we for first
person and pronouns: they, them, he, and she for third person. I will also have the students have

2. Katherine Bailey Mini-Lesson Plan 1 EDN340
October 2, 2011
their copy of the text to follow along for those students that have difficulties with comprehension
when they only hear it because some people need to read themselves as well.
Room Set-up & Management Strategies: The students will all gather on the rug in a semi-
circle so all students have a clear of the text displayed on the whiteboard and the bubble/anchor
charts being created on the whiteboard as well. The students will be seated on the rug as I read
aloud to them and remained seated as we discuss first person and third person narrative and
create our chart on the whiteboard. When the mini-lesson is over the students will return to their
desks to work on their writing piece and may return to the rug or other areas of the classroom, so
as to not be disruptive to the students still working at their desks, to work in small groups of two
to three to share their writing.
The Mini Lesson:
Title of Literature used: Free Baseball by Sue Corbett, chapter 1
 Engage: With the part of the text on the overhead projector I will ―We have already
read a few chapters of Free Baseball and now we are going to explore the type of
narrative used in this book. Does everyone remember what happened when Felix
called into the radio show?‖
At this point I will ask students to give a brief description of what
happened and then we will reread the paragraphs to establish a
clear idea of what happened.
We will then review first and third person narrative:
o First person narrative means writing from the "I" point of
view.
 Some people automatically think of storytelling in
the "I" form. They find it easier to unfold a story
from the personal point of view.
 Ask for examples that clue the reader in to this
narrative. (looking for I, me, us, we)
o Third person narrative form is writing from the omniscient
point of view. Here, you use the he/she form.
 Ask what does omniscient mean?
―All knowing/seeing‖
 Ask for examples that clue the reader in to this
narrative. (looking for they, them, he, she)

*As the students are telling me their examples I will write them in bubbles drawn
on the board, one bubble will be labeled ―First Person‖ and the other ―Third
Person‖
 Explore: ―Now that we have reread this section I would like everyone to use the
paper on their clipboard to jot down what narrative you think this book is written in
and identify at least five key words or phrases that made you decide on the narrative.‖
 Explain: ―Who can tell me what narrative this book is written in?‖

3. Katherine Bailey Mini-Lesson Plan 1 EDN340
October 2, 2011
Why do you think this? (First Person)
What clues did you find in the text that shows this narrative is the
type being used?
*As the students are telling me the clues in the text they found I
will circle the words we have already placed on the board and add
any new one they discovered.
I will ask anyone if they disagree with the type of narrative we
have identified and if anyone does I will ask them why they think
it is third person.
 We will work as a group to ensure that anyone that was
unsure understands about looking for clues in the text that
help us identify the narrative.
 Elaborate: ―Now we are going to explore the part where Felix’s mother learns about
Felix calling into the radio station and that he won tickets to the Egrets game. I
would like everyone to read this part again (pages 7-10 halfway down the page
starting at WHEN HE HEARD MAMI’S CAR…) and rewrite it, using the same
dialogue but changing the details and the rest of the writing to what you think it
would be like if written in third person. This should be fun because you can have
Felix’s mom appear as really angry or scared or whatever you think would work well.
Take your time be creative and if you need some ideas about what pronouns to use
when writing in third person look up at the bubble charts we have on the board for
some help. When you are finished you may split into groups of two or three find a
quiet area that will not interfere with the students that are still working on their
writing and share what you have written with each other. Remember, when you are
sharing help each other, if some has something written that is not in third person
brainstorm and help them figure out what would work in their version and still be
third person.
 Closure/student reflection: ―How was that changing a first person narrative into
third person? Does anyone want to share a short part of what you have written?‖
Allow the students to share at this time with the whole class
Who can tell me what first person narrative is and what are the
key words you can look for to identify this narrative?
Who can tell me what third person narrative is and what are the
key words you can look for to identify this narrative?
 Have the students turn in both their first notes where they chose what
type of this narrative is and what clues in the text they found to support
that and their first person into third person writing piece.
Self Reflection

4. Katherine Bailey Mini-Lesson Plan 1 EDN340
October 2, 2011
This was very hard to write a ―mini-lesson‖ there was much more that I could have done with
this subject area but I can see where I could have another mini-lesson that could build upon what
was learned in this lesson. I would love to create another lesson that would have the students
split into groups to create comic strips depicting certain events in the book Free Baseball and
have the half of the groups create their comic strip in first person and the other groups create
theirs in third person and after have them share their comic strips and discuss the challenges they
faced when writing in the narrative they did.
I chose this subject area because this is what my tutee is working on now in our tutoring sessions
and in his class, he does not really have too much of a problem discerning between the two
narratives but his has problems justifying his choice. The book used was also chosen because it
is about baseball, one of his interests, but also because of the authenticity of the book and it’s
story.