Exploros | Point of View

Point of View

Students look at a photo that prompts them to think about subjectivity and objectivity. Then, they learn to identify subjective and objective narrative points of view. Next, they read two versions of a passage, one of them subjective and the other objective, and explain their responses to them. Finally, they write two different versions of the same one-paragraph story, using subjective and objective points of view.

This learning experience is designed for device-enabled classrooms. The teacher guides the lesson, and students use embedded resources, social media skills, and critical thinking skills to actively participate. To get access to a free version of the complete lesson, sign up for an exploros account.

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Overview

In this experience, students look at a photo that prompts them to think about subjectivity and objectivity. Then, they learn to identify subjective and objective narrative points of view. Next, they read two versions of a passage, one of them subjective and the other objective, and explain their responses to them. Finally, they write two different versions of the same one-paragraph story, using subjective and objective points of view.

The experience-wide resource Analyze Point of View in Literary Texts/Fiction in the Teacher Pack provides a Texas TEA-sponsored discussion of point of view, including objective and subjective points of view.

Objectives

Recognize the point of view in a text.
Explain the use of subjective and objective points of view.

Duration

One class period.

You are familiar with the concept of facts and opinions. In this experience, you will learn new words for describing facts and opinions—subjective and objective. And you will learn how these concepts relate to point of view in stories.

Objectives

Recognize the point of view in a text.
Explain the use of subjective and objective points of view.

young woman staring at a half-full or half-empty glass of water

Look at the photo. It shows someone looking at a half-full glass of water—or is it a half-empty glass of water?

Is the glass half empty or half full? You must pick one answer!

A) half full
B) half empty

The world contains facts and opinions. Facts are statements that can be proven true from external evidence. In other words, facts are objective. They are true whether you like it or not. Opinions are things that may or may not be true, but cannot be proven either way. Opinions are subjective.

The amount of water in the glass is an objective fact. Whether the glass is half full or half empty is a subjective opinion.

Have students briefly discuss their answers and reasons. Point out that their labeling of the glass as either half full or half empty is a subjective decision; it has to do with their opinion and frame of mind. Objectively, one could measure the volume of the water against the volume of the whole glass and arrive at the fact of the matter. And objectively, one would say that both descriptive phrases apply equally.

You may want to discuss briefly the percentages of the answers among your students, without stating or implying that one answer is preferable to the other.

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