This well-developed point-of-view lesson employs graphic organizers, the RAFT technique, and “The Ransom of Red Chief”

Title – Point-of-View and The Ransom of Red Chief
By – Jade
Primary Subject – Language Arts
Grade Level – 8

Learner Outcomes:

• Students will be able to use reading strategies and make connections to the text and self, as well as analyze and use point-of-view

Based on Nevada State Standards for English Language Arts:

• 2.8.3: Select after reading strategies appropriate to text and purpose to organize information
• 3.8.9: Summarize information
• 3.8.9: Synthesize information
• 3.8.3: Describe a theme based on evidence

Daily Materials Needed:

• The Ransom of Red Chief by O. Henry
• copies of the graphic organizer
• writing utensil
• whiteboard or overhead.

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Anticipatory Set:

• Write for five minutes describing the worst thing you did to someone else as a child. Use enough detail, so that when someone reads it, it is as if they were there.
• If time allows, have some students share their responses.

Pre-Assessment:

• Ask: What is point of view?
• Discuss students’ thoughts and ideas on the topic.
• Write responses on the board.
• Leave up for later evaluation.

Teaching the Lesson:

• Discuss different points of view of familiar characters or various objects in the room.

Differentiated Learning Needs:

• Visual learners – provide a written definition and examples for reference, either on a separate piece of paper or the board.
• Kinesthetic learners – have students role play two points of view.

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Guided Practice/Instructional Strategies:

• Use the graphic organizer throughout the reading of the story. Mark the reading off into three sections: the attitude of the thieves at the beginning, middle, and end.
• After reading each section, discuss the point-of-view of the thieves. Complete the graphic organizer as well.
• Discuss how point of view changes the meaning of a story.

Differentiated Learning Needs:

• For struggling students, provide cloze sentences (sentences with          blanks) in the graphic organizer.

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Independent Practice:

• Write a RAFT. Use one of the following frames:
  

  R ole = Red Chief		R ole = Bill Driscole
  A udience = Bill and Sam		A udience = Sam
  F ormat = Persuasion		F ormat = Persuasion
  T opic = Why Red Chief should stay with Bill and Sam		T opic = Why Red Chief should go back with his family

• Place the choices on the board or overhead for students to see.
• Have the students write their RAFT’s on the back of their graphic organizer.

Differentiated Learning Needs:

• For struggling students, provide the frame you want them to use. Sometimes choice is difficult.
• Offer phrases to be used in a persuasive paper.

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Post-Assessment:

• Ask again, “What is point-of-view?”
• Compare responses to original thoughts.

Differentiated Learning Needs:

• For visual learners, write new responses on board.

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Closure:

• Talk to a partner for 30 seconds describing what point-of-view is.

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Graphic organizer:

Red Chief Graphic Organizer
BEGINNING	What is the goal of the thieves? How do they regard the people of Summit? What are their first impressions of Red Chief?
MIDDLE	What does Bill think of Red Chief? How has the goal of the thieves changed?
END	What does Mr. Dorset propose as a compromise? How has the thieves’ goal changed even more? Why did the thieves decide to accept Mr. Dorset’s compromise?
END RESPONSE	How did the point of view change throughout the story? Beginning => Middle => End =>

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