Perspective Writing Assignment

Silent Read - personal novels - 20 min.

Send EA to get Laptop cart #1 (for Teams assignment at the end of class) :)  

Project Notes: Have students take these below notes - they have part 1 below - already started in their notes.

Writing from Perspective 

(you may have item 1 from last Thursday in your notes) 

1. Understanding the Assigned Perspective

• Character Perspective: Write from a specific character’s viewpoint, capturing their thoughts and feelings.
• Narrator Perspective: Choose between first-person (I, me), second-person (you), or third-person (he, she, they).
• Alternative Perspectives: Write from unconventional viewpoints (e.g., an object, an animal, an abstract concept).

2. Crafting the Narrative

• Voice and Tone: Match language and style to the assigned perspective.
• Inner Thoughts and Feelings: Explore the character’s or narrator’s emotions and thoughts.
• Perception and Bias: Reflect how the perspective shapes the interpretation of events.
• Sensory Details: Describe what the character/narrator senses (sight, sound, smell, taste, touch).

3. Exploring Different Angles

• Character Development: Deepen character traits and motivations through their perspective.
• Plot and Conflict: Show how perspective influences reactions to plot events and conflicts.

Example: Writing from a stray dog’s perspective:

• Observations: Describe the city from the dog’s view.
• Feelings: Convey hunger, fear, and survival instincts.
• Interactions: Show reactions to people and environments

Viewing: Link to video below. 

Slomo: The Man Who Skated Right Off the Grid | Op-Docs | The New York Times

Post Viewing Discussion - Thoughts? 

First Writing Assignment: On - Teams - from the perspective of Slomo - 

What is happiness? 

Provide a minimum of two paragraphs. 

Prompts Ideas: From the perspective of Slomo. 

Last Friday you completed a Journal Entry on: What is happiness. 

Compare what is and what isn't happiness from the perspective of Slomo? 

What is happiness and what have you learned? 

Has your definition of happiness changed after viewing this piece?

Sample paragraph on happiness - from the stray dog example above.

Unhappy Perspective:

The night is bitterly cold, and I shiver as I wander the city streets. My stomach feels like it's been hollow for days, and I can't find any food in the piles of garbage I've searched. The loud noises of cars and people make me jump, and I feel lost and alone. I find a dark corner in an alley and curl up, trying to stay warm, but the wet ground beneath me makes it hard to get comfortable. Everything smells of trash and exhaust, and I feel like no one cares about me.

Happy Perspective:

Suddenly, a friendly woman appears and places a bowl of warm food right in front of me. The smell is amazing, and I can’t wait to eat. As I enjoy the food, she gently pets me, and her touch feels comforting. Her kindness fills me with a sense of warmth that I haven't felt in a long time. The alley, once a place of solitude, now feels safe and welcoming. I wag my tail happily, knowing that someone cares and that I have a little bit of hope in this busy city.