“By using the product, they were so excited and they learned so much...”–K-5 Librarian and Instructinal Technology Teacher
Point of view provides the eyes, ears, and thoughts of a character. By analyzing point of view, students can gather insight to the author’s purpose, theme, and voice. In this activity, students will examine the author’s point of view and identify ways it is unique in understanding elements of the story.
First person point of view allows readers to see everything through Greg’s eyes.
(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)
Student Instructions
Create a storyboard that demonstrates the narrator's feelings at different parts of the text.
Grade Level 4-5
Difficulty Level 3 (Developing to Mastery)
Type of Assignment Individual or Partner
Type of Activity: Understanding Point of View vs. Perspective in Literature
(You can also create your own on Quick Rubric.)
| Proficient 25 Points | Emerging 19 Points | Beginning 13 Points | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Identify the Points of View | The student identified all points of view the author employed in the novel correctly. | The student identified most of the points of view. | The student did not identify the correct point of view, |
| Written Explanations | Text descriptions clearly explain the points of view used in the novel and described the differences in their perspectives. | Text descriptions explain the points of view, but may lack clarity. | Text descriptions do not accurately describe the points of view. |
| Storyboard Images | Illustrations show scenes clearly connected to the point of view and perspective described and use visual elements to show a difference between perspectives. | Illustrations show scenes connected to the point of view and perspective described but may be simplistic or lack detail. | Scenes do not clearly describe the points of view employed in the novel. |
| Effort and Editing | Work is complete, thorough, and neat. Spelling and grammar are correct. | Most of the sections of the storyboard were at least attempted and work is presentable. The text contains some errors in spelling and/or grammar. | Storyboard is unfinished and/or disorganized. The text contains many errors in spelling and/or grammar. |
Point of view provides the eyes, ears, and thoughts of a character. By analyzing point of view, students can gather insight to the author’s purpose, theme, and voice. In this activity, students will examine the author’s point of view and identify ways it is unique in understanding elements of the story.
First person point of view allows readers to see everything through Greg’s eyes.
(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)
Student Instructions
Create a storyboard that demonstrates the narrator's feelings at different parts of the text.
Grade Level 4-5
Difficulty Level 3 (Developing to Mastery)
Type of Assignment Individual or Partner
Type of Activity: Understanding Point of View vs. Perspective in Literature
(You can also create your own on Quick Rubric.)
| Proficient 25 Points | Emerging 19 Points | Beginning 13 Points | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Identify the Points of View | The student identified all points of view the author employed in the novel correctly. | The student identified most of the points of view. | The student did not identify the correct point of view, |
| Written Explanations | Text descriptions clearly explain the points of view used in the novel and described the differences in their perspectives. | Text descriptions explain the points of view, but may lack clarity. | Text descriptions do not accurately describe the points of view. |
| Storyboard Images | Illustrations show scenes clearly connected to the point of view and perspective described and use visual elements to show a difference between perspectives. | Illustrations show scenes connected to the point of view and perspective described but may be simplistic or lack detail. | Scenes do not clearly describe the points of view employed in the novel. |
| Effort and Editing | Work is complete, thorough, and neat. Spelling and grammar are correct. | Most of the sections of the storyboard were at least attempted and work is presentable. The text contains some errors in spelling and/or grammar. | Storyboard is unfinished and/or disorganized. The text contains many errors in spelling and/or grammar. |
Encourage students to step into Greg's shoes by writing their own diary entries from his perspective. This activity helps students deepen their understanding of first-person point of view and character voice.
Guide students to recall memorable events or challenges Greg faces in the book. Listing these moments gives students concrete ideas to write about, making the activity relatable and fun.
Ask students to share how Greg felt or reacted during the selected events. Exploring his emotions helps students capture the authentic voice and perspective in their writing.
Write a sample entry on the board, thinking aloud about word choices and tone. This demonstration shows students how to infuse personality and detail into their own writing.
Encourage students to write their entries, then share with a partner or the class. Sharing builds confidence and allows students to appreciate different interpretations of Greg’s perspective.
Diary of a Wimpy Kid uses a first-person point of view, letting readers experience the story directly through Greg Heffley's thoughts, feelings, and experiences.
Students can identify the narrator’s feelings by looking for words or phrases that express emotions, desires, or reactions in the text, and by making inferences from the narrator’s actions and descriptions.
Analyzing point of view helps students understand the author’s purpose, theme, and character motivations, providing deeper insight into the story’s message and meaning.
Examples include Greg saying, “But then I found out who I DID have to wrestle…” and “The song is only three minutes long, but to me it felt like an hour and a half,” showing his personal perspective.
Teachers can have students identify the narrator’s feelings at different story points, select text examples, and draw or write about each scene to visually represent the narrator’s perspective.
“By using the product, they were so excited and they learned so much...”–K-5 Librarian and Instructinal Technology Teacher
“I'm doing a Napoleon timeline and I'm having [students] determine whether or not Napoleon was a good guy or a bad guy or somewhere in between.”–History and Special Ed Teacher
“Students get to be creative with Storyboard That and there's so many visuals for them to pick from... It makes it really accessible for all students in the class.”–Third Grade Teacher