Section 3: Overview

Exploring Point of View, Perspective, and Structure

We will expand our understanding of literary elements and narrative techniques by exploring how authors use point of view, perspective, and structure to convey meaning. We will continue reading The Book of Unknown Americans and will compare its narrative techniques to those in the essay, “My Mother Never Worked.” We will draft a brief original narrative applying the narrative techniques we have studied.

• Lesson 1:

  We will analyze a section of The Book of Unknown Americans to examine the difference between point of view and perspective, and we will interact with vocabulary from this section of the novel.

• Lesson 2:

  We will analyze The Book of Unknown Americans to understand the author’s choices regarding organization and text structure in order to deepen our understanding of how authors use narrative structures to impart meaning.

• Lesson 3:

  We will analyze the narrative essay “My Mother Never Worked” to understand the author’s choices regarding language and text structure in order to deepen our understanding of how authors use these constructs to make claims or illuminate character, meaning, and themes.

• Lesson 4:

  We will analyze structural choices made by Henríquez and organize our planning materials for the Section Diagnostic.

• Lesson 5:

  We will respond to Part 1 of the Section 3 Diagnostic: How do authors use narrative techniques, including dialogue, point of view, and structure, to craft a good story?

• Lesson 6:

  We will respond to Part 2 of the Section 3 Diagnostic. Using an event in “My Mother Never Worked” as a springboard, write an imagined conversation between Bonnie Smith-Yackel and her mother, using dialogue to develop the characters.

• Lesson 7:

  We will review feedback on the Section Diagnostic. We will use the feedback to make revisions to our work.

• Lesson 8:

  We will share the understanding we have gained through our independent reading and continue to read our texts.