Reading, Comprehension and Writing

Wednesday - Week 8

Learning Intentions

W.A.L.T: Understand how texts can be written from different viewpoints.

W.I.L.F: Rewriting the story following the narrative plot structure but from the viewpoint of another character.

Comprehension Questions

1. Why hadn’t Hannah seen a real gorilla?

2. ‘Her father didn’t have time to take her to see one at the zoo. He didn’t have time for anything’. Why do you think Hannah’s father doesn’t have time for anything?

3. Look at the distance between Hannah and her father at the start of the text– does this tell you anything about their relationship?

4. Think about Hannah’s size compared to the size of her bed. Does this give us information about how she is feeling?

Narrative Features

Narrative features (sometimes called narrative elements) are the

text characteristics which can be found in most narratives.

+setting

+characterisation

+plot

+viewpoint

Narrative Viewpoint

Every narrative has a narrator (the person who is telling the story). The narrator controls how the story is presented to the reader. Because of this, the reader will usually see the story from the perspective of the narrator.

Sometimes, the narrator is one of the characters in the story. Because the character is telling the reader about events that happen to them, they use pronouns such as ‘I’ and ‘me’. An example of a first-person narrative is Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney.

Sometimes, the narrator is someone not involved in the story. Because the narrator is telling the reader about events that happen to other people, they use pronouns such as ‘he’, ‘she’ and ‘they’. An example of a third-person narrative is Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White.

Narrative Viewpoint

Gorilla Viewpoint

Although Gorilla is a third person narrative, it is closely aligned with Hannah’s point of view.

Answer the following questions.

+Through whose eyes are you seeing this story? Is it Hannah’s or her father’s? Why?

+If Hannah’s father was telling the story, how might it be different?

+Look at specific pages (e.g. breakfast, going to work, desk, birthday, end of the story). What might he be thinking in each of these pictures?

The Three Little Pigs – a new perspective

Listen to this

story for an

example of a

different

characters point

of view.

Now it’s your turn!

You are now going to rewrite the story Gorilla by Anthony Browne, however, from a different point of view. You may like to write the story from the perspective of Hannah’s dad, or you might like to write it in third person.

Tips!

Stay true to the story – do not change the plot structure.

Use your imagination to add reasonable details and dialogue when necessary.

Try to maintain the same style as the author.

Extension Activity

Text to world knowledge: gorillas and primates.

Hannah is fascinated by gorillas. she reads and writes about

them and draws them. At the zoo, Hannah and the gorilla see

the primates in the cage. Use the internet to research primates

and use what you have learnt about gorillas to write an

information report about them or one of the other primates.