Mini lesson Speaker’s Point of View — 5 th grade

MINI LESSON SPEAKER’S POINT OF VIEW

— 5TH GRADE

POETRY

LANGSTON HUGHES“I, TOO, SING TO AMERICA”

CONNECTION

• WE HAVE LEARNED HOW TO ANALYZE TEXT TO DETERMINE THEMES. • WE HAVE ALSO TALKED ABOUT POINT OF VIEW AND

HOW IT IMPACTS THE WAY THE STORY OR POEM IS TOLD.• TODAY WE WILL LEARN HOW AUTHORS USE POINT OF

VIEW TO CONVEY MEANING IN POEMS.

TEACHING• WHEN WE READ A POEM, THE THEME IS USUALLY REVEALED

THROUGH THE SPEAKER OR NARRATOR OF THE POEM. • TODAY WE ARE GOING TO READ SOME POEMS AND IDENTIFY

HOW THE SPEAKER OF THE POEM INFLUENCES HOW EVENTS ARE DESCRIBED.• LET’S READ “I, TOO, SING AMERICA” BY LANGSTON HUGHES. • AS I READ IT THE FIRST TIME, I WANT YOU TO LISTEN AND THINK

ABOUT THE POINT OF VIEW IN THE POEM AND HOW IT INFLUENCES THE EVENTS THAT ARE DESCRIBED.

I, TOO, SING AMERICA BY LANGSTON HUGHES

I, too, sing America.I am the darker brother.They send me to eat in the kitchenWhen company comes,But I laugh,And eat well,And grow strong.

Tomorrow,I'll be at the tableWhen company comes.Nobody'll dareSay to me,"Eat in the kitchen,"Then.

Summary

Summary

Besides, They'll see how beautiful I amAnd be ashamed— I, too, am America.

Summary

•WHO IS THE SPEAKER IN THE POEM? •WHAT IS THE POINT OF VIEW? • THE POEM IS TOLD FROM THE FIRST PERSON POINT OF VIEW.•HOW DOES THAT INFLUENCE HOW THE EVENTS ARE DESCRIBED? •WHEN I READ THE POEM, I THINK ABOUT THAT THIS WAS WRITTEN FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF SOMEONE WHO USUALLY EATS IN THE KITCHEN BECAUSE IT SOUNDS LIKE THEY ARE NOT ALLOWED TO EAT IN THE DINING ROOM WHEN COMPANY COMES.

• AS I CONTINUE TO READ THE POEM, I FEEL THAT THE SPEAKER IS EXPRESSING AN OPINION OF HOPEFULNESS BECAUSE IN THE THIRD STANZA, THE SPEAKER SAYS THAT TOMORROW I’LL BE AT THE TABLE BECAUSE “I, TOO, SING AMERICA.”• HOW DOES THE POINT OF VIEW IMPACT HOW THE

DETAILS ARE DESCRIBED?

PRACTICE

• WITH YOUR PARTNER, REREAD THE POEM THAT WE WORKED ON LAST WEEK, “STOPPING”, AND DISCUSS HOW THE POINT OF VIEW INFLUENCES HOW THE EVENTS IN THE POEM ARE DESCRIBED.

Stopping  Coasting down the sidewalkOn my skateboard,Free as a bird,Then I pass the new kid's houseAnd keep on coasting.  Pedaling down the sidewalkOn my bike,wild as the west wind,Then I pass the new kid's houseAnd keep on pedaling.

Summarizing Each Stanza 

Stanza 1

Stanza 2

Dribbling down the sidewalkWith my basketball,I am a blazing star,Then I pass the new kid's houseAnd stop dribbling.I am back in timeOn my porch,And my house is the new kid's house,I am a crushed tin can in an empty lotBecause no one's stopping.  Dribbling up the sidewalkOf the new kid's house,I am the first ripple in the pond.Then I ring the doorbellAnd start smiling.

Stanza 3

Stanza 4

LINK

• AS YOU READ ON YOUR OWN, LOOK FOR EXAMPLES HOW THE POINT OF VIEW INFLUENCES HOW DETAILS ARE DESCRIBED. • HOW DOES THAT IMPACT THE THEME OF THE TEXT?