One of the most common questions I hear from teachers is, “How can I help my students carry over what they learn during mentor sentence time into their writing?” It’s important to remember that this transition takes time and intentionality. Rather than treating mentor sentences as a separate block of time, you can weave them directly into your writing workshop for seamless instruction. In fact, starting your writing workshop right after mentor sentences allows students to immediately apply the skills and techniques they’ve just explored. In this blog post, I’ll walk you through how to teach first-person point of view using mentor texts, along with some practical writing activities for application.
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First-person point of view allows the writer to tell a story through the eyes of a character, animal, or even an inanimate object. This perspective brings depth to the writing, enabling students to explore thoughts, emotions, and experiences in a way that feels personal and engaging. When students write from a first-person point of view, they’re invited to step into the shoes (or paws, or branches!) of their subject, which offers a unique and often humorous take on storytelling.
To help students grasp the concept of writing from first-person point of view but NOT about themselves, it’s essential to provide models through mentor texts. All of these texts share fictional stories from animals or objects, not from people.
**Remember that the strategies I share can be adapted for all grade levels, from primary to upper elementary. Whether you’re working with young writers or older students, these techniques will help your students develop a unique voice and perspective in their writing.
All of the books in The Food Group Series are perfect for analyzing first-person point of view in writing! In this humorous story, the Sour Grape narrates its journey from being bitter and full of grudges to learning the importance of forgiveness and understanding. As the story unfolds, readers get a glimpse into the grape’s thoughts and feelings, making it an excellent example of how first-person point of view can be used to reveal emotions and reactions to the world around them.
This book is a perfect example of how first-person point of view allows readers to experience the inner transformation of a character. It’s a great model for showing how first-person point of view brings us closer to the character’s emotions and growth.
The Bad Seed is another one from the series with a similar type of transformation demonstrated through the story. This book tells the story of a seed who proudly proclaims himself to be “bad”—from cutting in line to never washing his hands, but eventually realizes it would serve him better to try to be “good.”
Writing Activity Idea: After reading a book from The Food Group Series, ask students to write from the point of view of a character who has learned an important life lesson. Have them narrate the change in their attitude or behavior, focusing on the emotions they experience during their transformation. This activity not only helps students practice writing in first-person but also reinforces themes of growth and empathy.
In The Day the Crayons Quit, each crayon writes a letter to their owner, Duncan, expressing their frustrations. This letter format provides a fun and relatable way for students to see first-person point of view in action. The crayons’ voices are strong, and their personalities shine through in each letter.
For example, the Green Crayon writes to Duncan to congratulate him on his successful coloring career, but also asks him to help resolve a dispute between the Yellow and Orange Crayons, who are arguing over which color should represent the sun. The humor and voice in this letter help illustrate how first-person point of view allows for strong, opinionated, and expressive writing.
Writing Activity Idea: This is another author with a series of these books! After reading any of the Crayons’ books, have students pick an inanimate object (like a marker, pencil, or chair) and write a letter from that object’s point of view. Encourage them to include humor, feelings, and persuasive language. The twist? They shouldn’t reveal what the object is until the very end of the letter. This exercise not only teaches point of view, but also helps students focus on descriptive writing and voice.
This is one of my favorite examples of when I tried this activity with my students! (And yes, he did say “buttocks.” Hahaha!)
Memoirs of a Goldfish is a hilarious story told from the perspective of a goldfish who experiences dramatic changes in his bowl as new companions start to move in. The first-person point of view provides an intimate and humorous look into the goldfish’s thoughts, as he transitions from frustration to appreciation for his new tank mates. This story serves as a great model for how point of view can bring humor, personality, and depth to even the simplest of characters.
Writing Activity Idea: After reading any of the Memoirs books (Devin has written an entire series of Memoirs! Hamster, Parrot, Dog, Tortoise!), invite students to write their own “memoir” from the perspective of a pet or another small creature. Encourage them to focus on how their character reacts to changes in their environment, using first-person narration to explore emotions and thoughts in a humorous or reflective way.
Diary of a Worm is another fantastic mentor text for teaching first-person point of view. This book takes on a diary format, where Worm shares his daily life from a unique perspective. From navigating the trials of being small to the joys of spending time with friends, Worm’s entries offer both humor and insight.
What makes this book especially fun is how it combines fiction with factual details about worms. This approach can inspire students to write creatively while incorporating real-life information—perfect for integrating writing with science or research topics.
Writing Activity Idea: Once again, this book is part of a series! You can find Diary of a Fly and Spider to use as more examples of this style of writing. To imitate these models, have students choose an animal they are familiar with and write a diary entry from that animal’s perspective. They should include factual information about the animal’s habits, diet, or behavior, but present it in a fun, creative way. This activity will even get some practice in with research skills!
This Very Tree offers a heartfelt, emotional journey told from the point of view of a survivor tree that stood at Ground Zero during the 9/11 attacks. It brings a unique perspective to historical events, allowing readers to witness recovery and hope through the eyes of nature. The personal tone of the tree’s voice in the narrative helps convey deep emotions, making it an excellent mentor text for teaching first-person point of view.
This text is not only valuable for teaching perspective but also for introducing important themes such as resilience, peace, hope, and strength. By embodying the voice of the tree, students can see how first-person narration can bring emotional depth to storytelling.
Writing Activity Idea: After reading This Very Tree, encourage students to write a reflection from the point of view of an object that has witnessed a historical event. This powerful activity will allow students to explore voice and tone while connecting personal narratives to broader historical contexts.
Once students are familiar with the concept of first-person point of view, it’s time to dive deeper by examining mentor sentences from the texts. Select sentences that demonstrate voice to provide a magnificent model for your students.
For instance, in The Day the Crayons Quit, Green Crayon’s letter includes the sentence: “Please settle this soon because they’re driving the rest of us CRAZY!” This sentence is full of personality, using punctuation and capitalization to emphasize emotion.
Use these mentor sentences to guide discussions about how first-person point of view can shape the way a story is told. Talk about how pronouns like “I,” “me,” and “we” help indicate the speaker’s perspective, and explore the effect of writing from this point of view.
In the mentor sentence routine, the day for imitation allows for application in a very manageable way. Students write a sentence of their own that follows the style and structure of the author… but then remember: they also need to expand this practice into their own writing!
First-person point of view is a powerful tool for helping students explore voice and perspective in their writing. By weaving mentor sentences and mentor texts into your writing time, you can guide students in developing their ability to express thoughts, feelings, and humor through unique perspectives. Remember to provide plenty of opportunities for students to practice and share their work!
