Narrative in Perspective

11-13 yrs old

14-18 yrs old

Digital Literacy

Reading and Writing

In this Minecraft challenge, players will explore the ways that different narrative perspectives influence writing.

Submitted By: NWP Network

July 16, 2020

Take observational notes and record your interactions while observing three situations. Please make a copy of this document.

Students make observational notes of “mobs” in the game.
Students practice writing in first, second and third person perspectives.
Students write a report about their observations using second person perspective.

How do observational notes change as writers move from observing passively to actively?
How can observational notes help writers author technical texts, like a how-to?
How do the different narrative perspectives change the impact of our writing?

Teacher Preparation and Notes:

Review first, second, and third person narrative perspectives.
Discuss why an author might choose to write in each of the different perspectives.

Student experiences:

Students will encounter a non-player character who commissions them to explore an uncharted land and study the inhabitants and wildlife, prompting them to conduct an investigation of in-game mobs.
Students will find books to write in, and a set of questions inside the book.
Students will observe mobs from a distance and make notes in third person.
Students will interact with mobs, making observational notes about those experiences.
Students will write a visitor’s guide to this uncharted land in second person.

Students will be able to use their answers to the in-game questions to answer the “Guiding Ideas” questions above.
Students use observational notes in the development of a visitor’s guide.