Who's Telling the Story? Exploring Point of View!

Have you ever noticed that a story sounds different depending on who tells it?

• If the character tells the story, it sounds like: “I went to the forest and met a wolf.” (First Person)

• If the narrator tells the story, it might sound like: “She went to the forest and met a wolf.” (Third Person)

In this WebQuest, you will explore narrators and point of view to become a Point of View Expert.

Here are some Guiding Questions to direct you through this Webquest:

• How do we know who is telling a story?

• What is the difference between 1st person and 3rd person point of view?

• How does the narrator change the way we understand the story?

Thinking about how a story might change if a different person was telling it? Let’s look at Goldilocks and the Three Bears.

If Goldilocks told the story, it might sound like this:

• “I was so hungry, so I tasted the porridge. Then I sat in the chairs and tried the beds until I found one that was just right.” (First Person)

But if the narrator told the story, it might sound like this instead:

• “Goldilocks was so hungry, so she tasted the porridge. Then she sat in the chairs and tried the beds until she found one that was just right.” (Third Person)

Same events — but the words sound different depending on who tells the story.

In this WebQuest, you and your group will become Point of View Experts. Your job is to:

1. Read or listen to a fairy tale such as Goldilocks and the Three Bears.

2. Decide if the story is told in first person (I, me, we) or third person (he, she, they).

3. Take one important scene (like Goldilocks trying the porridge or the bears finding her) and retell it in the opposite point of view.

   • If it’s in first person, change it to third person.

   • If it’s in third person, change it to first person.

4. Work together to create a fun way to share both versions of the story by:

   • Making a comic strip with two panels (one first person, one third person).

By the end, you’ll see how a story changes depending on who tells it—and you’ll be able to explain the difference between first person and third person narration.

Step 1 – Listen and Read Together

Start by listening to and reading the story Goldilocks and the Three Bears.

Use this link: Goldilocks and the Three Bears (Storynory – text + audio)

Step 2 – Identify the Narrator

As you listen, pay close attention:

• Is the story told in first person (I, me, my) or third person (he, she, they)?

• How do you know?

Step 3 – Choose a Scene

Pick one important part of the story to retell:

• Goldilocks trying the porridge

• Goldilocks breaking the chair

• Goldilocks sleeping in the bed

• The bears finding Goldilocks

Step 4 – Retell in a New Point of View

Decide how the scene would sound if told in the opposite point of view.

• If it’s in third person, change it to first person from Goldilocks’ perspective.

• If it’s in first person, change it to third person as if a narrator is telling the story.

Step 5 – Create Your Comic Strip

• Row 1: Show the original scene in the point of view it was written.

• Row 2: Show the same scene in the opposite point of view.

• Add speech bubbles, thought bubbles, or narration boxes to make it clear who is telling the story.

• Be creative with your drawings and make sure the words match the point of view!

Step 6 – Share Your Work

Once your comic strip is finished, present it to the class. Explain how the story changes when the point of view changes.

Awesome work, Point of View Experts! 🎉

You learned how stories change depending on who tells the story. A narrator can make us see the story through the eyes of a character (1st person) or from the outside (3rd person).

Need a Little Extra Help?

Play any of these online point-of-view games: Point of View Practice Game