Day 9: Literary Terms Quiz and POV Lesson Plan
Transition from assessment to the power of perspective. In Day 9 of the Grade 9 English course, students demonstrate their vocabulary mastery with a literary terms quiz before exploring Point of View (POV) in fiction. This lesson helps students identify who is telling the story and how that choice shapes the narrative experience in their independent reading books.
Time: 75 Minutes | Key Concepts: Literary Terms Quiz, First Person, Second Person, Third Person (Limited vs. Omniscient)
Learning Goals and Standards
By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:
- Demonstrate understanding of a second set of literary devices and terminology
- Identify literary devices in short passages and examples
- Distinguish between literal and figurative meaning
- Explain how literary devices shape tone, imagery, and emphasis
- Apply literary vocabulary accurately when discussing texts
Aligned Global Competencies / Standards / ELA Curriculum
This lesson supports international secondary English expectations such as:
Ontario Curriculum Alignment (ENL1W)
Strand B: Foundations of Language — Demonstrating understanding of specialized vocabulary and figurative language used to interpret texts (B2.1)
Strand B: Foundations of Language — Interpreting how language structures and stylistic elements contribute to meaning and effectiveness in texts (B2.2)
Strand C: Comprehension — Analyze how various elements of a text, including point of view, contribute to the meaning and impact of the work (C2.1)
Common Core (Grades 9–10 Reading Literature)
Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative and connotative meanings (RL.9–10.4)
IB Language & Literature (ATL Skills)
Develop analytical vocabulary and interpret how language choices shape meaning and reader response
Cambridge IGCSE English Literature
Recognize writers’ methods and explain how language creates effects in texts
OECD Global Competence Framework
Interpret communication across texts using discipline-specific vocabulary
UNESCO Literacy Framework
Strengthen interpretive reading through understanding figurative and symbolic language
Resources for Literary Terms Quiz
Bell Ringer
“Who Is Telling the Story?” (5 minutes)
Write these two sentences on the board:
I opened the door and immediately knew something was wrong.
She opened the door and immediately knew something was wrong.
Ask students:
- What changed between the two sentences?
- Which version lets us know more about the narrator?
- Which version feels more distant?
Students quickly recognize that point of view controls how close readers feel to the story, which makes the concept memorable before formal instruction begins.
Lesson Flow for Literary Terms Quiz and POV
Silent Reading – 15 minutes
Students begin with independent reading to keep their reading logs and habits consistent.Literary Terms Quiz
Students complete the literary terms quiz. This short assessment helps reinforce the vocabulary they’ve been building since Day 2.Notes on Point of View
Students copy the following concise note on point of view into their notebooks.Point of View in Fiction – Notes
Point of View Pronouns Used The Narrator’s Perspective First Person I, me, we, us A character in the story; provides an intimate, biased view. Second Person You Addresses the reader directly; rare in novels, common in “choose your own adventure.” Third Person Limited He, she, they Outside the story; only knows the thoughts/feelings of one character. Third Person Omniscient He, she, they Outside the story; “all-knowing” regarding all characters. Journaling on Point of View
Students respond to one of the following prompts in their journals:Journal Questions
How does the point of view in your novel affect your understanding of the characters? Would the story feel different if told from another perspective?
Choose a key scene from your book. How might it change if it were written in first, second, or third-person omniscient point of view?
First-Hand Suggestions
When I introduce point of view, I focus on helping students notice how perspective changes what readers are allowed to know. I’ve found that once students start asking who is telling the story and what that narrator can or cannot see, they move beyond simply labeling first- or third-person narration and begin thinking more carefully about how perspective shapes meaning.
Differentiation for Literary Terms Quiz and POV
For Students with IEPs
- Provide a simple comparison chart of narrative perspectives
- Model one example passage together before independent work
- Highlight narrator pronouns in sample texts
- Allow verbal explanations instead of written responses
- Use short passages rather than full texts for identification practice
For English Language Learners
Pre-teach core vocabulary:
| Term | Student-Friendly Meaning |
|---|---|
| narrator | the voice telling the story |
| first person | narrator is in the story (“I”) |
| second person | narrator speaks to the reader (“you”) |
| third person | narrator is outside the story (“he/she/they”) |
| perspective | how the story is seen |
Strategies:
- Use color-coded pronoun highlighting
- Provide sentence frames:
- “This story is told in ___ person because…”
- Compare short sentence examples before longer passages
- Model using familiar stories or films first
Literary Terms Quiz and POV FAQ
What is the difference between third-person limited and omniscient? In third-person limited, the narrator only knows the internal thoughts of a single character. In third-person omniscient, the narrator is all-knowing and can reveal the thoughts and motivations of any character in the story.
Why is point of view important in Grade 9 English? POV dictates what information the reader receives. Understanding perspective is the first step toward analyzing narrator reliability and authorial intent.
Where can I find the literary terms quiz for this lesson? This lesson includes a link to a customizable Google Forms Literary Terms Quiz covering the first two weeks of Grade 9 English vocabulary.
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Next Lesson: Creating a Literary Devices Poster
