Use These Point of View Videos To Teach First, Second, and Third Person

Point of view might seem pretty straightforward, but it can easily start to get complicated. First person, second person, and third person are simple enough, but what about third person omniscient? Plus, how can students know when to use which point of view in their own writing? Fortunately, these point of view videos have got you covered. There are options here for all ages from elementary through high school! (Remember to watch all videos first to ensure they’re appropriate for your students.)

First person vs. Second person vs. Third person (TED-Ed)

Simple animation helps bring concepts to life in this excellent video from TED-Ed. It uses the story of Rapunzel to demonstrate first, second, and third person and explore how POV changes the story.

Point of View – BrainPop

https://youtu.be/neHLCH9IyOs

BrainPOP’s video lays out the three types and expands third person into limited and omniscient. It helps students understand when to use the various types in their own writing too.

What Is Point of View?

Need point of view videos for older students? This one is a good option. Novelist John Larison explains the types and the effect they have on readers. Bonus: This video has both English and Spanish subtitles.

Point of View Song

This video is text-heavy, but the tune is catchy. It could be a fun way to introduce the concept to your students.

Flocabulary Point of View

One of our favorite point of view videos isn’t available on YouTube, but you can watch it on Flocabulary’s site here. The memorable rap will stay with your students (and you!) long after they watch it.

A Story’s Point of View

Khan Academy’s point of view video is text-based, but it’s full of good information. Pair it with the next video for a deeper look at the subject.

How POV Affects Readers

Khan Academy’s follow-up POV video expands on the concept, taking a look at how point of view affects the overall feeling of the story. This one is great for older elementary and middle school students.

Sportscaster Point of View

This is such a clever way to help kids understand first and third person point of view! Students learn to think of third person like a sportscaster calling a race, while first person is like a camera in the car showing what the driver sees, does, and feels.

Point of View, Kellie Oneill

“We live in first person point of view,” this video explains. Concrete explanations like that make this one very relatable. You’ll get lots of clear examples too.

Point of View: The Difference Between First and Third Person

This is a no-frills video, but it gives lots of good examples. Use this video interactively with your students, pausing to discuss the examples and see if students can correctly identify the types.

Points of View in Literature

One of the longer point of view videos, this one is detailed and thorough. It covers the different types of point of view as well as narrator reliability, bias, and truth. It’s ideal for middle and high school students.

The True Story of the Three Little Pigs, as told to Jon Scieszka

Sometimes the easiest way to understand point of view is to see it in action. Take the story of the Three Little Pigs. Kids think they know it, but what happens when they hear it from a different point of view? Find out how the POV of the wolf changes everything!

The Ultimate Guide to Tense & Point of View

This is one of those point of view videos that’s not for everyone, but aspiring writers may want to check it out. Author Shaelin shares her thoughts on point of view and explains that it’s really more of a spectrum. Use this one with older students in a writing workshop or creative writing class.

Song Lyrics Point of View Videos

One popular way to teach point of view is exploring song lyrics. Here are a few to try. (Remember to check the lyrics to make sure they’re appropriate for your students.)

“Royals” by Lorde (First Person)

“Firework” by Katy Perry (Second Person)

“Eleanor Rigby” by The Beatles (Third Person)

We’d love to hear—what are your favorite point of view videos? Come share in the WeAreTeachers HELPLINE group on Facebook.

Plus, don’t miss the best YouTube videos for teaching parts of speech!