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Different Characters, Different Views

A 40-minute Grade 2 lesson on the differences between characters' points of view, and on reading each in a different voice.

Different Characters, Different Views is a free 40-minute Grade 2 English lesson plan for Common Core standard RL.2.6 — read dialogue in different voices, because the characters see things differently. It is timed across 5 sections, gives the exact wording to use where the wording carries the meaning, names 3 misconceptions with the teaching move that addresses each, and ends with an exit ticket and a printable worksheet with its answer key.

Grade:
Grade 2
Length:
40 minutes
Standard:
RL.2.6

Grade 2 · Reading: Literature

RL.2.6

Acknowledge differences in the points of view of characters, including by speaking in a different voice for each character when reading dialogue aloud.

Objective

Students will be able to explain how two characters see the same event differently and read each character's dialogue in a different voice.

Students are successful when they can

  • Says what each character thinks about the same event: "Tess wants to keep the starfish; Grandpa wants to put it back."
  • Finds the quotation marks and the "said ___" words that show who is speaking.
  • Reads each character's words in a voice that fits their view.
  • Tells the narrator's words from a character's words.

What you need

  • The story "The Starfish" on chart paper with quotation marks colored (in the Teach section)
  • Two speech-bubble cards, one per character
  • Colored pencils for marking speech
  • The printable practice sheet linked at the end of this plan

The lesson

Warm-up — two sides

5 min
  1. Say: "It is raining at recess time." Ask: "How would a child who loves puddles feel? How would a child in new shoes feel?"
  2. Draw two faces on the board and write what each might say.
  3. Say that the same event can look different to different people. In stories, that is called a point of view.
“Same event, different eyes. Each character sees it their own way.”

Teach — whose words?

13 min
  1. Read: "The Starfish. Tess found an orange starfish in a rock pool. 'I'm taking it home!' she said, holding up her bucket. Grandpa knelt down beside her. 'It will die in a bucket,' he said gently. 'The rock pool is its home.' Tess frowned. She looked at the starfish for a long time. Then she slid it back into the water. 'It's better in the pool anyway,' she whispered."
  2. Color the quotation marks. Ask: "Who says 'I'm taking it home!'?" (Tess — "she said.") "Who says 'It will die in a bucket'?" (Grandpa.)
  3. Ask: "What does Tess think about the starfish at first?" (She wants to keep it.) "What does Grandpa think?" (It should stay in the pool.) Write both views in speech bubbles.
  4. Ask: "Whose words are 'Tess frowned'?" Fish for "the narrator — the person telling the story." Words outside quotation marks belong to the narrator.
  5. Read the dialogue in two voices: an excited, loud Tess; a calm, gentle Grandpa. Then Tess's last line in a quiet whisper. Ask: "Why does her voice change?" (She has changed her mind.)
“When you read dialogue, become the character. Their view tells you how their voice should sound.”

Guided practice — read the parts

12 min
  1. In threes, children take parts: narrator, Tess, Grandpa. They read "The Starfish" aloud with voices.
  2. After reading, each child says one sentence from their character's view: Tess: "I wanted a pet." Grandpa: "I wanted the starfish to live."
  3. Swap parts and read again.
  4. Ask one group to perform. The class says whether the voices matched each character's view and why.
“Before you read your line, ask: what does my character want right now?”

Independent practice

8 min
  1. Students complete the printable. One sheet asks them to circle answers about whose view a line shows and how characters see events differently; the other asks them to tell the narrator's words from a character's in a story.
  2. Remind them to look for quotation marks and "said ___" before answering.

Close

2 min
  1. Ask: "Did Tess's view change by the end? Which words show it?" ("It's better in the pool anyway.")

What goes wrong, and why

Each of these is a reasoning error rather than carelessness. The fix addresses the reasoning.

Thinks one character must be right and the other wrong: "Tess is bad because she wanted the starfish."

Why: Many stories they know have a good and a bad character, so they sort characters that way.

Fix: Ask: "Why did Tess want it? Is that a bad reason?" Show that both characters have reasons; a story can show two views without one being bad.

Reads "Tess frowned" in Tess's voice, as if she said it.

Why: The sentence is about Tess, so it feels like hers; they have not yet separated speech from narration.

Fix: Color the quotation marks first. Only the colored words are spoken. Everything else is the narrator, read in an ordinary voice.

Uses the same voice for both characters.

Why: They focus on reading the words correctly and do not think about who is speaking.

Fix: Ask before each line: "Who is speaking? How do they feel?" Model two very different voices and let them copy.

If they are not there yet

  • Give the dialogue already colored by character.
  • Read the narrator part with an adult while the child reads one character.
  • Give two view cards to match to the two characters.

If they finish early

  • Retell "The Starfish" from Grandpa's point of view in four sentences.
  • Write a new line for Tess that shows her view changing, and read it in a fitting voice.
  • Find a story where three characters see an event differently and describe each view.

Exit ticket

"'This soup is too hot!' said Ben. 'It's just right,' said Mom." What does each character think? How would you read each line?

What to look for: Ben thinks it's too hot (read crossly or quickly); Mom thinks it's fine (calm voice). Mixing who said what: needs the "said ___" clue again. Same voice for both: views understood but not yet linked to reading aloud.

Printable practice for RL.2.6

Free to print and copy, answer key included. Each sheet can generate a fresh set of problems for a retake.

Questions about Different Characters, Different Views

How long does the Different Characters, Different Views lesson take?

40 minutes, split across 5 timed sections: warm-up 5 min, teach 13 min, guided practice 12 min, independent practice 8 min, close 2 min. The minutes are stated per section and add up to the stated length, so the plan can be cut or extended at a section boundary rather than abandoned halfway.

Which standard does Different Characters, Different Views teach?

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.6 — RL.2.6, Reading: Literature for Grade 2: “Acknowledge differences in the points of view of characters, including by speaking in a different voice for each character when reading dialogue aloud.” In plain terms, read dialogue in different voices, because the characters see things differently.

What do I need to teach this lesson?

The story "The Starfish" on chart paper with quotation marks colored (in the Teach section), two speech-bubble cards, one per character, colored pencils for marking speech and the printable practice sheet linked at the end of this plan. Everything listed is either ordinary classroom equipment or a free printable from this site — there is nothing to buy and nothing to prepare beyond photocopying.

What mistakes should I expect in this lesson?

Three, each a reasoning error rather than carelessness: thinks one character must be right and the other wrong: "Tess is bad because she wanted the starfish."; reads "Tess frowned" in Tess's voice, as if she said it and uses the same voice for both characters. The plan gives the thinking behind each one and the teaching move that addresses the thinking rather than the symptom.

How do I know whether the lesson worked?

The exit ticket asks: “"'This soup is too hot!' said Ben. 'It's just right,' said Mom." What does each character think? How would you read each line?.” Ben thinks it's too hot (read crossly or quickly); Mom thinks it's fine (calm voice). Mixing who said what: needs the "said ___" clue again. Same voice for both: views understood but not yet linked to reading aloud. That tells you whether the class needs a reteach or a thirty-second conversation before you plan tomorrow.

Is there a worksheet to go with Different Characters, Different Views?

Yes — 1 printable RL.2.6 worksheet, linked at the end of the plan and free like the rest of the site. Each one comes with an answer key and 25 versions, so the practice after the lesson can be a different paper on every desk.

Is Different Characters, Different Views free to use?

Yes. The plan, its printables and their answer keys are free to read, print and photocopy for your own class, with no account and no email capture. It was last reviewed on October 8, 2026. Please do not resell it or republish it as your own.

Last reviewed 2026-10-08. Aligned to RL.2.6 of the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts.