CERCA SLIDES
Friendship
Support without judgment, unwavering loyalty, being there in a crisis, saying the right thing when it matters most — these are all qualities of friendship. Our featured weekly CERCA Slides set asks students to consider a fundamental question about the human experience: “How do friendships make us and shape us?” The question is tackled through the lens of fiction and narrative writing, with an emphasis on point of view.
These lessons pair perfectly with our direct instruction lesson on “Characters in Narrative Writing,” which coaches students through the process of character development.
CERCA Slides by Grade
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Grade 3: Reading to Max
Write the story from the point of view of Max the cat. Use descriptive details to show what he is feeling. (CCSS.RL.3.3-3.6,CCSS.W.3.3)
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Grade 4: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
Rewrite the scene from the first-person point of view of the lion. (CCSS.RL.4.2-4.6,CCSS.W.4.3)
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Grade 5: Getting Even
Write the story from the first-person point of view of Kiara. Use descriptive details to show what she is feeling during the story.(CCSS.RL.5.2-5.6, CCSS.W.5.3)
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Grade 6: Aly's Discovery
Write the scene from the point of view of Ms. Strawbridge. (CCSS.RL.6.2-6.6, CCSS.W.6.3)

Grade 7: The Wishing Tree
Rewrite a scene from the story from the first-person point of view of the dragon. Draw upon descriptive details about the friendship between the dragon and the old man from the original passage. (CCSS.RL.7.1-7.6, CCSS.W.7.3)

Grade 8: The Hundred Dresses
Why does Wanda say she has one hundred dresses? Rewrite the interaction between Wanda, Peggy, and Maddie from Wanda’s perspective, making her inner thoughts clear. (CCSS.RL.8.2-8.6, CCSS.W.8.3)
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Grade 9-10: The Devoted Friend
Write a fictional narrative exploring a friendship in which one friend gives more than the other. Use dialogue, pacing, and descriptive details to develop the relationship between the characters. (CCSS.RL.9-10.6; CCSS.W.9-10.3)
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