• Printer Friendly Version
• Add to My ePortfolio

Subject

English Language Arts (2005), English Language Arts (NYS P-12 Common Core)

Motivation

Open the lesson by asking students to brainstorm a list of purposes for writing.

Description

This lesson is designed to have students identify the author's purpose of various literature.

Website(s)

Teachnology

Materials and Resources

Author's Purpose.doc
Author's Purpose 2.doc
Author's Purpose 3.doc
Author's Purpose 4.doc

Objective

Students will identify the key components to determining the author’s purpose.

Materials

Various short reading selections (fiction and non fiction)
See Supported Materials (adopted from Teachnology.com)

Mini Lesson

Good readers always try to determine the author’s purpose or the reasons why an author writes a story or an article.
To identify the author’s purpose as we read, we should ask the following questions:

What does the author say?

What do others say and do?

What are the key ideas and details?

What is the author trying to do?

Is the author trying to describe, to inform, to entertain, or to persuade me to accept his or her point of view?

Guided Practice/Independent Practice

1. Have students read a short selection.
2. Ask students answer the four key questions and determine the author’s purpose.
3. Chart students' responses.
4. Discuss the responses and identify the author’s purpose.

Author's Purpose.doc

Author's Purpose 2.doc

Assessment

1. Give students a longer selection to read independently.
2. Have students answer the 4 four questions.
3. Ask students to identify and write the author's purpose of the selection.

Author's Purpose 3.doc

Author's Purpose 4.doc

Related Academic Standards

New York State

5R6 

• In literary texts, explain how a narrator’s or speaker’s point of view influences how events are described. (RL)
• In informational texts, analyze multiple accounts of the same event or topic, noting important similarities and differences in the point of view they represent. (RI)

5R8 Explain how claims in a text are supported by relevant reasons and evidence, identifying which reasons and evidence support which claims. (RI&RL)

6R6 

• Identify the point of view and explain how it is developed and conveys meaning. (RI&RL)
• Explain how an author’s geographic location or culture affects his or her perspective. (RI&RL)

7R6 

• In literary texts, analyze how an author develops and contrasts the point of view and the perspectives of different characters or narrators. (RL)
• In informational texts, analyze how the author distinguishes his or her position from that of others. (RI)

8R6 

• In literary texts, analyze how the differences between the point of view, perspectives of the characters, the audience, or reader create effects such as mood and tone. (RL)
• In informational texts, analyze how the author addresses conflicting evidence or viewpoints. (RI)

View All