Author's Purpose 3rd Grade Unit

Lessons & Units

Author's Purpose 3rd Grade Unit

Lessons

Lesson 1: Identifying an Author’s Purpose Identify the author’s purpose as: to entertain, to inform, or to persuade.Identify text evidence that supports the author’s purpose.

Smoking Hurts the Lungs and Heart

Hispanic Population Soars

Casey Saves the Play

Lesson 2: Identifying an Author’s Purpose - Part 2 Use a graphic organizer to identify the author’s purpose.Identify text evidence that supports the author’s purpose.

Lesson 3: Distinguishing the Author’s Purpose Distinguish between different author’s purposes in texts with the same topic.

Unit Extension Ideas

As students read books independently or in literature groups, have them identify the author’s purpose and clues that give evidence about the author’s purpose. (See Additional Activity A in Teacher and Student Materials below.)

Have students read short passages and identify the author’s purpose. (See Additional Activity B.)

Display a chart of clues that help to identify an author’s purpose. (See Additional Activity C.)

Have students classify and categorize books in the classroom library based on the author’s purpose: to entertain, to inform, or to persuade.

Have students sort Concepts of ComprehensionReading Passages (provided on the website) according to the author’s purpose.

Have students write three paragraphs—one for each purpose (to inform, to persuade, and to entertain). Then have them exchange their paragraphs with a partner. Have the partner identify the purpose of each paragraph. Possible topics include: Ancient China, Ancient Egypt, Ancient Rome, Art and Artists, China Today, Musical Instruments, Pilgrims, Mountains, Famous Americans