| Full lesson | Create for a teacher a set of content for giving a lesson, beginning with the lesson plan. Each new block of materials must begin with an H1 heading (other subheaders must be H2, H3, etc). When you describe required pictures, write those descriptions in curly brackets, for example: {A picture of a triangle} |
| Which subject | English |
| What topic | Authors purpose |
| What length (min) | 30 |
| What age group | Year or Grade 3 |
| Class size | 20 |
| What curriculum | |
| Include full script | |
| Check previous homework | |
| Ask some students to presents their homework | |
| Add a physical break | |
| Add group activities | |
| Include homework | |
| Show correct answers | |
| Prepare slide templates | |
| Number of slides | 5 |
| Create fill-in cards for students | |
| Create creative backup tasks for unexpected moments |
English
Author's Purpose
Grade 3
30 minutes
20 students
The lesson corresponds to the National English Language Arts Standards for Grade 3.
| Step Number | Step Title | Length | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Introduction | 5 minutes | Introduce the concept of Author's Purpose. Discuss why understanding purpose is important. |
| 2 | Direct Instruction | 10 minutes | Explain the three main purposes: to inform, to entertain, and to persuade. Provide examples for each purpose. |
| 3 | Group Activity | 10 minutes | In groups, students read short passages and identify the author's purpose, sharing their reasoning with group members. |
| 4 | Class Discussion | 3 minutes | Facilitate a brief class discussion about findings from the group activity. Encourage students to present their thoughts. |
| 5 | Homework Assignment | 2 minutes | Assign homework related to author’s purpose, provide sheets and instructions without asking for any presentations. |
This lesson plan aims to engage Grade 3 students in understanding the author's purpose, developing critical reading skills through collaborative activities and individual homework assessment.
"Good morning, class! Today we're going to dive into a really important idea in reading, and that's called 'Author's Purpose.' Can anyone tell me what they think an author’s purpose is? [Pause for responses] Great thoughts!
Understanding why an author writes something helps us become better readers. Authors usually write with one of three main purposes in mind. By the end of our lesson today, you will be able to identify those purposes and explain them in your own words. Let's get started!"
"Now, let's talk about the three main purposes an author might have when they write.
To Inform: This is when an author wants to give us information or teach us something. For example, a textbook about science informs us about the solar system.
To Entertain: This is when an author is telling a story to make us laugh, feel excited, or enjoy an adventure. Think about a fun story or a comic book you love.
To Persuade: This is when the author tries to convince us to do something or believe in something. Advertisements are a great example; they try to get us to buy a product.
Let’s look at some examples. Here’s a passage about sharks. [Hold up the passage] What purpose do you think this author had? [Allow time for answers] That’s right, to inform!
Now, who can think of an example of a story that entertains? [Wait for responses] Awesome! And what about a persuasive piece? [Wait for responses] Excellent examples, everyone!"
"Now it's your turn! I’m going to split you into groups of four. Each group will get a set of short passages. Your job is to read through these together and figure out the author's purpose for each piece. Talk amongst yourselves about your thoughts. Remember: Are they informing, entertaining, or persuading?
I’ll give you about ten minutes for this activity. Feel free to use the chart I drew earlier as a reference. Ready? Go!"
"Alright, everyone, let’s come back together as a class. I’d love to hear what you discussed in your groups. Can one group share a passage and tell us what the author's purpose was? [Encourage a group to share] Great job! How did you come to that conclusion? [Encourage responses]
Does anyone else have a different example from their group? [Encourage a few more groups to share] Fantastic work, everyone! You are really getting the hang of this!"
"For homework tonight, I want you all to look for something to read at home, whether it’s a book, a magazine, or even a website. You’ll need to write down the title, and then tell me what you think the author's purpose is, and why you think that. I've got an assignment sheet here for you with all the details.
Make sure to turn it in tomorrow, and remember, no presentations—just write down your thoughts! Any questions before we wrap up? [Pause for questions] Excellent! I can’t wait to hear what you find. See you tomorrow!"
Find a book, article, or website that you can read at home. Write down the title and author.
What do you think is the author's purpose for writing this piece?
Explain your reasoning for why you believe this is the author's purpose. Use examples from the text if possible.
Can you identify any specific elements of the writing that support your conclusion about the author's purpose? List and describe at least two.
Choose a different piece of writing (like an advertisement or a comic). What is the author's purpose in this selection? Explain your reasoning.
Reflect on how understanding the author's purpose can change the way we read. What are some benefits of knowing why an author writes?
Describe a time when you read something that was intended to persuade you. What was the text, and did it successfully persuade you? Why or why not?
Create a short paragraph that summarizes what you learned about author's purpose from today's lesson.