Author's Purpose
Complete unit · Grades 3–5 · 46-page PDF
5 lessons · 8 leveled passages · pre- and post-assessment
Name an author's main purpose (persuade, inform or entertain) and prove it with a clue from the text.
View the full unit from Milestone Teachers
What's inside
- Teacher guide: unit at a glance, measured levels, grouping
- Pre- and post-assessment in parallel forms + class tracker
- Illustrated anchor chart: persuade, inform, entertain
- 5 lesson plans in gradual release (I do, we do, you do)
- 8 original passages at Levels A, B and C, readability printed
- Sort, sentence-job table, point-of-view organizers
- 24 task cards + exit tickets for Lessons 1-4
- 3 small-group reteach cards and every answer key
Lessons at a glance
| When | Focus | Pages |
|---|---|---|
| Before | Pre-assessment, Form A (about 15 minutes) | 4-5 |
| Lesson 1 | Why did the author write it? I can name an author's main purpose (persuade, inform or entertain) and prove it with a clue from the text. | 7-13 |
| Lesson 2 | Facts can persuade I can explain how an author uses facts as reasons to persuade, and tell which facts support which reason. | 14-18 |
| Lesson 3 | Funny can inform I can tell the job of each sentence in a funny article and decide its main purpose. | 19-23 |
| Lesson 4 | The author's point of view and mine I can state the author's point of view, the reasons and evidence behind it, and how my point of view is the same or different. | 24-27 |
| Lesson 5 | Show what you know: one story, three levels I can name the main purpose of a story that teaches facts, and prove it on my own. | 28-32 |
| Review | 24 task cards + recording sheet (centers or small groups) | 33-36 |
| After | Post-assessment, Form B; compare on the tracker | 37-38 |
| Any day | Reteach cards for small groups | 39-40 |
Passages and levels
| Passage | Used in | Level | Grade (FK) | Words |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bats: Three Short Texts | Lesson 1 (guided) | Level A | 2.8 | 186 |
| Owls: Three Short Texts | Lesson 1 (on your own) | Level B | 4.1 | 232 |
| A Letter About a Garden | Lesson 2 | Level B | 4.4 | 201 |
| Sloths: Champions of Slow | Lesson 3 | Level B | 4.0 | 227 |
| Turn Out the Lights for Birds | Lesson 4 | Level C | 5.3 | 254 |
| Maple Morning | Lesson 5 | Level A | 3.1 | 185 |
| Maple Morning | Lesson 5 | Level B | 4.1 | 212 |
| Maple Morning | Lesson 5 | Level C | 5.4 | 266 |
Standards
Common Core codes and wording as printed in the unit.
- RI.3.6 Distinguish their own point of view from that of the author of a text.
- RI.4.8 Explain how an author uses reasons and evidence to support particular points in a text.
- RI.5.8 Explain how an author uses reasons and evidence to support particular points in a text, identifying which reasons and evidence support which point(s).
Ontario Language (2023): direct matches
None is listed. We show an Ontario Language (2023) expectation here only once we have confirmed it is a direct match for this skill.