Author's Purpose | Independent Practice
Students will practice identifying an author’s purpose—to inform, persuade, or entertain—by reading short passages independently and explaining their choices using text evidence. The lesson is designed for adult learners at a very easy level and includes guided support, simple checks for understanding, and a brief assessment.
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Author’s purpose | The reason an author writes a text. |
| Inform | To give facts or teach the reader something. |
| Persuade | To convince the reader to think or do something. |
| Entertain | To amuse, interest, or engage the reader. |
| Text evidence | Words or details from the text that support an answer. |
Display the three purposes: inform, persuade, entertain. Briefly review each with one simple example.
Listen, review the terms, and say one example aloud if asked.
Read one very short sample passage aloud. Think aloud to show how to look for clues and decide the author’s purpose.
Follow along and highlight clue words or details.
Give students 4–6 short passages to read independently. Circulate to support as needed.
Read each passage, identify the purpose, and write one reason using text evidence.
Review answers as a class or in pairs. Clarify any errors and restate key clues for each purpose.
Compare answers, correct work, and ask questions.
Collect a short exit ticket with 2–3 new passages or questions.
Complete the assessment independently.
Review the three purposes one final time and ask students to share one clue they used today.
Respond orally or in writing and reflect on what helped them decide.
Students restate the three author’s purposes and share one clue that helped them identify a purpose. The teacher reinforces that readers should always look for facts, opinions, and tone to determine why an author wrote a text.
Exit ticket: Students read 2–3 short passages and identify the author’s purpose for each, with one supporting detail. Score for accuracy and use of evidence.
Read one short article, ad, or story at home and write 2–3 sentences identifying the author’s purpose and one clue that helped you decide.