English Lesson  -  Author's Purpose

Identify Purpose - Identify the purpose for writing (i.e., to inform, to describe, to persuade).
SPI 0601.3.1

Identify Purpose - Identify the purpose of a speech (i.e., to inform, to describe, to persuade).
SPI 0601.2.1

Summarize Oral Information - Summarize information presented orally by others in which the main ideas may be explicitly or implicitly stated, including the purposes, major ideas, and supporting details or evidence.
0601.2.4
 

In longer pieces, formal statements of purpose are frequently found in the preface or introduction.

Persuade Persuasive writing is meant to change the way a reader thinks or acts. First the author states a viewpoint about a topic. Then the author supports it with facts and details and answers opposing viewpoints.

Persuasive writings would include advertisements, newspaper editorials, junk mail, posters, argumentative pieces in professional journals, and propaganda.
Inform Informing paragraphs include nonfictional factual information.

Informing paragraphs are written to give information to the reader. These include news reports, research papers, encyclopedias, school news letters, or pamphlets from health clinics.
Explain Explaining or expository paragraphs give information or explain subjects using facts and details. This type of paragraph often uses cause-effect order or time order.

Explaining writings may include how-to books, leaflets telling you how to do something such as entering a contest, or directions.
Describe Descriptive writing describes someone or something. It has a main idea, details, and adjectives. A descriptive paragraph also creates images (imagery) that helps the reader see, hear, feel, smell, or taste something.

Teaching

Author's Purpose Online Activity http://fcit.usf.edu/fcat/strategies/ap/default.htm

Lesson Identifying the Author's Purpose http://www.studyzone.org/testprep/ela4/h/authorpur.cfm &
Practice Identifying the Author's Purpose http://www.studyzone.org/testprep/ela4/o/authorspurposep.cfm

Types of Text http://www.bbc.co.uk/skillswise/words/reading/typesoftext/game.shtml

Matching the Definitions to One Example http://www.oswego.org/ocsd-web/match/term/matchgeneric2.asp?filename=kderitteauth

Reading for a Purpose (9 writing selections with 3 questions about each) http://www.citycol.com/basic_skills/Quizzes/Purpose/reading_purpose.htm

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Practice

BrainPop Different Types of Writing http://www.brainpop.com/english/writing/typesofwriting/

Lab Activity 4: Audience and Purpose (10 multiple choice questions) http://wps.ablongman.com/long_long_rw_1/0,8256,1041232-,00.html

Online Quiz (10 multiple choice questions) http://www.thatquiz.org/tq/practicetest?TUAG7034

Lab Activity 47: Author's Purpose  (15 multiple choice questions) http://wps.ablongman.com/long_henry_er_1/0,7989,1130503-,00.html

Author's Purpose and Point of View Pretest  (10 multiple choice questions)
 http://unx1.shsu.edu/%7Etxcae/Powerpoints/prepostest/authorpovpretest.html &
Author's Purpose and Point of View Postest  (10 multiple choice questions)
 http://unx1.shsu.edu/%7Etxcae/Powerpoints/prepostest/authorpovpostest.html

Making Judgments (story with questions - question on author's purpose) http://teacher.scholastic.com/lessonrepro/reproducibles/profbooks/judgement34.pdf & http://teacher.scholastic.com/lessonrepro/reproducibles/profbooks/makejudge.pdf

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Activities

Lesson: Images As Persuasion http://www.kn.sbc.com/wired/21stcent/lmpersuasion.html

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Example Question:  Choose the purpose for the following type of writing.

A report urging students to adopt a pet.
         
   A. to persuade
   B. to explain
   C. to describe
   D. to inform

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