Lessons & Units :: Author's Purpose 3rd Grade Unit

Lesson 2: Identifying an Author’s Purpose - Part 2

Lesson Plan

Learning Goal
Use a graphic organizer to identify the author’s purpose.
Identify text evidence that supports the author’s purpose.
Duration
Approximately 50 minutes
Necessary Materials
Provided: “A Tricky Monkey,” “Fit for Life,” Example Direct Teaching Graphic Organizer, Example Guided Practice Graphic Organizer, Independent Practice Passage and Worksheet
Not Provided: chart paper, markers

  • Teacher Modeling

    will read the passage “A Tricky Monkey” (provided in Books and Passages). I will complete a graphic organizer, identifying the author’s purpose and the details that support the author’s purpose. (Direct Teaching Teacher Example Graphic Organizer is provided below in Teacher and Student Materials.)

  • Think Check

    Ask: How did I identify the author's purpose in the passage? Students should respond that you used a graphic organizer and identified key details in the text that gave you clues as to why the author wrote the passage.

  • Guided Practice

    will read the passage “Fit for Life" (provided in Books and Passages). We will complete a graphic organizer, identifying the author’s purpose and the details that support the author’s purpose. (Guided Practice Teacher Example Graphic Organizer is provided below.)

  • Independent Practice

    will read the passage “Ice City” (provided in Books and Passages). You will complete the graphic organizer, identifying the author’s purpose and the details that tell the reader the author’s purpose. (Student Independent Practice is provided below.)

Build Student Vocabulary ignore

Tier 2 Word: ignore
Contextualize the word as it is used in the story "The monkeys were upset with Kojo. They ignored him."
Explain the meaning student-friendly definition) Ignore means to purposely refuse to pay attention to something or someone. If the monkeys ignored Kojo, it means they stopped paying attention to him.
Students repeat the word Say the word ignore with me: ignore.
Teacher gives examples of the word in other contexts When I feel ignored, it makes me upset; I like it when people listen to me. I ignore my mother when she is bugging me about cleaning my room.
Students provide examples How do you react when someone ignores you? Start by saying, “When someone ignores me, I …”
Students repeat the word again. What word are we talking about? Ignore.
Additional Vocabulary Words scolded, trust

Build Student Background Knowledge

After reading "Fit for Life," explain to students that water is one of the most important parts of a good diet. Water carries nutrients through the body and helps us get rid of waste. Water cools our body after physical activity, and is important for maintaining healthy joints. Are beverages like Gatorade and Vitamin Water good substitutions for water? Many scientists do not think so. Vitamin Water contains too much sugar and can disrupt your body's ability to battle sickness. Sugar is converted into fat in your body, so it is also not helpful for maintaining a healthy weight.

Texts & Materials

Standards Alignment

(To see all of the ReadWorks lessons aligned to your standards, click here.)

User Comments

Read Works is a site all teachers should refer to. All lessons explained here are in simplified manner level wise. I personally recommend many of my colleagues to check and use Read Works. Thank you for sharing such wonderful lessons.

Submitted by gerty.ferns on 3/30/16

These lesson plans are nicely detailed with activities that increase student engagement and comprehension.

Submitted by mirapence_1951539 on 2/28/16

Thank you so much for sharing. We teach, we know, but we also forget to carry out some details as you have posted. Even we have taught our kids these skills, without their own practice, they won't learn that deep. Once again, many thanks!

Submitted by rho_1862106 on 1/27/16

Thank you for this lesson

Submitted by dhouti_1217733 on 2/3/15

I am so thrilled to discover this site. Third graders need all of the different skills for extra practice, and I can choose the skill where it is needed. Thanks!

Submitted by wfgarrett on 12/9/14

I have browsed through the site and have used pieces. I am looking forward to using a unified lesson on author's purpose. I am a retired reading specialist and tutor children privately. Comprehension skills are not so easily specified. I really like the organization into specific comprehension skills.

Submitted by reynoldsjc4244 on 10/20/14

Thank you so much for this lesson. I am sure it will help me to teach this skill tomorrow.

Submitted by Carmen on 11/11/12

Thank you for the graphic organizer. I feel like the students will better understand authors purpose using the strategies provided and using the graphic organizer.

Submitted by Shanell Lee on 10/19/12

Thank you for sharing these lessons. Some of the skills that my students continue to struggle with are listed here and I am anxious to begin using these lessons. One particularly tough skill for my third graders is Author's Purpose. We teachers cannot really understand why they have so much trouble with it, but I am always grateful for more resources.

Thank you,

Anita White

Submitted by Anita White on 10/4/12