Lessons & Units :: Author's Purpose 4th Grade Unit

Lesson 3: Changing an Author’s Purpose

Lesson Plan

Learning Goal
Change an author’s purpose.
Duration
Approximately 50 minutes
Necessary Materials
Provided: “Students Get Healthy” Passage- Direct Teaching Example Passage, “Don’t Miss the Festival at Olympia!”- Guided Practice Example Passage, “Fashion Do or Don’t”- Independent Practice Passage and Worksheet
Not Provided: chart paper, markers

  • Teacher Modeling

    will explain that changing the language in a piece of writing can change the author’s purpose. I will read “Students Get Healthy” aloud and identify the purpose--to inform. Then, I will change the language of the text to make its purpose persuasive. I will use the characteristics of persuasive texts to help me revise and add language to the passage that convinces the reader to think or do something. I will add opinions, feelings, expert information, and language convincing the reader to take action, in order to make the purpose of the passage to persuade the reader that the new law is good. (Passages are provided. See Direct Teaching Teacher Example Passage below in Teacher and Student Materials.)

  • Think Check

    Ask: How did I change the author's purpose of the text? Students should respond that you revised the words and phrases in the text based on characteristics of another author's purpose.

  • Guided Practice

    will identify the author’s purpose of the passage, “Don’t Miss the Festival at Olympia!” (Passages are provided. See Guided Practice Teacher Example Passage below.) Then, using the characteristics of entertaining texts, we will change the purpose of the passage to entertain. We will add humor, fictional elements, and imaginary information to entertain the reader.

  • Independent Practice

    will read the passage, “Fashion Do or Don’t,” (passage is provided) and identify the author’s purpose. You will then rewrite the passage, changing the author’s purpose by choosing from the two remaining purposes. (Student Independent Practice is provided below.)

Build Student Vocabulary nutritious

Tier 2 Word: nutritious
Contextualize the word as it is used in the story “In their place are more nutritious choices, such as granola bars, nuts, water, and juice.”
Explain the meaning student-friendly definition) Nutritious means that something contains vitamins and minerals that are good for your body. The author of the passage means that we can replace unhealthy foods with foods that are good for your body.
Students repeat the word Say the word nutritious with me: nutritious.
Teacher gives examples of the word in other contexts When I eat nutritious foods, I feel healthy and strong. When I do not eat nutritious foods, I lose energy and gain weight.
Students provide examples What is an example of a nutritious food? Start by saying, “One example of a nutritious food is ___________________.”
Students repeat the word again. What word are we talking about? Nutritious.
Additional Vocabulary Words requires, farewell

Build Student Background Knowledge

Explain that you are going to read a passage about Olympia, a city located in Greece. Greece is a country in Southern Europe. Point to Greece on your classroom map or globe. Olympia was the site of the first Olympic Games held 1170 years ago. The first Olympics were meant to honor Zeus, the King of Gods in Greek mythology (stories of the gods). Zeus was thought to rule at Mount Olympus, and was also believed to be the god of thunder and sky long ago.

Texts & Materials

Standards Alignment

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

User Comments

super materials!!

Submitted by jculpepper_2408305 on 11/10/16

These will go great with my class thamks

Submitted by tamarawright668_2209938 on 9/27/16

I love this...It makes my teaching life better!

Submitted by juanitaokanlawon on 9/25/15

This website is fantastic! It's user friendly and offers tons of resources aligned with the standards. Thank you!

Submitted by leatha.pfanmiller_1119451 on 12/10/14

Awesome lessons! Our reading teacher showed me this site, and I'm going to be using lots of these lessons!!

Submitted by Chris on 5/26/14

This lesson went great in my ELAR classroom!

Submitted by KStorey on 12/3/13

I think teachers should use this type of lesson to encourage students with realistic material like these, awesome.

Submitted by Lynn on 11/18/13

These were great reading samples, thank you!

Submitted by Tara on 3/14/13