Common Core Reading Lessons: Author's Purpose

Author's Purpose (The reason why an author has written a text for readers) - Lessons Grades 2-6

Second Grade - Lessons: 1) Identify text evidence that shows the author’s purpose is to entertain. 2) Identify text evidence that shows the author’s purpose is to inform. 3) Identify text evidence that shows that the author’s purpose is to persuade. Draw a conclusion about what the author is trying to persuade the reader to do or think.
Third Grade Lessons: 1) Identify the author’s purpose as: to entertain, to inform, or to persuade. Identify text evidence that supports the author’s purpose. 2) Use a graphic organizer to identify the author’s purpose. Identify text evidence that supports the author’s purpose. 3) Distinguish between different author’s purposes in texts with the same topic.
Fourth Grade - Lessons: 1) Identify the author’s purpose in different sections of a newspaper. 2) Classify and categorize examples of each of the three purposes: to entertain, to inform, and to persuade. 3) Change an author’s purpose.
Fifth Grade
Sixth Grade

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.2.6
Identify the main purpose of a text, including what the author wants to answer, explain, or describe.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.2.8
Describe how reasons support specific points the author makes in a text.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.3.6
Distinguish their own point of view from that of the author of a text.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.4.8
Explain how an author uses reasons and evidence to support particular points in a text.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.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).
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.6.6
Determine an author's point of view or purpose in a text and explain how it is conveyed in the text.