Teaching Author’s Purpose to Elementary Students: Strategies and Activities

Understanding Author’s Purpose

Author’s purpose refers to the reason why an author writes a piece of text. Typically, there are three main purposes an author might have:

1. To Persuade: The author aims to convince the reader to believe or do something. This is often seen in advertisements, opinion pieces, and persuasive essays.

2. To Inform: The author provides facts and information about a topic. This purpose is common in textbooks, news articles, and informational texts.

3. To Entertain: The author writes to amuse the reader. This is found in stories, poems, and plays that are meant to provide enjoyment.
   

A simple way to remember these purposes is with the acronym P.I.E. (Persuade, Inform, Entertain).

Students reading and writing about author's purpose at a table outside

Strategies for Teaching Author’s Purpose

Teaching author’s purpose can be both fun and educational with the right strategies and activities. Here are some effective ways to help elementary students grasp this concept:

1. Use Relatable Examples

Start with examples that are relevant to students’ lives. Discuss scenarios where they might have different purposes for communicating:

Persuade: 

Convincing a friend to play a game they like.

Inform: 

Telling a classmate about a new movie they watched.

Entertain: 

Sharing a funny story about something that happened at school.

By connecting author’s purpose to everyday situations, students can better understand the concept.

2. Read Aloud with Purpose

Choose a variety of texts to read aloud to the class, such as a persuasive letter, a factual article, and a humorous story.

As you read each one, pause to discuss:

• What is the author trying to do?

• What clues help us understand the author's purpose?

Encourage students to think about the language and style used in each text to identify its purpose. For instance, persuasive texts often include strong opinions and arguments, while informational texts focus on facts and explanations.

3. Anchor Charts and Visuals

Create an anchor chart that outlines the three main purposes along with keywords and examples for each. Display this chart in the classroom as a visual reminder for students.

Use images or symbols to represent each purpose. For instance, a pie chart can be divided into three sections labeled with "P," "I," and "E."

4. Graphic Organizers

Introduce graphic organizers to help students identify the author's purpose in different texts. These tools can guide students to analyze specific parts of the text and connect them to the author's intent.

A simple graphic organizer might include sections for:

• Title of the text

• Clues from the text (e.g., words, phrases)

• Identified author’s purpose

You can download and print simple organizers, or you can encourage students to draw their own. These can be utilized individually or in group settings.

5. Interactive Activities

Incorporate interactive activities that engage students in learning about author’s purpose:

Sort and Match: 

Provide students with a stack of cards containing short text excerpts. Ask them to sort these into categories based on author’s purpose. For example, sentences about why dogs are the best pets would be persuasive, while instructions on how to bake cookies would be informational.

P.I.E. Game: 

Create a game where students spin a wheel or roll a die to land on one of the three purposes. They then have to provide an example of text that fits that purpose or act out a scenario.

Author’s Purpose Scavenger Hunt: 

Assign a scavenger hunt where students look for examples of different purposes in various texts around the classroom or library. Have them list examples they find, such as a news article (inform), a comic strip (entertain), or a magazine ad (persuade).

An elementary teacher and students learning about author's purpose

Activities to Reinforce Author’s Purpose

Here are a few activities designed to reinforce the understanding of author’s purpose:

1. Author’s Purpose Walk

Take students on an "Author’s Purpose Walk" around the school or classroom. Prepare stations with different types of texts, such as:

• A poem

• A newspaper article

• An advertisement

• A recipe

At each station, have students discuss in groups what they think the author’s purpose is and why. This activity allows students to engage with real-world examples and think critically about the texts they encounter daily.

2. Write Your Own P.I.E.

Encourage students to write short pieces for each type of author’s purpose. For example, have them write:

• A persuasive letter to their principal asking for more recess time.

• An informational paragraph about their favorite animal.

• A short entertaining story about an adventure.

After writing, students can share their work with the class, and peers can identify the purpose based on the writing style and content.

3. Author’s Purpose Posters

Divide the class into small groups and assign each group an author’s purpose. Each group creates a poster that explains their assigned purpose, including examples, keywords, and illustrations. Display these posters around the classroom as a creative way to reinforce learning. Use images or symbols to represent each purpose. For instance, a pie chart can be divided into three sections labeled with "P," "I," and "E."

4. Graphic Organizers

Introduce graphic organizers to help students identify the author's purpose in different texts. These tools can guide students to analyze specific parts of the text and connect them to the author's intent. A simple graphic organizer might include sections for:

• Title of the text

• Clues from the text (e.g., words, phrases)

• Identified author’s purpose

You can download and print simple organizers, or you can encourage students to draw their own. These can be utilized individually or in group settings.

5. Interactive Activities

Incorporate interactive activities that engage students in learning about author’s purpose:

Sort and Match: 

Provide students with a stack of cards containing short text excerpts. Ask them to sort these into categories based on author’s purpose. For example, sentences about why dogs are the best pets would be persuasive, while instructions on how to bake cookies would be informational.

P.I.E. Game: 

Create a game where students spin a wheel or roll a die to land on one of the three purposes. They then have to provide an example of text that fits that purpose or act out a scenario.

Author’s Purpose Scavenger Hunt: 

Assign a scavenger hunt where students look for examples of different purposes in various texts around the classroom or library. Have them list examples they find, such as a news article (inform), a comic strip (entertain), or a magazine ad (persuade).

Students engaged in interactive learning

Activities to Reinforce Author’s Purpose

Here are a few activities designed to reinforce the understanding of author’s purpose:

1. Author’s Purpose Walk

Take students on an "Author’s Purpose Walk" around the school or classroom. Prepare stations with different types of texts, such as:

• A poem

• A newspaper article

• An advertisement

• A recipe

At each station, have students discuss in groups what they think the author’s purpose is and why. This activity allows students to engage with real-world examples and think critically about the texts they encounter daily.

2. Write Your Own P.I.E.

Encourage students to write short pieces for each type of author’s purpose. For example, have them write:

• A persuasive letter to their principal asking for more recess time.

• An informational paragraph about their favorite animal.

• A short entertaining story about an adventure.

After writing, students can share their work with the class, and peers can identify the purpose based on the writing style and content.

3. Author’s Purpose Posters

Divide the class into small groups and assign each group an author’s purpose. Each group creates a poster that explains their assigned purpose, including examples, keywords, and illustrations. Display these posters around the classroom as a creative way to reinforce learning.

A student-made anchor chart

Teaching author’s purpose to elementary students is crucial in developing their reading comprehension skills. By using relatable examples, engaging activities, and visual aids, educators can make this concept accessible and enjoyable for young learners. Encouraging students to think about the author’s intent helps them become more analytical readers and more effective communicators in their own writing.

Remember, understanding author’s purpose is not just about recognizing the intention behind a text; it’s about building a foundation for critical thinking that students will use throughout their educational journey. With these strategies and activities, students can confidently explore and interpret the diverse world of written communication.