Scott Foresman Reading Street

SKILLS

STRATEGIES IN CONTEXT

Author's Purpose
Prior Knowledge

Test

Selection Test:
Unit 5
Benchmark Test: Unit 3

Reteach/
Review

TE: 3.1 51; 3.2 249b, DI•55; 3.3 329b, 347, 391, DI•53; 3.5 275b, DI•55

PB: 3.1 16, 83, 87, 88, 113, 117, 118, 126, 146; 3.2 93, 97, 98

Practice

TE: 3.2 224–225, 3.3 304–305,
3.5 244–245

Introduce/
Teach

Author's Purpose

	Understand author's purpose.
	Activate prior knowledge about a topic to understand author's purpose.

INTRODUCE

Create a short classified advertisement:
Moving Sale! The Tang family is moving. We have many items for sale. Come see our furniture! For information, call Mr. Tang.

Ask students to identify the author of the ad (Mr. Tang) and his reason for writing it (to inform people about his moving sale).

Read aloud the information on p. 244. Explain the following:

Authors can have more than one reason for writing. These reasons may be to persuade, to inform, to entertain, or to express ideas or feelings.
Thinking about what you already know can help you understand an author's purpose.

Use Skill Transparency 25 to teach author's purpose and prior knowledge.

TEACH

STRATEGY Use paragraphs 1

and 2 to model how to activate

prior knowledge.

MODEL At the beginning of the first two paragraphs, the author asks questions about

New York City. That gets me thinking about a time I visited Manhattan. I was at the Empire State Building. I can think about what I saw as I read what the author says about this building.

SKILL Discuss the author's

purpose.

MODEL To figure out the author's purpose, I have to look for clues. In the article,

there are many facts about New York City. I learned a lot. So I guess the author's purpose is to inform.

PRACTICE AND ASSESS

STRATEGY Responses will vary.

Invite students to recall what they've read about New York City or their experiences there.

SKILL Yes. The author's purpose is to

inform the reader.

WRITE Have students complete steps

1 and 2 of the Write to Read activity. You might consider using this as a whole class activity.

then… use Practice Book 3.2, p. 93 to provide practice.

If… students are unable to complete Write to Read on
p. 244,

Author's Purpose

Available as Skill Transparency 25

An author usually writes to inform, to
persuade, to entertain, or to express
an opinion.

The author’s purpose is the reason an
author has for writing.

Author’s Purpose

Strategy
Prior Knowledge

Skill
Author’s Purpose

Have you ever been to New York City? It’s
a terrific place to visit. There are many things
to see and do. New York City is the largest
city in the United States.

Good readers use what they already know
to help them understand what they are
reading. As you read, think about what you
already know to help you understand why
the author wrote something.

Strategy: Prior Knowledge

Author’s
Purpose

Fact from
article

Strategy What do
you already know
about New York
City? How does
that help you better
understand what
you just read?

Do you like interesting places? In New
York City you can visit the Empire State
Building. This grand building opened in 1931.
It is 102 stories tall! For many years, it was the
tallest building in the world.

There are many things to see and do in New
York City. You will have a wonderful time when
you come to visit!

Skill Here you can
think about why
the author wrote
this. Do you think
it was to give you
information about
New York City?

If you enjoy great plays and musical events,
Broadway, a street in the center of New York
City, has it all. This is the most famous theater
district in the country.

Another breathtaking place is the Statue of
Liberty. This statue stands on Bedloe’s Island in
New York Harbor. It was a gift from France in
1886. The Statue of Liberty rises to over 300
feet tall. People come from all over the world
to see this famous statue.

2. Write a paragraph about the
    author’s purposes for writing
    this piece. Then draw a picture
    of a place you have visited or
    seen on television that reminds
    you of New York City.

1. Read “New York City.”
    Create a graphic organizer
    like the one above to
    determine the author’s
    purpose.



	Close
	Access Content Beginning/Intermediate For a Picture It! lesson on author's purpose, see the ELL Teaching Guide, pp. 169–170. Advanced Ask a volunteer to read aloud the final two sentences of the first paragraph on p. 245. Point out that the author tells us about New York City. Help students see that the author's purpose will be to inform or entertain. After students read the selection, have them tell which clues helped them determine the author's purpose. Author's Purpose Have students draw in their journals a graphic organizer like the one on p. 244. Then do a choral reading of "New York City," stopping after each paragraph to record clues that help students understand the author's purpose. When you finish reading, work with students to put together the clues to make a final decision about author's purpose. Practice Book 3.2 p. 93 with \| without Answers