Understanding Text Structure and Author’s Purpose
Understanding Text Structure and Author’s Purpose Objective: Students will learn to identify the structure of informational texts and explain how the author’s purpose shapes the content, directly addressing standard 7.RI.7.
Learning Objectives
- Identify different types of text structures in informational reading.
- Explain the author’s purpose for writing a specific informational text.
- Support answers with examples from the text.
Materials Needed
- Printed copies of a short informational article (1-2 pages)
- Highlighters or colored pencils
- Notebook or worksheet for notes
- Pencils
Key Vocabulary
- Text Structure
- The way information is organized in a text, such as cause and effect, problem and solution, or sequence.
- Author’s Purpose
- The reason why an author writes a text, like to inform, persuade, or entertain.
- Informational Text
- A nonfiction text that provides facts or explanations about a topic.
Detailed Activities
Read and Identify Text Structure
- Give the student a short informational article to read silently or aloud together.
- Discuss the article briefly, ensuring understanding of the topic.
- Explain common text structures (cause/effect, problem/solution, sequence, description).
- Guide the student to highlight or underline parts of the text that show the structure.
- Ask the student to name the text structure and explain why they think so.
Explore Author’s Purpose
- Review the article’s content and discuss what the author wants the reader to learn or feel.
- Explain the main types of author’s purpose: to inform, persuade, or entertain.
- Ask the student to decide the author’s purpose for the article and give reasons using examples from the text.
- Write a short sentence together summarizing the author’s purpose.
Wrap-Up and Reflection
- Have the student draw or write a simple graphic organizer showing the text structure they identified.
- Discuss how knowing the author’s purpose helps understand the text better.
- Review vocabulary terms and their meanings together.
Parent & Instructor Notes
- This lesson focuses on helping your child recognize how informational texts are organized and why authors write them.
- Encourage your child to think about the author’s main goal when reading any nonfiction material.
- You don’t need to be an expert; just guide your child through the steps and discuss their ideas together.
Assessment Questions
- What type of text structure did you find in the article? How do you know?
- What do you think the author’s purpose was for writing this article? Give one reason.
- Can you find a part of the text that shows the author’s purpose clearly?
Extension Ideas
- Have the student find another short informational article at home or online and identify its text structure and author’s purpose.
- Create a simple chart comparing different text structures with examples from books or articles you read together.
- Write a short paragraph from your child’s point of view with a clear author’s purpose, such as to inform or persuade.
Frequently Asked Questions
Try breaking the text into smaller sections and discuss each part separately. Use graphic organizers or drawings to help visualize the structure.
Ask your child to explain why they think the author wrote the text and to point to examples that support their ideas. Their ability to explain clearly shows understanding.
Teacher’s Guide
Common Misconceptions:
- Students may confuse text structure with the main idea or topic instead of focusing on how the information is organized.
- Some may think all authors write to entertain, overlooking informative or persuasive purposes.
Scaffolding Ideas:
For Struggling Students:
- Use shorter texts with clear, simple structures.
- Provide graphic organizers or templates to fill in during reading.
For Advanced Students:
- Challenge them to compare two texts on the same topic but with different purposes or structures.
- Encourage writing their own short informational piece with a clear structure and purpose.
Pacing Recommendations:
- Spend about 15 minutes on reading and identifying text structure.
- Use 15 minutes to explore author’s purpose with discussion and examples.
- Finish with 15 minutes for reflection, vocabulary review, and wrap-up activities.
Standards
- 7.RI.7 — Analyze various accounts of a subject told in different mediums to determine which details are emphasized in each account.
Printable Worksheet
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