According to the video, what is the reader's job when considering an author's purpose?

To consider how the author's purpose influences the information shared and the reader's understanding, and to evaluate whether the reader agrees with the author.

The video mentions the acronym PIE (Persuade, Inform, Entertain) as a way to categorize author's purpose. Why does the video suggest going deeper than just PIE?

The video suggests going deeper than PIE because author's purposes can be more complex and nuanced than these three broad categories.

What is 'healthy skepticism,' as the video uses the term, and why is it important when reading informational texts?

Healthy skepticism involves questioning the author's opinions, the information included or omitted, the connotation of word choices, and the overall tone to identify potential biases or misleading information.

In the fake Washington Post opinion column about cake and dental health, what is the author's stated opinion?

The author's stated opinion is that cake is dangerous and poses a threat to the nation's dental health.

In the cake versus pie example, what information did the author choose to leave out, and why was this significant?

The author avoided explicitly including pies in the category of sugary desserts that are associated with bad dental outcomes, likely because they wanted to promote pie consumption over cake consumption.

Discovering Author's Purpose

9th GradeELA700 min

Learning Objective

I can determine an author's purpose in a text and provide evidence to support my analysis.

Lesson Flow

Watch Video

7 min

Analyzing an author's purpose | Reading | Khan Academy

Khan Academy

Guided Notes

140 min

Key concepts students will learn:

•
An author's purpose influences the structure, words, and ideas within a text, especially in informational texts.
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When reading, consider the author's opinion, what information they include or omit, and the connotation of their word choices.
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Authors may use strategies such as citing scientific studies or using negative language to persuade readers to adopt their viewpoint.

Practice

210 min

12 questions • Multiple choice & Short answer

Exit Ticket

5 min

“Read the following excerpt and answer the questions below: 'A new study shows that students who spend at least 30 minutes reading each day score higher on standardized tests. Therefore, parents should encourage their children to read more.' What is the author's likely purpose in writing this? Provide one piece of evidence from the excerpt to support your answer.”

Teacher Guide

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Discovering Author's Purpose

Learning Objective

Lesson Flow

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Guided Notes

Practice

Exit Ticket

Teacher Guide

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