Authors Purpose and Target Audience
A book tells readers that seeds need soil, water, and sunlight to grow. Is the author trying to inform, entertain, or persuade?
Inform
A photo of a puppy has a sentence underneath it that says, “This puppy is learning to sit.” What is that sentence called?
A caption
In this story, Mia finds a lost mitten. Who is a character?
Mini passage: “Nico’s tower of blocks falls down. He stacks the blocks again, one at a time.” What is Nico’s problem?
Nico's tower of blocks falls down.
Mini passage: “Tia spills water on the floor. She gets a towel and cleans it up.” How does Tia respond to the problem?
She gets a towel and cleans up the water.
A silly story tells about a penguin who wears roller skates. What is the author’s most likely purpose?
Entertain
A bold heading says, “How Bees Help Flowers.” What does this heading tell readers?
It tells readers the section is going to be about how bees help flowers.
Mini passage: “On a snowy morning, Ben and his dog Max walk to the park.” Where and when does the story take place?
The setting is the park on a snowy morning.
Mini passage: “Ava wants to mail a card, but she has no stamp. She asks her dad for one. Then she puts the stamp on the card and mails it.” What does Ava do to help solve her problem?
She asks her dad for a stamp, then puts it on the card and mails it.
Mini passage: “Leo’s friend drops a box of crayons. Leo helps pick them up.” What does Leo’s response show?
He is helpful or kind.
A poster says, “Plant a tree this weekend! Trees give birds a home.” What does the author want readers to do?
Persuade readers to plant a tree
A chart shows what three plants need:
Sunflower: water and sunlight
Fern: water and shade
Cactus: little water and sunlight
Which text feature organizes this information so readers can compare the plants?
A chart
Mini passage: “Lena plants a seed. Each day, she waters it. Soon, a small green plant appears.” Name one major event in the story.
Possible choices: Lena plants a seed, she waters it, a small plant appears.
Mini passage: “The class plant begins to droop because its soil is dry. The students take turns watering it. A few days later, the plant stands tall.” What happens between the problem and the solution?
The students take turns watering the plant.
Mini passage: “Mara is nervous about reading aloud. She practices with her brother. The next day, she reads to her class.” What lesson might Mara learn?
Possible answers: practicing can help you feel ready, keep trying even when you feel nervous.
A school flyer says, “Bring your family to Family Reading Night on Friday.” Who is the most likely target audience?
Families in the school community
A book has an index at the back. A reader wants to find the page about rainbows. How can the index help?
It helps readers find the topic “rainbows” and its page number
Mini passage: “I found the map!" called Omar. His sister smiled. Which words are dialogue?
"I found the map!"
Mini passage: “Kai and Luz are building a puzzle. They cannot find a corner piece. They look under the table and inside the box. Luz spots the piece near a chair. They finish the puzzle.” Name two important events between the problem and solution.
Possible answers: Kai and Luz look under the table, they look inside the box, Luz spots the piece near a chair.
Mini passage: “A team’s paper bridge falls when they test it. They listen to one another’s ideas and build a stronger bridge. This time it holds.” How does the team’s response help show a lesson?
The team listens to one another and tries again, showing that teamwork and learning from mistakes can help solve problems.
A short article explains how to stay safe near a pool. Name the author’s purpose and one group of readers who may be the target audience.
The purpose is to inform. The target audience could be children, families, or anyone who visits a pool.
A book about ocean animals has a subheading called “Where Octopuses Hide,” a photo with a caption, and a chart comparing sea animals. Choose one feature and explain how it helps readers understand or organize information.
The subheading tells what the section is about. The caption explains the photo. The chart organizes information so readers can compare animals.
Mini passage: “On Monday, Jo builds a kite. On Tuesday, she adds a long tail. On Wednesday, she takes it outside, and it flies above the trees.” Describe the setting and one major event.
Setting: outside, where Jo flies the kite, during the week. Major event: Jo adds a tail to the kite or flies it above the trees.
Mini passage: “A strong wind blows Sam’s hat into a fenced garden. Sam cannot reach it. He asks a grown-up for help. Together, they open the garden gate and pick up the hat. Sam closes the gate.” What is the problem, and what steps lead to the solution?
Problem: Sam's hat is stuck inside a fenced garden. Solution: He asks a grown-up for help, they open the gate and pick up the hat.
Mini passage: “At first, Nia does not want to share her garden tools. When a classmate needs help planting, Nia lends a small shovel. They finish planting together and smile at their new garden.” What does Nia’s change in response help teach readers?
Sharing and helping others can make a task better for everyone.