Author's Purpose | Parent Activity

Dear Families,

Your child is learning to identify the author's purpose—the reason an author wrote something. On the FAST test, students must not only identify whether the purpose is to persuade, inform, or entertain, but also EXPLAIN how they know using evidence from the text. Practice this skill everywhere—ads, articles, stories, and more!

Why This Matters for the FAST Test

The FAST asks questions like "What is the author's MAIN purpose?" and "Which sentence BEST shows the author's purpose?" Students must understand the difference between persuade, inform, and entertain—and find evidence to support their answer.

P = Persuade

To convince you to think, believe, or do something

I = Inform

To teach you facts and give information

E = Entertain

To make you enjoy, laugh, or have fun

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Activity 1: Commercial Detectives

Spot persuasion in TV ads

Watch 2-3 TV commercials together (or find ads in magazines).
After each ad, ask: "What does this ad want you to DO or THINK?"
Look for persuasion clues: "You should..." "The best..." "Don't miss..."
Discuss: "How is the ad trying to convince you?"

Sample Discussion:
"This cereal commercial shows happy kids eating breakfast. They want us to BELIEVE their cereal is fun and will make kids happy. The clue words are 'the most delicious' and 'kids love it!'"

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Activity 2: Book Purpose Sort

Identify purpose in different types of books

Gather 5-10 books from around your home (fiction, nonfiction, how-to books, etc.).
For each book, read the back cover or first page together.
Ask: "Why did the author write this? To persuade, inform, or entertain?"
Sort the books into three piles based on purpose.
Discuss: Some books might have more than one purpose!

Examples:
Inform: Encyclopedia, science book, biography
Entertain: Comic book, fiction novel, joke book
Persuade: "Why You Should Recycle" (opinion book)

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Activity 3: News vs. Opinions

Tell the difference between informing and persuading

Find a news article AND an opinion piece about the same topic (or use examples below).
Read both together. Ask: "Which one is trying to INFORM? Which one is trying to PERSUADE?"
Find clue words that show the difference.
Discuss: News articles have facts. Opinion pieces have words like "should," "must," "best," or "worst."

Inform: "The new library will open on March 15. It has 50,000 books."
Persuade: "The new library is the best thing for our town! Everyone should visit on opening day!"

Find Author's Purpose Everywhere!

Restaurant menus: Descriptions often try to PERSUADE you to order
Recipe instructions: INFORM you how to cook something
Comic strips: ENTERTAIN with funny pictures and dialogue
Product packaging: PERSUADE you to buy
Science posters at the doctor's office: INFORM about health
Bedtime stories: ENTERTAIN with adventures and imagination

Questions to Ask About Anything Your Child Reads

"Why do you think the author wrote this?"
"Is the author trying to change your mind about something?"
"Is the author teaching you facts or telling a fun story?"
"What does the author WANT you to think, feel, or do?"
"What words or sentences show the author's purpose?"
"Could this text have more than one purpose?"

Resumen en Espanol

Proposito del autor: Su hijo esta aprendiendo a identificar POR QUE un autor escribio algo.

PIE - Los tres propositos principales:

Persuadir (P): Convencerte de pensar, creer o hacer algo
Informar (I): Ensenarte hechos y dar informacion
Entretener (E): Hacerte disfrutar, reir o divertirte

Actividades en casa: Identifiquen el proposito del autor en comerciales, libros, articulos de noticias y menus de restaurantes. Pregunten: "¿Que quiere el autor que pienses o hagas?"

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