Why Did the Author Write It?

Purpose and audience, and print, digital, spoken, or visual.

Warm-up, learn, try it together, practice, then a quick check. About 15 minutes.

What children learn in Level 49

Authors write for a reason. Some write to tell a story, with made-up characters.
Some write to teach facts about real things.
Some write to share an opinion: what they think or like best. Look for I think, and best.
Authors also write for someone: their audience. This note is for first graders!
Messages come in different ways. Print is on paper. Digital is on a screen. Spoken is something you hear. Visual is pictures.
Ask: why did the author write this? And who is it for?

Georgia's K-12 English Language Arts Standards:

1.T.C.1.a — Identify the general purpose (e.g., to tell stories, to provide information, to share opinions, to explain ideas) and target audience in a variety of texts. (I)
1.T.C.1.b — Identify different modes of communication: print, digital, auditory, and visual. (I)