Understanding Author's Purpose: Why vs What
10th Grade English Language Arts Exploring Texts and Techniques 50-minute lesson
Hook: The Outsiders - Why vs What
What happens: Gang conflicts, social divisions Why Hinton wrote it: Social commentary on class inequality Why matters more: Reveals author's deeper message Asking 'why' deepens our understanding
Social Commentary vs Satire
{"left":"Social Commentary: Direct examination of social issues\nExample: The Outsiders addresses class conflict seriously\nPurpose: To highlight real social problems","right":"Satire: Uses humor, irony, or exaggeration to criticize\nExample: Animal Farm mocks political systems\nPurpose: To expose flaws through clever criticism"}
Independent Reading: Animal Farm Excerpt
Read the Animal Farm excerpt silently Identify the 'pivot' moment Look for when Orwell's satirical purpose becomes clear Use your Author's Purpose Analysis Chart
Discussion: Finding the Pivot
Where did you identify the pivot in the excerpt? What textual evidence reveals Orwell's satirical purpose? How does this purpose shape the tone?
Author's Purpose Analysis Framework
Identify the author's main purpose Find textual evidence supporting this purpose Analyze how purpose shapes tone and theme Consider the author's intended audience Evaluate the effectiveness of the author's approach
STAAR Strategy: Primary Purpose vs Distractors
Read the question stem carefully Identify what the question is really asking Look for the PRIMARY purpose, not secondary ones Eliminate distractors that seem right but miss the main point Use textual evidence to support your choice
Practice: STAAR-Style Question
Work with a partner Analyze the sample question together Identify the primary purpose Explain why other options are distractors Be ready to share your reasoning
Why Author's Purpose Matters
Understanding WHY an author writes helps us understand WHAT they really mean
Wrap-Up & Exit Ticket
Today we learned to ask 'why' not just 'what' We compared social commentary and satire We practiced identifying author's purpose in Animal Farm We applied STAAR strategies for test success