Language Arts · Grade 6

Active learning ideas

Analyzing Author's Purpose in Informational Texts

Active learning lets students practice identifying author's purpose in real time, which builds deeper understanding than passive reading. Moving between stations, sorting texts, and rewriting excerpts give students concrete evidence to analyze how words shape intent.

• Ontario Curriculum Expectations
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.6.6

• 25–45 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 4 activities

Activity 01

• Gallery Walk
• 45 min · Small Groups

Gallery Walk: Purpose Analysis Stations

Place short texts at six stations, each with a different purpose. Students visit in small groups, noting language clues and evidence on sticky notes. Conclude with a whole-class share-out to vote on purposes.

Analyze how an author's purpose influences their choice of language and evidence.

Facilitation Tip

During the Gallery Walk, label each station with a question prompt to guide students' analysis of purpose cues.

What to look for

Provide students with two short text excerpts, one clearly intended to inform and one to persuade. Ask them to identify the primary purpose of each text and list one piece of evidence or word choice from each that supports their identification.

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Create
• Relationship Skills
• Social Awareness

Activity 02

• Philosophical Chairs
• 30 min · Pairs

Text Sorting Game: Inform, Persuade, Entertain

Provide 12 informational excerpts on cards. Pairs sort them into three purpose categories, justifying choices with text evidence. Discuss edge cases as a class to refine criteria.

Differentiate between texts written to inform and texts written to persuade.

Facilitation Tip

For the Text Sorting Game, include one text with dual purposes to push students beyond single-category thinking.

What to look for

Present students with an editorial from a Canadian newspaper. Ask: 'What do you believe is the author's main purpose here? How does the author try to convince you? What specific words or facts make you think this?' Facilitate a class discussion comparing different interpretations.

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Self-Awareness
• Social Awareness

Activity 03

• Philosophical Chairs
• 35 min · Small Groups

Rewrite Relay: Shift the Purpose

Teams receive an informational text. First student rewrites a paragraph to persuade, passes to next for entertain, and so on. Groups present final versions and explain changes.

Evaluate the effectiveness of a text in achieving its stated or implied purpose.

Facilitation Tip

In the Rewrite Relay, provide a sentence starter that forces students to shift tone, such as 'Switch this factual claim into a persuasive one by adding...'.

What to look for

Give each student a short informational text. Ask them to write one sentence stating the author's purpose and two sentences explaining how the author's language or evidence helps achieve that purpose.

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Self-Awareness
• Social Awareness

Activity 04

• Philosophical Chairs
• 25 min · Pairs

Purpose Debate Pairs

Assign pairs one text labeled inform and one persuade. They debate similarities and differences in language, using a T-chart. Switch roles midway for balanced views.

Analyze how an author's purpose influences their choice of language and evidence.

Facilitation Tip

During Purpose Debate Pairs, give each student a role card with a clear stance to ensure balanced arguments.

What to look for

Provide students with two short text excerpts, one clearly intended to inform and one to persuade. Ask them to identify the primary purpose of each text and list one piece of evidence or word choice from each that supports their identification.

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Self-Awareness
• Social Awareness

A few notes on teaching this unit

Teach this topic by modeling close reading of a short text, thinking aloud about how word choice and evidence reveal purpose. Use think-pair-share after each activity to let students articulate their reasoning before writing. Avoid over-simplifying by introducing blended purposes early, so students recognize that texts often do more than one thing.

By the end, students confidently label texts as inform, persuade, or entertain and explain their choices using evidence like word choice or evidence type. Peer discussion and debate push them to refine their reasoning until purpose becomes clear.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During the Text Sorting Game, watch for students who place news articles only under 'inform'.

  Have peers challenge placements by asking, 'What emotional or opinion words appear here?' and pointing to loaded language that suggests persuasion.

• During the Rewrite Relay, watch for students who believe purpose is fixed by the text type itself.

  Encourage groups to compare their rewritten versions—some may shift purpose even when starting with the same factual sentence.

• During the Gallery Walk, watch for students who dismiss humorous or anecdotal language in informational texts.

  Point to examples where humor or anecdotes clarify facts, then ask, 'How does this engage the reader while still informing?' and collect class responses on the board.

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Methods used in this brief

• Gallery Walk
• Philosophical Chairs