Language Arts · Grade 7

Active learning ideas

Author's Purpose and Point of View in Non-Fiction

Active learning works because seventh graders build critical literacy by moving between texts, peers, and analysis. They need to see, not just hear, how word choice and structure signal purpose and perspective. This hands-on approach turns abstract concepts into concrete evidence students can point to and discuss.

• Ontario Curriculum Expectations
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.7.6

• 35–50 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 4 activities

Activity 01

• Gallery Walk
• 45 min · Small Groups

Gallery Walk: Purpose Clues

Provide 6-8 short non-fiction excerpts marked with purposes. Students in small groups annotate language and evidence clues on sticky notes, then post on walls. Groups rotate to review and add insights. Conclude with whole-class sharing of patterns.

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

Facilitation Tip

During the Gallery Walk, assign each pair a different colored marker so you can track their annotations without relying on names.

What to look for

Provide students with a short editorial. Ask them to write one sentence identifying the author's primary purpose and one sentence explaining the author's point of view, citing one piece of evidence from the text for each.

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

Activity 02

• Four Corners
• 35 min · Pairs

Pairs Debate: Biased vs Neutral

Pair students with two articles on one topic, one neutral and one biased. Pairs debate how point of view changes impact, using evidence charts. Switch pairs for fresh perspectives. Wrap with class vote on most convincing arguments.

Compare the impact of a neutral versus a biased point of view on a reader's understanding.

Facilitation Tip

In the Pairs Debate, provide sentence stems for neutral language to keep discussions focused on evidence rather than tone.

What to look for

Present students with two short articles on the same controversial topic, one clearly biased and one more neutral. Ask: 'How does the author's point of view change how you understand the information? What specific words or phrases reveal the bias?'

• Understand
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Self-Awareness
• Social Awareness

Activity 03

• Jigsaw
• 50 min · Small Groups

Jigsaw: Purpose Experts

Divide class into expert groups on inform, persuade, or entertain purposes, analyzing sample texts. Experts then regroup to teach peers and co-create a class chart of techniques. Students apply knowledge to a new text independently.

Critique an informational text for its effectiveness in achieving its stated purpose.

Facilitation Tip

When running the Jigsaw, limit expert groups to three students so everyone contributes to the summary of purpose techniques.

What to look for

Give students a list of text excerpts. For each excerpt, have them quickly identify the author's likely purpose (inform, persuade, entertain) and whether the point of view appears neutral or biased, explaining their reasoning in one sentence.

• Understand
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Relationship Skills
• Self-Management

Activity 04

• Four Corners
• 40 min · Small Groups

Text Critique Stations

Set up stations with texts of varying purposes. Small groups rotate, critiquing effectiveness with rubrics on language, evidence, and POV. Each group presents one standout example to the class.

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

Facilitation Tip

At Text Critique Stations, place a timer on the board to keep groups moving through each excerpt efficiently.

What to look for

Provide students with a short editorial. Ask them to write one sentence identifying the author's primary purpose and one sentence explaining the author's point of view, citing one piece of evidence from the text for each.

• Understand
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Self-Awareness
• Social Awareness

A few notes on teaching this unit

Teachers should model annotation by thinking aloud about their own inferences from a text. Avoid over-simplifying bias as always negative; show how even neutral language can frame a topic. Research shows students learn best when they analyze real texts with peers, not isolated examples. Use think-pair-share routines to build consensus before whole-class discussion.

Students will confidently identify how an author’s purpose shapes non-fiction and explain how point of view influences the presentation of facts. They will support claims with text evidence and discuss how tone and structure reveal intentions. By the end, they will critique texts with nuance and cite specific language choices.

---

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During Gallery Walk: Purpose Clues, some students may assume that headings or bold words directly state the purpose.

  Prompt students to look for implied techniques like emotional language or selective data in the body paragraphs instead of just titles.

• During Pairs Debate: Biased vs Neutral, students might confuse biased texts with texts that simply use strong opinions.

  Have students underline specific words that signal bias and explain how those choices serve the author’s purpose in their debate notes.

• During Jigsaw: Purpose Experts, students may think point of view only appears in opinion pieces.

  Ask expert groups to find examples of framing in seemingly neutral texts, such as how statistics are grouped or omitted in informative articles.

---

Methods used in this brief

• Gallery Walk
• Four Corners
• Jigsaw