Materials & Prep
Copy the two teacher-created texts and the comparison organizer below for each student. On the board, write: Topic + evidence + purpose = comparison. No materials beyond the usual classroom setup are needed.
Opening prediction
AskIf two authors write about the same issue, must they want readers to do the same thing? Students choose “yes” or “no” and write one reason without seeing the texts.
ConnectAsk students to recall the three common author purposes they have studied: to inform, to persuade, and to entertain. Emphasize that identifying a purpose is only the first step. Today, students must show how each author presents the topic and use that evidence to explain the difference between the purposes.
Turn and talkStudents share their prediction with a partner. Tell them to keep the prediction because they will revisit it after reading.
Mini-lesson and model
DisplayTell students that both texts below address the same topic, later school start times. Read both texts aloud while students follow. Students underline one sentence in each text that reveals what the author wants readers to understand or do.
Text A, “Why Some Schools Start Later,” by Maya Chen
Some schools have moved their starting time later so students can get more sleep. In one district, the middle school day changed from 7:30 a.m. to 8:15 a.m. The district reported that more students arrived on time after the change. Some families, however, had to adjust work and child-care schedules.
A later start does not give students extra time in the school day. The schools in this district ended classes later, and sports practices began later too. School leaders also had to change bus routes. These details show that changing a start time affects many parts of a school schedule. Communities considering a later start should study their own students’ needs and plan for the changes.
Text B, “Let Students Start at 8:45,” by Jordan Ruiz
Our middle school should begin at 8:45 a.m. instead of 7:30. Students who rush out of bed often arrive tired and unready to learn. A later start would give many students more time to sleep and would make the morning less stressful.
Changing the schedule would require planning. Buses, sports, and family routines might need to change. Those challenges are real, but they should not stop us from making a better school day. Our leaders should ask families for ideas and move the start time to 8:45 next year. Students need a school schedule that helps them learn, not one that leaves them exhausted.
Think aloudModel the comparison. Say, “Both authors present the topic of later school start times, but I will not stop at saying that. In Text A, Chen explains benefits and complications, such as students arriving on time and bus routes changing. The phrase ‘should study their own students’ needs’ shows that she wants readers to understand the issue before making a decision. Her purpose is mainly to inform.”
Worked exampleContinue: “In Text B, Ruiz says, ‘Our middle school should begin at 8:45’ and asks leaders to make the change. Those direct recommendations show that Ruiz wants readers to support a later start. His purpose is to persuade. The comparison is: Chen presents several effects so readers can understand the issue, while Ruiz presents reasons and a recommendation so readers will agree with a specific action.”
ConfrontPoint out the common mistake: “Both texts mention sleep and schedule changes, but shared information does not mean shared purpose. We must examine what each author does with that information.”
Guided comparison
ScaffoldGive students this organizer. They may use the sentence frames when writing.
Topic both texts address:
Text A presents the topic by .
Evidence“”
This shows the author’s purpose is to because .
Text B presents the topic by .
Evidence“”
This shows the author’s purpose is to because .
The purposes differ because Text A , while Text B .
Have students work with a partner to complete the organizer. Require each student to select one exact phrase or sentence from each text. Partners must explain how each piece of evidence connects to purpose, not merely copy it.
Check for understandingAsk students to hold up one finger if Text A is mainly informing, two fingers if it is mainly persuading, and three fingers if it is mainly entertaining. Ask three students to justify their choices with evidence. Correct answers that name only the topic by prompting, “What does the author want readers to understand or do?”
CirculateListen for students saying both authors have the same purpose because both discuss sleep. Ask those students to compare Chen’s recommendation to study local needs with Ruiz’s demand to move the start time to 8:45.
Independent comparison
WriteStudents write one comparison paragraph answering: How do Chen and Ruiz present later school start times differently, and how do their purposes differ? The paragraph must name the shared topic, identify each purpose, include one piece of evidence from each text, and explain how the evidence supports the comparison.
SupportStudents who need an entry point may use this frame: “Both texts discuss . Chen presents the topic by . The words ‘’ show that Chen wants readers to . Ruiz presents the topic by . The words ‘’ show that Ruiz wants readers to . Therefore, Chen’s purpose is different from Ruiz’s because .”
ExtensionStudents add a sentence explaining which author is more likely to influence a reader’s decision and why, using one choice each author makes in presenting the topic.
Closing check
Exit ticketWithout looking at a partner’s work, complete these three sentences: “Both texts are about . Text A’s purpose is , shown by . Text B’s purpose is , shown by . The purposes differ because .”
Collect the exit tickets and revisit the opening prediction briefly. Ask students to revise “yes” or “no” if their thinking changed, then name the evidence that changed it.