Free Author’s Purpose Activities for First and Second Grade
Fun and Easy Author’s Purpose Activities for 1st and 2nd grade
Why Teach Author’s Purpose in Early Grades?
Teaching reading comprehension doesn’t have to be overwhelming—especially when you use the right books and activities. One of my favorite ways to introduce this concept is through author’s purpose activities for first and second grade. By using engaging picture books like The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt, students can easily begin to understand why authors write stories—to entertain, to teach a lesson, or to spark imagination.
Author’s purpose is a foundational comprehension skill that helps students:
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Think critically about stories
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Understand the author’s message
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Connect reading to their own lives
Even in kindergarten and first grade, students can begin asking questions like:
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“Did the author want me to laugh?”
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“Did the author want me to learn something?”
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“Did the author want me to imagine and be creative?”
When framed in kid-friendly language, this concept clicks quickly!
Using The Day the Crayons Quit to Teach Author’s Purpose
When I read this book with my students, they immediately connect with the crayons’ silly complaints and feelings. I pause throughout the story and ask:
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“How does this crayon feel?”
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“Why do you think the author wrote it this way?”
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“Was that part supposed to make us laugh, teach us something, or spark our imagination?”
By the end of the story, students usually agree that Drew Daywalt wrote the book both to entertain us and to teach us an important lesson about listening and fairness.
Free Author’s Purpose Lesson Plan + Activities
To make this lesson even easier for you to teach, I’ve put together a FREE lesson plan and activity pack you can use right away with your 1st and 2nd grade students.
This freebie includes:
✅ A ready-to-use lesson plan aligned with AASL standards
✅ Discussion questions for before, during, and after reading
✅ An interactive Google Slides game: “What Is the Author’s Purpose?”
✅ Printable Author’s Purpose Cards (Entertain, Teach a Lesson, Spark Imagination)
✅ A no-prep Color & Learn handout for independent practice
Whether you’re a classroom teacher, librarian, or homeschool parent, this resource will save you time and keep your students engaged while learning an important reading skill.
👉 Click here to grab your free Author’s Purpose Lesson with The Day the Crayons Quit!
Author’s purpose doesn’t have to be complicated for young readers. With the right book and a few engaging activities, you can help your students quickly understand why authors write stories—and have fun while doing it! Don’t forget to grab your free lesson plan and activity pack today so you’re ready to dive into The Day the Crayons Quit with your students. These author’s purpose activities for kindergarten and first grade will make teaching this important comprehension skill both simple and fun.
Continue Building Library Skills
Once your students have practiced identifying author’s purpose, it’s a perfect time to continue building their library and literacy skills with a lesson on fiction vs. nonfiction.
On my blog, I share a free interactive fiction and nonfiction game designed for K–2 students. It’s a fun way to help kids understand the difference between stories that entertain and texts that inform—another key skill for early readers.
