Oklahoma Social Studies 2.P.3.2.A
The Standard
- 2.P.3
- Engage in critical, active reading of primary and secondary sources related to social studies concepts.
- 2.P.3.2
- Apply critical reading and thinking skills to interpret, evaluate, and respond to a variety of complex texts and perspectives.
Determine the author’s purpose, including what the author wants to answer, explain, or describe in informational texts.
Oklahoma Academic Standards for Social Studies (2026) · 2.P.3.2
Teacher's field guide
What This Standard Means
What Students Need to Do
- Students read a short informational text and figure out what the writer wants readers to learn. They tell whether the writer answers a question, explains how something works, or describes a person, place, or thing.
What Mastery Looks Like
- A student can say, 'The writer explains how a town chooses its mayor,' rather than just, 'It is about mayors.' They can point to a sentence that supports their answer.
Common Misconceptions
- Students may name the topic instead of the writer’s purpose. They may choose a purpose from the title or picture without checking the words in the text.
How to Assess It
- Give students a short paragraph explaining how a town chooses its mayor. Ask, 'What does the writer want you to understand? Underline one sentence that helped you decide.'
Lesson moves
Ways to Teach It
Give pairs three short passages about town hall; have them sort passages that answer a question, explain a process, or describe a place.
Read a paragraph about a mayor and ask, 'What does the writer want you to know, and which sentence shows it?'
Play purpose match with short community helper passages and answer, explain, and describe cards; ask students to point to a clue before matching.
Show a city recycling guide; students name what it explains and underline a step a resident would follow.
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Printable 2.P.3.2.A Worksheet
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Related Standards
- K.P.3.2.A
Identify the author’s purpose, with guidance and support.
- 5.P.3.2.A
Determine an author’s purpose and draw conclusions to evaluate how well the author’s purpose was achieved.
- 3.P.3.2.A
The 3rd Grade version of this standard.
- 4.P.3.2.A
Determine an author’s purpose and draw conclusions to evaluate how well the author’s purpose was achieved.
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