1. Fourth Grade Unit 5 Week 1 Created by Kristi Waltke

2. An author might have more than one reason for writing. Four common reasons are to persuade, to inform, to express ideas or feelings, and to entertain. How you read can depend on what youre reading. For example, you might read a funny story faster than a news article.

3. Why do you think the author wrote this story about living life at sea? To tell us what it was like to spend a childhood on a ship To persuade us to grow up on a ship today To express feelings about ship life

4. Why does the author include so many details about what happens during the storm? To inform the reader about how storms form at sea To help the reader understand what its like to experience a storm at sea To persuade the reader to check weather reports before signing up for a trip on the sea

5. Why does the author tell the story from Matildas point of view? Matilda is the best character in the story. It makes the story seem both more interesting and believable. Historical fiction is always told from the point of view of a child.

6. Why does the author include the Afterword? To tell us that the story is nonfiction To make the story a little bit longer To let the readers know that the story is based on real people and real events

7. Practice determining authors purpose with these stories.