Fifth grade students in Ms. Orlando’s class at Deauville Gardens West Elementary School are diving into the world of writing by learning about an author’s purpose and how it shapes a piece of text. 
In their lessons, students discovered that nonfiction authors write to inform, teaching readers facts and explaining real events. In contrast, fiction authors aim to entertain by creating imaginative plotlines — such as envisioning what it might be like to live inside a snow globe. 
As part of the unit, students are exploring how writing can serve different purposes: to inform, persuade or entertain. They are also strengthening their writing skills by focusing on building well-developed paragraphs that clearly explain and support the details presented in their work.