Understanding Authors Perspectives

I love to watch birds!  It always amazes me 
  how they can build those nests!  I like to leave 
  scraps of hair and yarn out for them to find. 
  They'll use these things and weave them into a 
  nest.  Being a parent is a hard job, and the birds 
  can use all the help they can get.
What is the author's perspective?

• Humans should help birds build their nest
• Humans should never interfere with wild animals
• Birds are interesting animals
• Birds use lots of things to build their nest

Deer are beautiful creatures. 
They are so graceful to watch as 
they run through the forest.  It's 
hard to understand how anyone could do anything to harm these beautiful animals.
What is the author's perspective?

• The author favors deer hunting
• The author thinks there are too many deer
• The author does not favor deer hunting
• The author thinks deer harm the environment

Dolphins have suffered from the carelessness 
 of humans.  Many dolphins are killed each year in fishing nets. Oil has been spilled into ocean 
 water, polluting the dolphins' environment.
What is the author's perspective?

• Thea author's favorite animal is a dolphin
• The author thinks that humans harm dolphins
• The author thinks that dolphins are dangerous
• The author thinks that humans are helping dolphins.

I wonder who 
 invented paper plates?  He was a
 clever guy!  Imagine having to lug heavy plates to a picnic, and then have to carry them home again.
What is the author's perspective?

• The author thinks that disposable products are harming the environment. 
• The author thinks that disposable products are wonderful.

I wonder who 
 invented paper plates?  He was a
 clever guy!  Imagine having to lug heavy plates to a picnic, and then have to carry them home again.
Which statement do you think the author would agree with?

• Everyone should use disposable products
• Disposable products are dangerous and nobody should use them. 

The deer population 
has grown tremendously in recent
years.  Each year at hunting season, hunters are able to help 
control the deer population and 
prevent many deer from starving.
What is the author's perspective?

• The author favors deer hunting
• The author thinks that deer are harmful to the environment
• The author does not favor deer hunting
• The author loves deer

Many cities have aquariums that have adopted 
orphaned dolphins found in the ocean. Many of these dolphins were wounded and would not have
survived alone. Because of the kindness of humans these animals are alive today.
What is the author's perspective?

• The author thinks that people are harmful to dolphins
• The author thinks that humans are helping dolphins 
• The author loves dolphins
• The author is not a fan of dolphins

Landfills are overflowing with the garbage 
created by fast food restaurants and individuals too lazy to wash their dishes.  The earth is 
becoming polluted.  Wouldn't it be nice if people would go back to eating at home and washing 
dishes?
Which statement do you think the author would agree with?

• People should not use disposable products
• People should never wash dishes
• People should only use disposable products

The average school day for kindergartners is getting longer, and it's paying off in improved reading skills.  Public schoolchildren who attended kindergarten for a full day showed more improvement than those enrolled in half-day programs.  
Which statement would the author agree with?

• The school day should be longer
• Having shorter days improves learning

I love to watch birds!  It always amazes me 
  how they can build those nests!  I like to leave 
  scraps of hair and yarn out for them to find. 
  They'll use these things and weave them into a 
  nest.  Being a parent is a hard job, and the birds 
  can use all the help they can get.
What is the author's perspective?

• Humans should help birds build their nest
• Humans should never interfere with wild animals
• Birds are interesting animals
• Birds use lots of things to build their nest