Making Inferences
Content Standards
CCSS. 1. RL. 2
Retell stories, including key
details, and demonstrate understanding of their central message or lesson.
Learner Background
·
The students are able to:
o
Follow classroom rules and procedures
o
Understand how to complete class work
efficiently, how to raise their hand, how to participate and have a class
discussion, how to sit on the reading rug, etc.
o
Cooperate in doing group work with the other
students
·
Students have identified the parts that make up
an inference (i.e. schema + evidence = inference)
·
Students have experience evaluating pictures and
making inferences based on what they already know.
Student Learning
Objective(s)
·
Students
will practice identifying what an inference is as they complete a puzzle
template.
Assessment
·
I will assess the students learning by collecting
their recording sheets.
o
The recording sheet is a simple way for me to
assess whether the students are able to identify the parts that make up an
inference. The students who clearly demonstrate an understanding of making
inferences will write accurate inferences for the scenarios they are given. As I
collect the students’ recording sheets I will be able to assess whether the
individual student met the objective of the lesson.
·
I will assess the student’s learning in class
discussion during student participation while the students discuss what
inferences they made based on the various scenarios they were given.
·
I will
record and reflect on which students participated in class discussion as well
as in their cooperative groups and which students seemed unsure or confident in
making inferences.
o
I will record and reflect on each student by
using a clipboard with the students’ names on a sticky note (Name tag sheet)
and I will place each sticky note onto an index card to serve as data.
Materials/Resources
- Anchor Chart
- Easel
- Markers
- Detective Hats
- Recording sheet
- Magnifying Glasses
- Puzzle Templates
- Scenario Sheets
- Pencils for the students
- Clipboard
- Name tag sheet (sticky notes
with students’ names)
Learning Activities
Initiation: (10 minutes)
·
I began the
lesson by asking the students to join me on the rug area and form one big
circle.
·
I introduced the lesson by saying, “Welcome
detectives of room 14! Can someone tell me what they know about what detectives
do?”
· One of my students volunteered and said, “Detectives search for clues and use what they already know
to make a decision about someone or something!”
·
I replied,
“That’s right! Detectives are very smart and use their prior knowledge and the
evidence they find to make inferences about something! Today we are going to
act as detectives and make inferences about different scenarios. Yesterday we
learned about what we use in our brains to make an inference. Can someone
remind me what one of those things are?”
·
As I asked the
students this I filled out the equation of how to make an inference on
an anchor chart.
·
A student responded and said, “We use our schema!”
·
I exclaimed,
“That’s right” as I write down what the student says and ask, “…and what is our
schema?”
·
The student
responded saying, “Schema is our prior knowledge and the ideas that stick
to our brain helping us understand what we are reading.”
·
“Good! What else do we need to make an inference?”
·
This student then excitedly raised their hand and said, “You need evidence, which is what is in the book that you are
reading!”
·
“That’s right! Today we are going to practice making inferences by using
scenario cards and a recording sheet. I will place you in particular groups and
you will take turns making inferences about the scenarios on the cards your
group receives. But
first detectives, let’s practice how to make an inference based on a scenario.
I want you to observe how I make an inference as I think aloud.”
Lesson Development:
Modeling: (10 minutes)
·
During this part of the lesson I transitioned into modeling by picking up a
scenario card, reading it out loud, “Hmm, well I’m using my schema
first because I know that when I get up in the morning for school and I wake up
late, I tend to run behind schedule and I rush around trying to grab everything
I need to get to school. Sometimes because I’m already late I forget things I
need in my house! I’m also looking at the evidence and on this card it says
that Anna rushed to get dressed, grabbed her backback and raced out the door
towards the bus-stop, forgetting to grab her breakfast. So I’m making an
inference that Anna woke up late!”
·
I then checked off
the number of the scenario card I used, number 2, and wrote down my inference
on the line next to the number. I continued modeling making inferences two
more times so that students understood exactly what was expected.
·
I then told the students the group in which they would be working in and said, “When you go
to your group’s table there will be 5-6 scenario cards on your table based on
how many students are in the group. You will also find your recording sheets
with the numbers 1-28 on it. Of course you will not be making inferences for 28
scenarios. On the top of each scenario card is a number, once you make an
inference for that scenario card you must check off the number on your
recording sheet and fill out the inference that you have made on the space
provided next to that number.”
·
I will give each
student a job for their group, “For example, I will have one student be the recorder,
another student will be the checker, the next student will act as the reader, and the last student in the group will be the orator.”
· “Okay detectives now we’re
going to use what we know about making inferences to figure out what is
happening in these scenarios!”
Guided
Practice: (5 minutes)
· As a class we practiced making inferences
about three scenarios.
·
I picked one
of the scenarios from the 28 and read it out loud.
·
“Who
can help me make an inference? Use the anchor chart to explain how you are
inferring!”
·
On the anchor
chart was the following, “I’m using my prior knowledge to know that…I’m
using the clues from the card that…Using my schema and the evidence I am making
an inference that…”
·
I then asked the
students to volunteer using this type of language throughout the guided
practice.
·
I told the
students that this is what I will look for when you work in groups and explain
that like what I modeled earlier is what they must complete in their groups.
·
“Please turn to the person next to you and explain what you need to do when you
go into your groups.”
·
I then circulated the carpet area and listened in
on what each student explained to each other to make sure there was a complete
understanding of what was expected.
·
I also told the
students that they were to be working in groups at the tables they usually sit in.
· “Okay detectives
its time to investigate! Get into your groups and start solving your inference
cards!”
Independent Practice: (15 minutes)
· On each of the students’ desks were four
inference cards and recording sheets for each person in the group.
· Students got into their seats and began reading aloud each
inference card one at a time in their group and recording their inferences on
their recording sheets.
· I told the students, “Each group has different
numbered cards and will fill in the lines with the numbers that match. I will
walk around the room to make sure everyone is on task. If you have a question
please raise a quiet hand!”
· I reminded the students that they were to
use a quiet voice when making their inferences with their groups.
· I also reminded the class that once they had completed the recording sheet with their group they must sit in their seats
with a thumb up on their desks and that way I knew that they had completed
their recording sheets.
· We
met as a class after everyone had finished to discuss the inferences each
student made with the inference card they were given.
Closure: (10 minutes)
· To begin the closure portion of my lesson I rang the bell to signal the students attention and have the students quickly and quietly return to the
meeting area on the rug with their inference cards and recording sheets so that
they can share what they found.
·
I
asked the students to pick a volunteer from their group and say which
inference cards they had and what inference they made.
·
I
had an answer sheet that allowed me to see which students were on
target for making an inference.
o
As
students volunteer I asked them to explain how they know that their
inference was correct.
o
As
the students volunteered and shared what they found I wrote notes under each volunteer's name on the nametag sheet to assess their knowledge of telling time and whether
I need to expand on the lesson or move on.
·
I collected each student’s recording sheets to help me assess whether each student understood the lesson.
·
I
ended the lesson by telling the students that now that we can make inferences about various
scenarios we will be able to make inferences about the books we read!
