Lesson Plan Final

Suzann Keith

University of New England  

   
LESSON  PLAN  TITLE  

Inference:  Discover  More  Meaning  While  Reading  

LESSON  ABSTRACT  

  Students  learn  how  to  discover  more  meaning  in  what  they  read  through  inference  

using  a  graphic  organizer  to  combine  their  background  knowledge  with  what  the  text  

explicitly  says.      

LESSON  OVERVIEW  

  Authors  do  not  explicitly  provide  every  detail  and  piece  of  information  needed  to  

understand  a  text.    Readers  are  expected  to  infer  meaning  and  “read  between  the  lines.”    In  

this  lesson,  students  are  introduced  to  the  skill  of  inferring  meaning  as  a  way  to  increase  

their  reading  comprehension.    The  two  components  of  inferring—background  knowledge  

and  text  evidence—are  presented  to  students  in  a  PowerPoint  presentation  that  includes  

teacher  modeling,  whole  group  practice,  partner  practice,  and  independent  work.    Teachers  

can  adapt  this  lesson  and  accompanying  graphic  organizer  to  use  with  nearly  any  text,  

allowing  students  repeated  practice  of  this  essential  skill.      

GRADE  BAND  

4-­‐8  

LESSON  PLAN  TYPE  

Minilesson  

ESTIMATED  LESSON  TIME  

One  or  two  50-­‐minute  sessions,  depending  on  the  students’  grade  level,  experience,  and  
optional  PowerPoint  slides.    
 
 
 
 
FEATURED  RESOURCES  
• PowerPoint  presentation  Inference:  Discover  More  Meaning  While  Reading  
• Making  Inferences  graphic  organizer  
• Children’s  book  with  content  that  allows  students  to  make  inferences  such  as  Tight  
Times  by  Barbara  Shook  Hazen.  
 
 
PRINTOUTS  
• Making  Inferences  graphic  organizer  
 
 
MATERIALS  &  TECHNOLOGY  
• Teacher  computer  with  PowerPoint  program  
• LCD  projector  
• PowerPoint  presentation  Inference:  Discover  More  Meaning  While  Reading  
• Children’s  book  with  content  that  allows  students  to  make  inferences  such  as  Tight  
Times  by  Barbara  Shook  Hazen.      
 
 
FROM  THEORY  TO  PRACTICE    

  In  “Using  Literature  to  Teach  Inference  across  the  Curriculum,”  inference  is  referred  

to  as  “a  powerful  way  of  thinking  and  an  important  21st  century  skill  for  all  students  to  use  

and  develop  across  the  curriculum”  (Bintz,  Moran,  Berndt,  Ritz,  Skilton,  &  Bircher,  2012,  p.  

16).    Authors  do  not  provide  every  detail  and  piece  of  information  needed  to  understand  a  

text;  instead  they  expect  readers  to  infer  meaning  and  “read  between  the  lines.”    Explicitly  

teaching  students  how  to  infer  meaning  while  they  read  increases  their  ability  to  

comprehend  text  (Duke,  Pearson,  Strachan,  &  Billman,  2011).    Breaking  inference  down  

into  its  two  core  components—background  knowledge  and  text  evidence—simplifies  the  

process  for  students.      

 
  Bintz,  William  P.,  Petra  Pienkosky  Moran,  Rochelle  Berndt,  Elizabeth  Ritz,  Julie  A.  Skilton,  

and  Lisa  S.  Bircher.  “Using  Literature  to  Teach  Inference  across  the  Curriculum.”    

Voices  from  the  Middle  20.1  Sept.  2012:  16-­‐24.    Web.  26  Jan.  2014.      

Duke,  Nell  K.,  P.  David  Pearson,  Stephanie  L.  Strachan,  and  Alison  K.  Billman.  “Essential  

Elements  of  Fostering  and  Teaching  Reading  Comprehension.”  What  Research  Has  to  

Say  About  Reading  Instruction.  4th  ed.  Ed.  S.  Jay  Samuels  and  Alan  E.  

Farstrup.  Newark:  International  Reading  Association,  2011.  51-­‐93.  Print.      

 
STANDARDS  
 
NCTE/IRA  Standards  
3.    Students  apply  a  wide  range  of  strategies  to  comprehend,  interpret,  evaluate,  and  
appreciate  texts.  They  draw  on  their  prior  experience,  their  interactions  with  other  
readers  and  writers,  their  knowledge  of  word  meaning  and  of  other  texts,  their  
word  identification  strategies,  and  their  understanding  of  textual  features  (e.g.,  
sound–letter  correspondence,  sentence  structure,  context,  graphics).  
 
6.    Students  apply  knowledge  of  language  structure,  language  conventions  (e.g.,  
spelling  and  punctuation),  media  techniques,  figurative  language,  and  genre  to  
create,  critique,  and  discuss  print  and  non-­‐print  texts.  
 
11.    Students  participate  as  knowledgeable,  reflective,  creative,  and  critical  members  
of  a  variety  of  literacy  communities.  
 
12.  Students  use  spoken,  written,  and  visual  language  to  accomplish  their  own  
purposes  (e.g.,  for  learning,  enjoyment,  persuasion,  and  the  exchange  of  
information).  
 
Common  Core  State  Standards  
• CCSS.ELA-­‐Literacy.CCRA.R.1  Read  closely  to  determine  what  the  text  says  
explicitly  and  to  make  logical  inferences  from  it;  cite  specific  textual  evidence  when  
writing  or  speaking  to  support  conclusions  drawn  from  the  text.  
 
• CCSS.ELA-­‐Literacy.CCRA.R.10  Read  and  comprehend  complex  literary  and  
informational  texts  independently  and  proficiently.  
 
 
 
WEBSITES  
 
“Making  Inferences”  from  Ohio  Resource  Center  
http://www.ohiorc.org/adlit/strategy/strategy_each.aspx?id=4  
This  webpage  defines  inference,  explains  how  inferring  helps  readers  to  
comprehend  text,  and  lists  13  ways  that  skilled  readers  infer  meaning.    It  provides  
several  activities  to  teach  inference  before,  during,  and  after  reading,  and  it  explains  
how  inference  can  also  be  used  to  teach  vocabulary.      
 
“Making  Inferences  and  Drawing  Conclusions”  from  Reading  Rockets  
http://www.readingrockets.org/article/43410  
This  webpage  is  aimed  at  parents  and  explains  what  inferences  is  and  ways  that  
families  can  help  their  children  develop  inferential  thinking  skills.    Several  activities  
are  suggested,  and  then  a  list  of  recommended  children’s  books  that  lend  
themselves  to  teaching  inference  is  included.    The  recommendation  list  includes  a  
short  summary  and  suggested  age  level  of  each  book.        
 
 
PREPARATION  
1. Preview  PowerPoint  presentation,  Inference:  Discover  More  Meaning  While  
Reading,  and  decide  whether  or  not  to  include  the  more  detailed  description  of  
types  of  inferences  in  slides  9-­‐11.    
2. Make  one  copy  of  the  Making  Inferences  graphic  organizer  for  each  student.  
3. Obtain  a  copy  of  a  children’s  book  such  as  Tight  Times  by  Barbara  Shook  Hazen  to  
read  aloud  to  students.    Other  books  are  easily  substituted,  as  long  as  the  story  has  
enough  ambiguous  material  that  students  will  be  able  to  make  inferences  while  they  
listen.    
   
 
INSTRUCTIONAL  PLAN  
 
STUDENT  OBJECTIVES    
Students  will:    
• Define  the  term  “inference.”  
• Make  inferences  as  they  read  and  listen.  
• Identify  the  text  evidence  and  background  knowledge  that  supports  their  
inferences.      
• Explain  how  inferring  helps  them  comprehend  as  they  read.    
 
 
SESSION  INSTRUCTION  AND  ACTIVITIES  
 
SESSION  ONE    
1. Project  PowerPoint  slide  2  “What’s  going  on  here?”  to  the  class  and  read  
it  aloud  or  have  students  read  it  silently.      
 2. Take  several  suggestions  from  students  as  to  what  they  think  is  going  on  
in  the  description.    
3. Move  to  slide  3,  “Surprise!”  and  work  through  the  questions  as  a  whole  
group.      
4. Explain  that  students  will  be  learning  what  an  inference  is  and  how  
inferring  can  help  them  understand  what  they  are  reading.      
5. Proceed  through  slides  4-­‐8,  having  students  take  notes  if  desired.      
6. Slides  9-­‐11  go  into  more  detail  about  different  types  of  inferences.    These  
can  be  omitted  if  desired,  particularly  if  using  this  lesson  with  younger  
students.    
7. Using  the  “think  aloud”  strategy,  model  the  inferences  that  can  be  drawn  
from  the  sentence  on  slide  12,  “Let’s  Practice.”        
8. Gather  ideas  from  the  whole  class  as  to  what  inferences  that  can  be  
drawn  from  the  sentence  on  slide  13,  “Class  Practice.”  
9. Have  students  practice  in  partners  to  infer  meaning  from  slide  14,  
“Practice  with  a  Partner.”  
10. Pass  out  one  copy  of  the  Making  Inferences  graphic  organizer  to  each  
student  and  project  slide  15,  “Your  Turn!”.      
11. If  needed,  explain  the  graphic  organizer  to  students,  pointing  out  what  
type  of  information  should  go  in  each  section.      
12. Read  aloud  a  children’s  book  such  as  Tight  Times  by  Barbara  Shook  Hazen  
to  students.    As  they  listen,  have  students  write  down  inferences  they  
make  on  the  graphic  organizer.    Pause  as  needed  to  give  students  hints  or  
time  to  write  down  the  text  evidence  and  background  knowledge  they  
used  to  make  their  inferences.    
13. Show  slide  16,  “Discuss,”  and  conduct  either  a  whole  class  
discussion/share  out  of  inferences,  text  evidence,  and  background  
knowledge  recorded  on  the  graphic  organizers,  or  have  students  share  
this  information  with  a  partner.      
14. Conclude  with  the  “Final  Reflection”  question  on  slide  16,  “How  can  
making  inferences  help  us  understand  what  we  read?”    Students  may  
respond  orally  or  in  writing  as  an  exit  slip.      
15. Collect  graphic  organizers  (and  exit  slips  if  assigned)  and  assess.      
 
EXTENSIONS  
• Students  can  complete  the  Making  Inferences  graphic  organizer  with  a  variety  of  
additional  texts,  either  those  read  in  class  or  the  students’  independent  reading  
books.      
• Students  can  practice  inferring  with  alternative  texts  such  as  comic  strips  or  
bumper  stickers.      
• Students  can  practice  inferring  information  from  photographs  or  other  digital  
media.  
• Students  can  write  their  own  short  text  that  requires  a  reader  to  infer  meaning  
and  then  trade  texts  with  partners  and  figure  out  the  inferences  in  each  other’s  
writing.      
 STUDENT  ASSESSMENT/REFLECTIONS  
• Assess  the  Making  Inferences  graphic  organizers  students  completed  while  
listening  to  Tight  Times  (or  other  children’s  book)  to  check  for  specific  text  
evidence  and  appropriate  background  knowledge  that  leads  to  logical  
inferences.      
• Assess  the  exit  slip  (if  assigned)  that  responded  to  the  “Final  Reflection”  question  
on  slide  16,  “How  can  making  inferences  help  us  understand  what  we  read?”    
 
   
RELATED  RESOURCES  
• Classroom  Resources  |  Grades      3  –  5    |    Lesson  Plan    |    Unit  
Author  Study:  Improving  Reading  Comprehension  Using  Inference  and  
Comparison  
"Reading  between  the  lines"  can  be  as  crucial  to  comprehension  as  understanding  
the  words  on  the  page.  Through  guided  author  studies,  students  experience  the  
benefits  and  the  limitations  of  inference.  
 
• Classroom  Resources  |  Grades      3  –  5    |    Lesson  Plan    |    Standard  Lesson  
Inferring  How  and  Why  Characters  Change  
Students  will  really  get  into  character  when  they  read  short  stories  and  analyze  the  
how’s  and  why’s  of  characters’  behaviors.  
 
 
 
IMAGE    
 

 
   
 
 
KEYWORDS/TAGGING    
• Infer  
• Inference  
• Inferring  
• Making  Inferences  
• Evidence  
• Text  
• Read  
• Reading  
• Comprehension