Bonnie Maddox 4th Grade Reading Lesson Plan Title: Tackle the meaning of language by inferring beyond the

literal meaning. Adapted from The Comprehension Toolkit Harvey, S., & Goudvis, A. (2005). Strategy book 4: Lesson 12: Tackle the meaning of language. In The Comprehension Toolkit (pp. 27-35). Portsmouth, NH: firsthand. 1. Student Outcomes: Students will be able to use the context and their background knowledge to infer meaning from poems words, lines, and phrases. Students will be able to gain an understanding of how to move beyond a literal interpretation using the strategy of inferring. Students will be able to articulate their understanding by sharing their inferences, questions, and interpretations of the poems deeper meaning.

2. Standard: Determine the meaning of general academic and domain-specific words or phrases in a text relevant to a Grade 4 topic or subject area. [RI.4.4]

3. Materials/Media/Technology: The poems Moon and Secrets from Myra Cohn Livingstons Space Songs. Classroom Supplies Needed: 2 Anchor Charts: 1 with the poem Moon, and 1 with two columns labeled Kids Comments and Strategies Student Supplies Needed (20): Copy of the poems Moon and Secrets, clipboards, and pencils

4. Teaching/Learning Procedure: A). Launch of Lesson: 5 minutes I will ask the students to join me on the rug in front of the easel, where the anchor charts will be set-up. I will tell them to bring their clipboards and pencils, and sit next to their reading partners. Once the students are gathered up close so they can see the poem on the chart, I will tell them: Today we will be reading a poem called Moon, by Myra Cohn Livingston. When I read it, it makes me think of what I know about the moon and what I feel like when I see it at night. Its so far away and at the same time so familiar to us. Now I want you to turn to your partner and talk about some things you know about the moon, or some thoughts youve had while gazing at it.

The students will turn and talk to each other, sharing their thoughts about the moon. When I feel they have discussed enough, just a minute or so, I will hold up five fingers and pull their

attention back. I will ask for volunteers who want to share what they know about the moon or some thoughts or feelings they have had while gazing at it. Our knowledge of the moon will help us understand this poem. As we read it, well think about the poets choice of words and phrases and make inferences to understand her ideas about the moon. Can anyone tell me what an inference is? So often when we read, we are pretty sure we know what the words mean and if we do not, we can use different strategies to help us figure it out. So I know you are all active readers, making notes about your thoughts and questions while you read. Do you also make inferences while you read? Why is it important to stop when you do not understand something you just read? Right, so with this poem, well want to stop and infer to make sure we understand. To do that, well read more slowly rather than whizzing right through it. Well also discuss the words and phrasing, merging the information and ideas in the poem with our own thinking in order to see the big picture. So are we ready to start?

If the students say yes, I will tell the students that I want to read the poem together because poems have beautiful language and are meant to be read aloud. B). Investigation/Presentation: 30 minutes Moon remembers. Hmmm, when I read those words, I immediately asked myself a question. I wondered, remembers what? What does the moon remember? Since I dont have an answer right now, I think Ill write my question here on the chart next to those words. (write Remembers what? on chart) Marooned in shadowed night, white powder plastered on her pockmarked face. I think Ill stop here and think more carefully about the word marooned. The context or the surrounding words dont really help me here. But I have some background knowledge about what that word means. Ive heard the word marooned used to describe other situations, like when people get stuck all alone on a desert island. So here I think it means that the moon is all alone out there in space. So the phrase, marooned in shadowed night paints a picture in my mind- I visualize the moon suspended alone in space (circle the word Marooned and write alone in space next to it). And those words, white powder plastered on her pockmarked face, scarred with craters, filled with waterless seas help me visualize the moon. Im inferring the white powder is the dust that covers the surface of the moon (write that on the anchor chart). And her face, the moons face, is scarred with craters, filled with waterless seas. So my background knowledge about craters is really helping me understand this phrase. She thinks back to the Eagle, to the flight of men from Earth. Ok, so now I get it! If shes thinking back, it means that she remembers...she remembers the Eagle and the men walking on the moon. From my background knowledge, I know that men landed on the moon and their spaceship was named Eagle, so the moon thinks back to remember the flight of men from Earth. (Draw a line from Moon remembers to the line about what the moon remembers, saying that I have now answered my question about what the moon remembered!) Those words are more meaningful now than when I first wondered about them. Its almost like Ive solved a mystery!

- Lets think through the rest of the poem together. Poems are so much more interesting when we discuss our inferences and interpretations. So I am going to pass out some copies of this poem and I want you to put it on your clipboard and write down your thinking on the poem just as Im leaving tracks of my thinking on the large copy.

I will then pass out copies of the poem and read the rest of it. Now I want you to turn and talk to your partners about what you inferred from the rest of the poem. What do the words mean to you? Are they bringing up new questions that you have and are you making inferences to answer the questions using your background knowledge or context clues?

I will give them a minute to discuss and then ask for volunteers to share with the class, recording the comments and strategies they used to interpret the poem on the Comments/Strategies chart. I will reinforce that they are making inferences based on their background knowledge and/or context clues. When a student asks what the Sea of Tranquility is, the class will have a brief discussion about it and if nobody knows, I will ask if anyone wants to look into it a little further and let us know what they find out tomorrow. We will then sum up what the poem is about. Are there any big ideas that strike you in this poem? I want you to turn and talk to your partner about something you learned about this poem from listening to someone elses thinking.

I will then tell them that I am going to hand out another poem by the same author, Myra Cohn Livingston, for them to read and interpret on their own. I will remind them to jot down their inferences, questions, or connections next to the words or phrases they are figuring out. After we read and respond independently, I will put you in groups of four to share your thinking together.

I will then pass out the Secrets poem and they can go to their comfortable reading spots during this portion of the lesson. After a few minutes, I will get everyones attention and put them in groups of four, just depending on who is sitting closest to each other. I will ask them to share their interpretations together, and to remember to value everyones thinking and make sure each person has an opportunity to share. C). Accommodations/Modifications: I will circulate during the independent practice time to check for students who are lost or struggling. I would read the poem with them, stopping and asking questions along the way. For example, we would read Space keeps its secrets hiddenIt does not tell. I would stop there and ask what secrets do you think space has? Can we use our background knowledge to answer that question or do you see an answer in the surrounding words? D). Extensions/Challenges: One challenge I anticipate is staying on track in regards to time. I am not quite sure how long this lesson will take because I do not know how long they will need to interpret their poems and share their thinking. I think the students will like sharing their thoughts on the poem and I want

to make sure they get enough time to do so, but I do not want to give them too much time so that they get off topic or bored. An extension for this lesson would be to have the students create their own poem about space in their reading or writing journals. It would not only take the lesson a step further but also let me see if the language of poetry transfers to their writing. I could also ask the students questions such as, Look at the title of the poem. What do you think it means? Why do you think the author chose that as the title? Secrets from who?... E). Closure: 5 minutes After giving the students time to share as a group, I will hold up five fingers and call them all to the rug to share as a class. I will ask for volunteers to share and reinforce the concept of inferring. So what did we learn today about inferring? Why is making inferences an important part of reading? You did a great job inferring to surface some of the big ideas in the poem. As you made sense of the poems language, you came up with your own interpretation of the poem.

I will then remind the students to put their names on the poems and take them up for assessment. After completion of the lesson, the students will have 20 minutes to read their independent reading books and be asked to notice and write about what inferences they are making while reading in their reading journals. 5. Assessment: I will check the students understanding of the lesson by reviewing their comments on the poems and observing them during group and whole-class share time. I will use a checklist that is broken into three different categories. The three different categories are: Students are able to use the context and background knowledge to infer meaning from the poems words, lines, and phrases. Students demonstrate an understanding of how to move beyond a literal interpretation using the strategy of inferring. Students are able to articulate their understanding by sharing their inferences, questions, and interpretations about the poems deeper meaning. 6. Personal Reflections: Reflections will be submitted after the lesson is taught.

Meaning of Language Sample Checklist:

Student Name

Notes on poem show evidence of using context and background knowledge to infer meaning

Notes on poem demonstrated understanding of using inferences to move beyond literal interpretation

The student articulated his/her understanding during group and/or class share time

Anchor Chart Example:

Anchor Chart Example: