Lesson Plan Template

EDIS 5882: English Education

Name: Sarah Sheffield

Context:
Date and time for which lesson will be taught:
a. Thursday 10/12 from 9:05-10:33
Course name: Standard/ Collaborative English
Grade level: 6
Length of lesson: 20 min station for three groups
Description of setting, students, and curriculum and any other important contextual characteristics:
a. In this class, the students are diverse. Five of the students are white while the rest of the students are
African American, Asian American, and other minority races. There are 8 girls and 12 boys. Six of the
students have IEPs. One student has autism.
b. This lesson is falling at the beginning of unit 2. In this unit, students will be expected to demonstrate the
ability to make inferences about a text and what the author is trying to do. They will practice inferring
throughout the unit, so we are teaching it first so that they can have more exposures to it. My mentor
teacher is not in during this lesson, so we are working with two teachers instead of the usual three.

Objectives:
Number each objective to reference in the Assessment section
SWBAT:
Cognitive (know/understand):
o 1. Students will understand that making inferences is a part of our daily life.
o 2. Students will know the definition of an inference.
o 3. Students will know the process to make an inferences.

Affective (feel/value) and/or Non-Cognitive:

o 4. Students will value conversation as a means to understanding more about a topic.
Performance (do):
o 5. Students will be able to make an inference about characters in a cartoon.
o 6. Students will be able to work independently while teachers are teaching in stations.
SOLs: [List with numbers portrayed in the SOL document]
6.6 The student will read and demonstrate comprehension of a variety of nonfiction texts.
e) Draw conclusions and make inferences based on explicit and implied information.
Assessments: Methods for evaluating each of the specific objectives listed above.
Please use the sentence stems to describe your assessments. In brackets after each assessment note the number of the
objective(s) from above being assessed
Diagnostic: Students will demonstrate what they already know about by
o Students will demonstrate what they already know about inferencing by orally responding to a question that
I pose at the beginning of the lesson. Based on their responses, I will understand how much they can
connect what I say with the words conclude and infer to their responses. (1)

Formative: Students will show their progress towards by

o Students will show their progress towards knowing the process to make an inference by completing a chart
on their own in which they see something and then infer something about what they see. (2, 3, 5, 6).

Summative: Students will ultimately be assessed (today or in a future lesson) on by...

o Students will ultimately be assessed on inferencing in their unit 2 post assessment. (2, 3, 5, 6).

Materials Needed:
This is just a list of the materials you will need for this lesson to occur. In the Materials Appendix below, you will include the
actual materials or links to what you will be using.
 Cartoon inferring worksheet
Inference Slideshow
Beginning Room Arrangement:
[Changes in this arrangement that become necessary later will be noted in the plan]

There will be four stations. Two of the stations will have seven desks arranged in a U-shape. Each U- Commented [SS1]: I used stations in my standard
station will have a teacher (the special education collaborator and me). One station will be at the comfy collaborative class to teach in small groups. In my advanced
block, I delivered this lesson to the whole class. However, it
chairs in the corner, and one station will be at the remaining desks throughout the room. Students will was more effective to give the lesson to small groups in the
move stations. standard class because it gave students more opportunities to
Instructional Steps (Procedures): Detail student and teacher actions, discourse, and behaviors. respond and more opportunities for feedback.
[Note: Any words that represent what you will say directly to students appear in italics. When students are speaking, indicate
your target response as well as any possible student misconceptions and/or off-the-target responses and how you will
respond to them.]

1. Station Introduction
a. Put station expectations on the board: Good morning everyone! Today, the room is set-up
differently because we are going to be doing stations! Stations are new for us, so first, focus up
front so you can understand what were up to. Today, you will be working in four different
stations. Station one is the station by the door. In this station, you will be learning how to do a
gist statement with Ms. G. Station 2 is over by the window. At station two, youre going to be
learning how to do inferences with me! Heres whats exciting. In station 3, you will be working
independently, which means on your own, to complete a handout where you look at different
cartoons. Station 4 is our relaxing station. You will be on the carpet, reading your SSR book.
Dont worry about remembering where to go, well help you! Group 1 (read names). You all will
start at station 4. Group 2 [read names] You all will start at Station 1 with Ms. G. Group 3 [read
names], you all are starting at Station 2 with me. You all are already in your spot. Were going to
go over some expectations.
2. [2 mins.] Bridge/Hook/Opening to lesson:
a. Put on screen the word, Inference and have each student say the word.
b. Set expectations: Hey guys! Our school rules are to be safe, respectful, and responsible. To
show that you are respectful, use your active listening skills. What is one way you can show you
are listening? [Students respond] awesome! Yes, keep your eyes on me, and respond at
appropriate times to what I or your classmates are saying. One way to show that youre
responsible is to sit with academic posture. That tells me that you are ready to learn. Who can
demonstrate academic posture for me? [Students demonstrate]. Nice work! Academic posture
looks like bottom in the chair, feet on the floor, and eyes towards the speaker. Will someone
repeat the expectations to me? What two things am I looking for? [Students respond]. Right.
Academic posture and active listening.
c. Discuss Question: Ok, turn your eyes up to the computer screen and look at this question. Will
someone please read the question out loud? [Student reads]. Ok, so youre walking down the hall
and you say hi to someone and they dont respond. What do you think about that? [Students
respond. I repeat what they say to the group and add-on as necessary.] What you all are doing
right now is you are making inferences about that person. Youre using what you know and what
you observed to make a decision or a conclusion about this person.

3. [4 mins.] Inference Definition

a. On the screen in front of you is the definition of an inference. Were going to break this definition
down and go step by step. The first part of the definition is that an inference is a conclusion.
Whats a conclusion? [Students respond. I repeat and add-on to their thoughts.] The second part
of the definition is that its based on what you read or observe. What does it mean to be based on
 something? [Students respond]. So it can be like a movie being based on a book. Nice work. What
does it mean when something is based on what you read or observe? [Students respond].
Awesome. So, what we have so far is that its a conclusion, or a final decision, about something
that we see or we can look at. The third part of the definition is that its combined with what you
already know. So, if its combined that means that its added on to what you already know. So,
what might be something you already know? [Students respond.] Ok, great! So, its like that prior
knowledge. Ideas that you have before even looking at the evidence. Nice. So down here in the
corner is a picture of Inspector Gadget. Hes our image for inferencing because hes an inspector
and has to make conclusions based on the evidence he sees combined with what he already
knows.
4. [6 mins.] Teacher Model First Cartoon
a. Im now handing out this handout that has some cartoons on it. The first thing that I want you to
do is write your name on top of the handout. Whats the first thing you are going to do? [Write
your name]. Yes. Write your name on top of your handout. This is what you will turn in at the end
of stations today to show what you learned about inferencing. You need your name on it so that
you can get credit for it. Now, when you get the cartoon handout. Read over the first cartoon to
yourself. Read the Garfield cartoon to yourself. [Students read the Garfield Cartoon]. Ok, so will
someone tell me what happens in this cartoon? Give the gist of it. [Students respond to piece
together what happened. I guide and shape their ideas]. Awesome, so this cartoon is about
Garfield talking to Arlene about their dinners. Im going to do a teacher model which means that
Ill talk through each step of making an inference so that you can see it really broken down. Then,
we will do one together. For this first one, really show me your listening skills. Ok, the first step
of making an inference is checking what I already know. I already know that Garfield is a cat and
he lives with a guy. I learned from the Cartoon that the guys name is Jon. Thats all I really
know, so now we look at step 2. Step 2 is to think about what I see, or the evidence that I see. So,
in Step 1, I thought about what I know. In step 2, I think about what I see. What I see in this
cartoon based on the picture is that Garfield is really chubby while Arlene is really scrawny.
Arlene looks really skinny. I also can read these captions and see something interesting. Garfield
had this whole big meal that was prepared for him. He ate of bunch of human food. Arlene just
ate a rat, which is not something a human would have put together for her. So, this brings me to
my third step. My third step is to make the inference. So, I infer that Arlene is a street cat, or a
stray cat, because she is really skinny and she does not have a homecooked meal. My inference is
that she is a street cat. My evidence is that she is skinny and did not have a home-cooked meal.
On your handout, you will write Arlene is a house cat under what do you infer. You will write,
she is skinny and does not have a home-cooked meal under the evidence. What I see is the
evidence, what I conclude or decide based on that evidence is my inference. [Students write in,
and I help them through it individually]. Ok, now were going to move on to the second cartoon.
Its on the back of this page, so you need to turn the page.
5. [5 mins] We Do Second Cartoon
a. Ok, lets look at this second cartoon together. What is step one? [Students respond]. Ok. Step one
is to think about what we already know. What is something that you already know maybe about
elderly couples or the cartoon, Pickles? [Students respond]. Its ok if we dont really know much.
Now, we can move on to step 2. Someone remind me. What is step 2? [Students respond]. Step 2:
Look for evidence, what do you see? [Students respond]. So, we see that they are sitting on the
couch. We see that they switched chores. Anything else that you see? [Students respond]. Ok,
based on what we see. What does that make you infer? What can you infer based on what you
see? [Students respond]. Ok, so one inference we might make is that the couple is bored because
they get up to do work right after they sit on the couch. So, what do you write under What can
you infer about the couple on the couch? [Students respond]. Awesome, and what part goes
under What evidence supports that? [Students respond.] Ok, nice work going through that step
by step. Im going to leave the steps on this screen, and I want you all to take the next two
 minutes to work on the third cartoon by yourself. Make an inference based on evidence about the
third cartoon.
6. [3 mins] Students complete Third Cartoon
7. [2 mins] Transition: Hey guys! Stellar work in this small group today. Now, you are going to work
independently to complete a chart on the next page. You will need your laptops. When you get your
laptop, go to Google Classroom and open the slideshow. The slideshow has ten different pictures in it.
The chart on the last page of your handout has ten numbers. That means that number one on your chart
goes with slide one in the slideshow on classrooms. Where do you go when you get your computers?
Where do you fill out the inferences? Awesome. You are expected to be quiet in these stations. Go ahead
and get your laptops and move there!

Attention to Individual Student Needs: (Differentiation):

Detail specific actions/materials you will use to differentiate instruction in this lesson. Use specific student names when
appropriate
For this lesson, I designed a slideshow to help go step-by-step through the materials. One students,
Lucy, has a processing disorder. She needs her instruction broken down into steps. I made sure to make
inferring a three step process that I re-explain and reinforce so that she could see the process more
easily. I wanted to work through three examples together in a group so that the students could have time
to process my instruction and apply it before working independently.

I broke the definition into parts as well. This is helpful for students who are struggling readers in my
classroom such as Lucy, Davian, and Josh. Instead of making them try to process a long sentence, we
work through each small part of the definition to help them understand the definition for real.

Working in small groups gives each student in our class the opportunity to be more heard within their
groups. They can be more engaged in the lesson and have more accountability for their actions.
Technology Use:
Detail specific technology being used in the lesson with explanation for why it is being used.
I am using a slideshow to help students see the definition broken out into three parts. This also helps students keep track of
what step we are working on and what the steps are. The cartoons are in the slideshow, so students can redirect themselves to
the right place if they see the cartoon on the screen and see it on their handout.

Students will be using Google Classrooms to give them access to more cartoons to practice with. This helps them to keep
their materials organized because they wont have as many papers, and it helps them to practice using technology to support
their learning. Its easier to have the cartoons in color on the screen for them, and it gives them the independence to use a tool
that they enjoy while getting work done with it.

Materials Appendix:
Include the actual materials or links to what you will be using. If you are using a handout or a PowerPoint, or giving a quiz,
etc., these documents (or links to them) must be included. (see the list above)
Appendix 1: Handout
Appendix 2: Inference Lesson
Appendix 3: Cartoon Slideshow
In Retrospect (to be completed after the lesson has been taught):
Reflect on the lesson after you taught it. Was there anything that surprised you? Discuss your students reactions and
behaviors to the activities you planned. Is there anything that you would do differently if you were to teach this again? What
would you do?
It felt like this lesson went pretty well. While it was still my standard class and I had two students in this small group who
struggle with serious behavior needs, I felt like I was much more prepared for this lesson. It was a good idea to start with
behavioral expectations because then I had something to refer back to. I was really surprised by how one of our most
challenging students was incredibly engaged. I had forgotten that he adores talking about cats. He loved doing the Garfield
cartoon, and it was the first time I have ever seen him participate in a lesson. I was excited because he was able to show me
that he could do the work in this lesson even though we were not able to get him to complete his individual work later. I like
that I focused on working slowly. I anticipated at first that this lesson might go 15 minutes, but it ended up going about 25
minutes. Even though I went over time, I felt like they had a better understanding of how to infer. I also set them up to be
able to do their independent work fairly well, which showed that they understood the process that we used.

If I were to teach this lesson again, I would be more vocal throughout the lesson about what behaviors they were doing that
met my expectations. I would want to find a way to reward their behaviors so that they are more invested in that behavior
expectation. However, I think I did a good job of explaining the behaviors that I expected to see, and I did reinforce them a
few times to different groups especially.