Inferencing

Grade Level / Subject Area (Discipline) Teacher Candidate Name Date of Lesson
5 / English Language Arts John Oddo 10/17/18
Common Core State Standards and/or State of Michigan GLCEs and/or HSCEs (Danielson 1a. and 1c.)
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.4.1
Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when
drawing inferences from the text.
Important Concepts (Danielson 1a.)
● Introduction of technical term ‘schema’
● Inferences can be used in videos and pictures, not just text

Learning Outcomes (Danielson 1a. and 1c.)

● Students will make inferences by what they see in videos and pictures
● Students will write their inferences in text after seeing the videos and pictures
○ They will work cooperatively in groups
● Students will confidently share the charts they’ve created

Assessment Summary (Danielson 1f.)

FORMATIVE ASSESSMENTS: During the explanation of observation and inference, our discussion will help identify any
issues and where there needs to be further elaboration. The video and the questions that go along with it will be helpful as
well

SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT: While working in groups, students will create their own inference charts. The charts that are
turned in will be used to assess student learning at the end of the lesson

Prerequisite Relationships to New Learning (Danielson 1a.)

● Students will have made inferences in prior unit lessons

Flexibility and Responsiveness to Students’ Learning Needs (Danielson 3e.)

● Model the observation to inference process over and over again, using as many real-life examples as possible in
an effort to get all students to understand
● Students who are uncomfortable speaking in front of the group will not have to; a representative from their table will
be chosen to speak so there will be flexibility with who is up front and presenting their charts
● Recognize and publicly acknowledge that the background knowledge upon which inferences are drawn will be
different for each student. Reassure students that answers can be different, but all should be made based on some
sort of collected data

Instructional Procedures (Danielson 1e.)

Define the difference between observations and inferences
a. Observation: statement or comment based on something one has seen, heard, or noticed – no observation is too small
b. Inference: a conclusion reached on the basis of evidence and reasoning
c. Bring up different scenarios and ask them to tell me what kind of inference they would make in that situation. If we wake
up to see tree branches and leaves everywhere, what do we infer? If there are gray clouds in the sky, what do we infer?

We can often relate inferencing strictly to reading and writing. However, we can infer in real life situations -- in fact we do it
all the time without knowing it! Talk about inferencing in movies and tell the students you are about to play a video.

Play video: https://youtu.be/rCmTlK_rb0U?t=28

Stop along with the video and ask the designated questions aloud. Following the video, discuss with the class

Invite students to view a photo of a shoe

Ask “Who do you think wears this pair of shoes?”

Encourage students to support their ideas by asking “What makes you say that?”

Encourage students to point out specific details from the photo to help them support their ideas

Move the discussion along by saying “Is there anyone else who can wear this pair of shoes?”

Share the thinking stems chart with the students on the SMART Board Introduce the term “schema” as prior knowledge or
background information. Review the term “evidence” as clues or details from the text or photo

Explain how using schema and evidence together helps to make inferences about what might be happening
Point out the equation schema + evidence = inference

Use the term “prediction” and discuss drawing conclusions and “reading between the lines” to describe an inference; a
good author does not spell everything out for us, there’s no fun in that. A good author allows us to read between the lines
and infer from our own knowledge to what the text is saying.

Model the activity of making an inference chart

Divide another piece of chart paper in half and write “Evidence” and “Inference” as headings for each column

Provide an example of a schema and evidence that lead to an inference. For example: “My inference is that I think these
shoes belong to a man. My evidence is that that the shoes are big. I know from my background knowledge that men usually
have bigger feet than women.”

Invite students to share their ideas about what they see in the photo and record their ideas under the heading “Evidence”

For each piece of evidence that students share have them make an inference based on this piece of evidence and record it
under the heading “Inference”

After determining student understanding, start the group work after a few examples are given. Invite students to work in
groups and make their own inference chart, have each group identify a group speaker to present their chart upon
completion

Distribute a photo and a piece of chart paper to each table; each group should receive a different photo

Have students create 2 columns and copy “Evidence” and “Inference” as headings for each column

Encourage students to refer to the thinking stems (keep projected on the SMART Board) during their group discussions

Invite the group speaker from each table to share their photos and inference charts. Students will turn in their inference
charts and the lesson will be complete

Lesson Timeline (Summary of Instruction) (Danielson 1e.)

Start of the Lesson Mid-Lesson Activities End of Lesson Activities
2
 ● Define the difference between
observations and inferences,
bringing up scenarios for
inferences
● Play video:
https://youtu.be/rCmTlK_rb0U?t
=28
● Stop and ask the designated
questions aloud and discuss
with the class
● Share photo of a shoe on the
SMART Board
● Ask students “Who would wear
this?” and ask for evidence
● Share Thinking Stems chart on the
SMART Board
● Introduction and explanation of
‘schema’ and ‘evidence’
o S+E=I
● Model the creation of an inference
chart, using the shoe picture from
earlier
● Distribute chart paper and a photo
to each group
● Explain that students will work
together to create their own
inference chart, having everyone
in the group contribute to the
chart’s creation
● Afterwards, invite groups to share
their photos and their inference
charts
● Students will turn in their inference
charts

Texts, Materials, and Supplies (Danielson 3c.)

● Pre-created ‘Thinking Stems’ chart
● Computer
● SMART Board
● Pre-chosen reference images
○ Print some to distribute to class
○ Others can be displayed on SMART Board
● Chart paper for teacher, and to distribute to class
● Markers/pens/crayons, etc.