Reading – Making Inferences

Reading Objective:
Students will be able to:
 analyze text to construct a logical inference
 organize their thought process onto a graphic organizer
Common Core Standards:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.4.1/RI.4.1
Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the
text.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.4.10
By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature in the grades 4-5 text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as
needed at the high end of the range.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.4.10
By the end of year, read and comprehend informational texts in the grades 4-5 text complexity band proficiently, with
scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.4.4
Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.10
Write routinely over shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and
audiences.
Higher Order Thinking Question: Materials: Preparation: Vocabulary:
 What is a prediction?  One set of charade cards to  Pre-arrange students into  Inference
 What is the difference between each group of students small groups of no more  Evidence
prediction and inference? (groups should not exceed than four
 Based on the reading, what can four students.)  Cut up emotions for
you infer?  Brown lunch bag (one per charades; place in brown
 What clues did the author use to group) bag
assist in your inference?  Inference passage 1-3 (one *Highlighters can be used
 Explain how you can determine per student) to highlight text evidence
if your inference is reasonable.  Highlighters (optional)
 (one per student)

Tools/Resources/Scaffolds: Anticipatory Set:

Accountable Talk Stems Students will be divided into pre-selected small groups of four. Explain to students that
Graphic Organizers they are going to play a game of Inference Charades. When it’s their turn to “act”
Sentence Frames they’ll pick an emotion out of a bag and try to give their group nonverbal clues about
their emotion so that their group can guess. When they’re in the audience, they will be
able to make guesses.
Learning Plan- Class Activity:

The teacher will explain that Inference Charades allowed the students to make assumptions and guesses based on nonverbal
cues. By using what they already know along with clues from their partner they were able to make what is known as an
inference.

The teacher will then draw students’ attention to an anchor chart that defines and explain inference as using
What You Know + Clues from the Text = Inference

The teacher will then make a “phone call” using the following inference call:
“Hi. Yes, I’d like to order two large cheese and a medium pepperoni. No, thank you; that will be all.”

ThinkAloud:
What information do I already know? I was placing an order. What information was provided in the call? Cheese and
pepperoni are popular topping found on pizza. So, I can infer that the call was for an order or pizza.

The teacher will then place another “call”.

“Hi. I saw a picture of Jamie on the stop sign in my neighborhood, and I think I might have found him. Does he have a red
collar? Yes, he was playing in the water near my house, and I brought him inside.”

ThinkAloud:
What information do I already know? Signs around a neighborhood are usually for missing animals or pets. What information
is provided in the call? A description of him wearing a red collar and playing in water. I can infer that Jamie is a dog who got
lost.

Based on what you already know, who is Jamie? What happened to Jamie?

Read Aloud Focus:

The teacher will distribute the first reading. Then, the passage about Sam the conscientious neighbor will be read aloud.

Accountable Talk Stems:

Turn and Talk with your partner about the following:
With which of these statements would the author most likely agree?
Based on the passage, it could be suggested that …
This statement from the passage supports …

Guided Practice:
Following the Turn and Talk, the teacher will draw the students’ attention to the graphic organizer that accompanies Sam the
conscientious neighbor. With the assistance of the teacher, the students will reread the passage to highlight what we know
about Sam. The teacher will confirm student answers. Once students have successfully demonstrated an understanding of Sam
from the text, the students will be asked to determine what we know about Sam based on his actions. Using this information,
students will be able to decipher the actions he is most likely to do and the action he is unlikely to do.

Quick Check:
Within their small groups, students will read the second passage (found in their group folders) about Sarah who was having a
bad day. Once they have read the passage, they will apply the same strategies used with the teacher to complete the graphic
organizer that accompanies the text. A checklist will be used to monitor student understanding, misunderstanding, and
misconceptions based on their answers.

Independent Practice:
Once students have successfully completed the Quick Check, they will transition into independent practice. Students will read
the final passage about Ms. Potter, the school secretary. They will complete the accompanying graphic organizer.
Below Level Students: On Level Students: Above Level Students:
Students will complete the organizer Students will complete the graphic Students will create a scenario in
with two supportive examples. organizer. which a partner needs to use
inference to come to a reasonable
conclusion.
Assessment:
(Informal):
 Student engagement in Inference Charades
 Student responses to the Quick Check organizer

(Formal):
 Student completion of graphic organizer following the reading of Ms. Potter, the school secretary.

Closure:
Students will share their responses to the Quick Check activity. They will discuss the strategies they used in order to create an
inference based on information from the text along with their prior knowledge.
Citations:
Materials modified from the following:

 Inference call examples:

Inferences Role Play Activity
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Making-Inferences-Role-Play-Activity-437534
All rights to this product are reserved to the author and remain the intellectual property of the author, Mia McDaniel, M.A., CCC/SLP.
 Lesson Plans:
Inferring - Making Inferences Mini-Unit - Reading Comprehension Skills
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Inferring-Making-Inferences-Mini-Unit-Reading-Comprehension-Skills-1090071
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