Targeted Literacy Strategy or Skill: Inferring (Background Knowledge + Text Clues = Inferring)

Grade level: 2-5

Objective: The student will be able to use all aspects of a book and background knowledge to make inferences.
Oklahoma PASS Standards:
Grade 2:
- Reading/Literature: The student will apply a wide range of strategies to comprehend,
interpret, evaluate, appreciate, and respond to a wide variety of texts.
Standard 5.2: Comprehension/Critical Literacy The student will interact with the words and
concepts in a text to construct an appropriate meaning.
a. Make inferences about events, characters, and ideas in fictional texts by
connecting knowledge and experience to the story.
b. Support interpretations or conclusions with examples taken from the text.
Grade 3:
-Reading/Literature: The student will apply a wide range of strategies to comprehend,
interpret, evaluate, appreciate, and respond to a wide variety of texts.
Standard 4.2: Comprehension/Critical Literacy - The student will interact with the words and
concepts in a text to construct an appropriate meaning.
a. Make inferences by connecting prior knowledge and experience with
information from the text.
b. Interpret text, including lessons or morals depicted in fairytales, fables, etc.,
and draw conclusions from evidence presented in the text.
Grade 4:
-Reading/Literature: The student will apply a wide range of strategies to comprehend,
interpret, evaluate, appreciate, and respond to a wide variety of texts.
Standard 3: Comprehension/Critical Literacy - The student will interact with the words
and concepts in a text to construct an appropriate meaning.
3.2. Inferences and Interpretation
a. Use prior knowledge and experience to make inferences and support them
with information presented in text.
b. Make interpretations and draw conclusions from fiction and nonfiction text
beyond personal experience.
c. Make inferences and draw conclusions about characters qualities and actions
(i.e.,
based on knowledge of plot, setting, characters motives, characters
appearances, and other characters responses to a character).
Grade 5:
- Reading/Literature: The student will apply a wide range of strategies to comprehend,
interpret, evaluate, appreciate, and respond to a wide variety of texts.
Standard 5: Comprehension/Critical Literacy The student will interact with the words and
concepts in a text to construct an appropriate meaning.
5.2: Inferences and Interpretation
a. Apply prior knowledge and experience to make inferences and respond to
new information presented in text
b. Draw inferences and conclusions about text and support them with textual
evidence
and prior knowledge.
c. Describe elements of character development in written works (e.g., differences
between main and minor characters; changes that characters undergo; the
importance of a characters actions, motives, stereotypes, and appearance to
plot and theme).
d. Make inferences or draw conclusions about characters qualities and actions.

Prior knowledge: (What students already know)

- Students can make simple inferences based on what is stated in the text.
- Students understand story structure.
Observations/Rationale: (Before Lesson) What did you notice in your students work that let you know this
lesson was necessary?
It is time to start this unit/ skill.
Materials Needed:
Lesson from Strategies That Work (p. 141-142)
Mentor Text: Tight Times by Barbara Shook Hazen
Materials: a copy of the text, area to record group observations and inferences
Student Groups: Whole group
Mini Lesson Format:
Connect (Engagement/Pre-reading):
Begin by asking students to make observations, predictions, and inferences from the title and front cover.
- What will this story be about? What problems may the characters face? Why does the boy on the
cover look sad? Why do you think that?

Teach (Model/Explain)
Explain what an inference is and how we come up with inferences. Model a possible example from the
story.
-When we read, we ask ourselves questions about the text. If the text does not answer our
questions, we have to come up with our own answers. When we do this we are using all of our
background knowledge and any text clues that we can find to make an inference. An inference is a
conclusion that we make about the story when it doesnt directly explain something.
- When I look at the cover of the book Im asking myself why does that boy look so sad? but
without reading, I cant know whats upsetting him. I think hes sad because he doesnt like the
food he has to eat. I dont think he likes it because hes playing with it and hes not really eating
it.

Active Engagement (students try it out):

Read the text aloud and have students keep track of their silent inferences along the way. Stop throughout
the story to record their inferences on a group anchor chart and keep asking students to add to the chart as
the read aloud continues.
- Okay, now were going to read the story together and as Im reading think about different
inferences you are making and why you are making them. Well be stopping along the way to
share and record and then well go back after reading to look at what we have inferred beyond what
the text has told us.

Link (Articulating the expectation that students will now use this skill/strategy when reading or writing)
Go over a quick recap of why this skill is important and give some kind of example as to how the students
can use this strategy in their everyday lives as readers.
- When you are reading on your own try to pay attention to all aspects of the book and make
inferences about what you think is happening beyond what is written in the text. Also try to pay
attention to why youre making you inferences; look at what background knowledge and text clues
led you to your conclusion. If youre ever reading and you find yourself confused about what is
going on, take a second to see if you can make you own inferences about what is happening.