Inference

1. Inference Click to continue for each slide…

2. Required Skills The students must be able to : • Use schema • Examine and analyze evidence, information, and supporting details • Develop informed guesses

3. Strategies • Each strategy is fully explained with examples. • All strategies must be modeled for the students before they complete their own. • After modeling the strategies, students should practice with partners allowing the teacher to monitor and assist more students independently.

4. Formula • Teach the inference formula: Schema (prior knowledge) + Evidence = Inference • When asking students an inference question, have them answer using the formula “My schema is ______ and my evidence is ______ so my inference is ______ .” Students can apply the formula using one or more of the following activities: • Display a picture that relates to a topic or lesson. Have students make inferences using the formula. The purpose of this is for the students to practice so they should write out their information just like a math problem. The formula could also be applied to a song or movie clip.

6. Solving the Mystery OF What the author IS really saying • Tell students many times an author does not come right out and write every single detail. Many of an author’s ideas might be implied. Students should understand discerning that type of information is not easy which is why the skill of inferencing is valuable. • Use the analogy of investigators examining the evidence they uncover to determine facts about a case. They have to put multiple pieces of evidence together like a puzzle and look at what they know from experience. • Have students figure out what an author really believes about a topic, character, conflict, etc. by making inferences. • Use CSI type scenarios or the game of Clue for students to use evidence and their schema to make inferences.

7. Authentic Object Inferencing • Collect items that fit with the unit. For example, items could relate to what a character or person might possess, historical relics, or scientific models. • In pairs, students will receive one item and make an inference. They must use the formula to combine what they know with the provided evidence. • Each pair will report their inference to the class. • The class will make an overall inference based upon all of the items to make an inference about what content will be studied. • For example, a teacher could bring in currency, a boot, a hat, a shell casing, etc. for a unit about the civil war.

8. Say Something • Read the first paragraph or title and have students use one of the above stems to activate prior knowledge. • Next, read further into the text. • Tell the class, “Now, unpack your thinking and explain why you have that question by using one of the following stems.” • This reminds me of . . . . • I think . . . • I didn’t know that . . . • Display the following “Say Something” stems or prompts which activates prior knowledge • Question: “I wonder” or “What if” • Connection: “This reminds me of” • Opinion: “I think” • Reaction: “I didn’t know that” “Now, unpack your thinking and tell why by comparing and contrasting the inference formula with the ‘Say Something’ steps.”

10. Inference Activities • The following activities can be found in the curriculum : • Incredible Inferences • Fleshing Out Skeleton graphic organizer • Multiple Sources and Multiple Perspectives graphic organizer

11. Mind Maps