Lesson Topic: Making Inferences Lesson Plan (scripted)

Grade Level: 3rd

Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills
110.14.13.B
(13) Reading/Comprehension of Informational Text/Expository Text. Students analyze, make
inferences and draw conclusions about expository text and provide evidence from text to support
their understanding.
(B) draw conclusions from the facts presented in text and support those assertions with textual
evidence (Texas Education Agency, 2014).
Lesson Objectives
Students, working in groups, will demonstrate the ability to use background knowledge
and make the correct inference on 3 of 4 passages given.
Students, working in a group, will use the information from the passages given and
identify a minimum of 10 of 14 clues to support the inferences made.
Instructional Material & Resources
Teacher Materials
Box
spiral notebook
large cardboard magnifying class
spiral notebook clue list
computer for displaying graphics and
showing videos
notepad for recording observations

Student Materials
Paper
Pen or pencil
Highlighter
Making Inferences worksheet
(included in lesson plan)

Resources
Graphics:
Bank Robbery Graphic

Graphic Organizer to complete during

discussion.

(McGraw Hill Education, 2013)

Making Inferences (Image A)

Making Inferences (Image B)

Video: Introduction to Reading Skills: Making Inferences (McGraw Hill Education, 2013).
Sequence of Instructional Procedures

Prerequisite Skills Needed

o Student must be able to draw on prior knowledge and use schema.
o Students must know how to draw conclusions.
o Students must be able to use information from the text to support their thoughts
(Baltimore City Schools - Office of Literacy).

Presentation of New Information or Modeling

New information will be presented to students using the overhead using graphics and videos.
Two Making Inferences slides will be displayed that defines making inferences and shares
information about how inferences can be made while reading.
*Text in italicized blue is my planned script when delivering the lesson.
Whole Class/Guided Practice:
The teacher will have a spiral notebook in the box. The teacher will use a spiral notebook,
because it is something familiar to students. This item, with clues given and background
knowledge, students should be able to guess the item correctly. To prepare the students for the
lesson, the teacher will have them get a piece of paper and a pen or pencil to use for this lesson.
When all of the students have the necessary supplies, the teacher will start the lesson with an
attention getter. Use of an oversized magnifying glass, as a prop, will get students attention. The
teacher will then tell the students that they are detectives. The learners will use clues, and what
they already know to identify the mystery item (spiral notebook) is that is in the box. The box
will be placed where all students can see it to build anticipation which should increase
engagement.
Students, for this lesson we are going to be detectives. We are going to use clues and our
previous knowledge to guess what the mystery item is that is in the box.
The teacher will then prepare students to start receiving clues and let them know that their guess
may change as they receive more clues.
Now, I am going to give you all some clues about the mystery object. Please listen carefully to
the clues. You may draw a picture or write your guess down. As I give more clues, you may
change your mind about what the object is, and you can scratch out your original guess and
draw or write another. As you get each clue, please use the clues along with knowledge that you
already have to make an inference.
The teacher will begin giving clues. As clues are given, the teacher will move about the room
with the oversized magnifying glass. The teacher will look through the magnifying glass at

students guesses. Using the magnifying glass prop in this manner, while moving around the
room, will be a fun way to keep the students engaged. A new clue will be given approximately 45
seconds apart. I will adjust timing of the clues based on my observations of how quickly or
slowly the students record their guesses.
Alright detectives, mystery solving begins in 321.

1st clue: It has a front and back cover.

2nd clue: The front cover comes in many different colors.
3rd clue: It has three circular holes.
4th clue: It has many lined pages.
5th clue: It is bound together with spiraled wire.

The teacher will then ask a student to share his/her guess with the class. The teacher will ask the
students to raise their hands if they agree. If the majority of students agree, the teacher will
reveal the spiral notebook as the mystery object.
If there are a lot of students that do not agree, the teacher will ask a few students what their
guesses are to see if the majority of students agree with any of the guesses. Once the majority of
the class in agreement, the teacher will reveal the mystery object.
After revealing the mystery object, the teacher will then go back over the clues with the students
and point out the clue information about the spiral notebook. For example, the teacher will point
to the front and back cover, point to the three circular holes, open the notebook to show the lined
pages, and the wire that binds the notebook together (Baltimore City Schools - Office of
Literacy).
Good job!! You all have been great detectives and have used the clues and your previous
knowledge to make inferences about what the mystery object was. What are inferences?
Display the following graphic on an overhead and read it aloud.
Detectives, please take a look at the graphic on the overhead. Making inferences is the process
of using observations, background knowledge, and other information to draw a conclusion or
make a judgment (Love to Know Corp, 1996-2015).

You can make inferences in other ways, too. You can also use visuals or visualization for
clues.
The teacher will then show the students an
image on the overhead from a video that the
class will watch about making inferences. The
teacher will ask students to look at the picture,
make observations, use their knowledge and
make an inference about what is happening.
The teacher will call on a few students and ask
them about the inferences that they made and
have them support it with details from the
image. Students should be able to infer that
there is a bank robbery happening. To support
their inference, students should answer that the
men are dressed like robbers with masks and
they are leaving a bank with bags on their
shoulders. As the teacher receives answers
from students, he/she will fill in a graphic
organizer. The following image and graphic
organizer will be used. Image to be shown to
students on overhead.

(McGraw Hill Education, 2013)

Detectives, please take a look at this picture. What inferences can you make by looking at this
picture and using visual clues? Please be able to tell my why you have made this inference. You
must be able to support your inference with details.
The teacher will take student answers and have them support their inferences with details. Their
answers will be recorded on the graphic organizer if they are correct. If not, the class will discuss
it further, and the teacher should work to correct any misunderstandings.
The teacher will ask students about what sounds they might expect to hear and see. Students
should use their schema and answer that alarms at the bank would be sounding, police sirens

would be heard, and police cars seen. The teacher will then explain that the answers that they are
providing are based on their background knowledge or schema.
Students, what might you expect to hear during a bank robbery? *Take a few student
responses.* You all are using your background knowledge about what you might hear. You also
used your knowledge when you looked at the picture and made inferences about what was
happening. Great job!
The teacher will then show the students the video. In the video, the actor models his thought
process for making an inference.
Ok. Now, lets take a look at this video to see another way inferences are made.
Watch video:
Introduction to Reading Skills: Making Inferences (McGraw Hill Education, 2013)
After video:
Did you notice how the hero in the video used information from the script that he read to make
an inference? He used the information from the text in his script to make an inference that the
bank robbers were going to jail. The female director stopped him because that information was
not in the script. The author of the script did not say that the bank robbers were going to jail.
The hero used what he already knew along with what was stated in the script, and he made an
inference.
Show the previous Making Inferences graphic, with added information about making inferences
as readers, on the overhead and read aloud.

Lets refer back to the information about making inferences. We know that making inferences is
the process of using our observations, background knowledge, and other information to draw a
conclusion or make a judgment (Love to Know Corp, 1996-2015). We also learned that as
readers, we are often NOT told exactly what happened or is happening. We can use clues from
the text and make inferences.
Independent Work:

The teacher will have students work in pre-assigned mixed level groups of four. The groups will
be given the Making Inferences worksheet that includes written passages. Students will read the
passages from the Making Inferences worksheet. They will be instructed to read the passage,
highlight the clues, and write an inference below the passage. Each student in the group will
choose which job they would like to do in the group. The jobs are reader, clue identifier, writer,
and speaker. The responsibilities for each job are as follows:
Reader: Read the passage.
Clue Identifier: Will highlight the clues once they are identified.
Writer: Will write the inference.
Speaker: Will share an inference with the class during discussion.
Students will be told that, if they would like to, they may use a graphic organizer like the one we
used earlier in the lesson to organize their clues and inferences. The teacher will move around the
room and observe the students as they work and offer guidance when necessary or requested.
After students are with their groups:
Reading detectives, you have been given worksheets with four passages. Please read each
passage, make an inference for each passage and write it below the passage. Then, you are to
highlight the clues that you used to help you make your inference. You may also use graphic
organizers, like the one we used earlier, to organize your information. After everyone has
completed this activity, we will discuss it together. Be prepared to share your inferences and
support your inferences with clues from the text. You have 15 minutes to complete this activity.
The students will work from the following worksheet.

The following are the inferences the students should make and the clues that support those
inferences.
1) Inference: Susie is ill.
Clues: sniffling and sneezing, felt warm, head hurt, mom called the school.
2) Inference: Its cold outside
Clues: heavy coat, shivering, chattering teeth.
3) Inference: Dougs lunch money fell out of the hole in his pocket.
Clues: Money not in pocket, hole in pocket
4) Inference: Cindy is making a birthday cake for her sister.
Clues: birthday, ingredients for cake on list, candles
Culmination
The whole class will then transition back to discussing their findings as a whole class. The class
will discuss the inferences that each group made and the information from the passage that
supports the inferences made. After discussing each passage, the teacher will ask students to raise
their hands if they have any questions or need clarification. The teacher should make note of
students struggling with this concept and plan for further instruction.
The group worksheets will be turned in, with the names of each student in group. This will allow
the teacher an opportunity to see if the correct inferences were made and clues identified.

Differentiated Instruction
For whole class instruction, the teacher will use a variety of ways to deliver the lesson. The
teacher will make use of images and videos, as well as oral instruction. Using a variety of
delivery methods will help students with different learning styles process information and learn
the lesson. Allowing students to draw, write, and later, deliver their inferences orally gives
students the opportunity to answer in a way that is most comfortable for them. Use of the
magnifying glass while playing the detective type game, where students are given clues, will
help students who have a tendency to get off task stay on task because the lesson will be
engaging.
Another way that instruction is differentiated is by using graphic organizers. The use of a graphic
organizer during instruction allows students to see how they may organize their information.
Graphic organizers are an option that students may use during group work. Using graphic
organizers may help some students separate the clues and their inferences from the entire passage
during independent work.
For independent work, mixed level grouping is another way to differentiate the lesson. Mixed
level grouping will be used so that varied ability level students can work together. In the mixed
level groups, students can use their strengths to help one another and contribute to the groups
work. Some things that can be targeted with mixed level grouping are having strong ability
readers with students that are lower level readers. Students will have roles in the groups that will
allow them to use their strengths. Another thing that can be achieved with mixed level grouping
is helping students with ADD or other attention or behavioral disorders stay on task. Students
who stay on task can be grouped with students who struggle with on task behavior. In order to be
successful with this type of grouping, the teacher must be familiar with students strengths and
struggles. Groups must be carefully planned so that the grouping will be beneficial for all
students.
Student Assessment
The teacher will be using formative assessments to assess student learning. As the class moves
through the lesson, the teacher should make observation as he/she moves around the room during
the initial clue giving period, during group work, and during class discussions. During formative
assessment, the teacher should identify students who may need further assistance with the
material covered in the lesson. Through observation the teacher should also be able to identify
students who have an understanding of the material and may need more advanced work. The
worksheet will also be used as an assessment. The students will be issued a grade based on the
worksheet that they turn in. The grade will depend on the number of inferences correctly made,
the number of clues that were correctly identified.