1. Adapted from: D. Kyle Kelso
Making Inferences
Adapted from: D. Kyle Kelso

2. Objective
Students will understand inferencing and be able to use story details, life experiences, and prior knowledge to make inferences about characters and events in the works we’ll be studying.

3. Inferences are …
An inference is an idea or conclusion that's drawn from evidence and reasoning. An inference is an educated guess. We learn about some things by experiencing them first-hand, but we gain other knowledge by inference — the process of inferring things based on what is already known.
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4. Why inference? Authors don’t give us all the information so …
Readers use story clues – They use details about what they’ve read to make an inference.
Readers use prior knowledge – They make text-to-text connections.
Readers use their personal experience – They make text-to-self connections.
Readers use their real world knowledge – They make text-to- world connections.
The combination of these strategies allow readers to make inferences (reasonable guesses) about characters and events.

6. Let’s give it a try!
Jake Tries to Catch a Fish Jake stood on the riverbank. He cast his fishing pole into the deep water. He had been trying to catch a fish for many hours. Alex and Zach laughed as they watched Jake throw the line into the water one more time.
What type of person is Jake? How do you know?

7. What type of person is Jake?
Patient?
Hard working?
Jake stood on the riverbank. He cast his fishing pole into the deep water. He had been trying to catch a fish for many hours. Alex and Zach laughed as they watched Jake throw the line into the water one more time.
How do you think Alex and Zach feel about Jake’s efforts to catch a fish? How do you know?

8. How do you think Alex and Zach feel about Jake’s efforts to catch a fish?
He is wasting his time.
He won’t catch a fish.
Jake stood on the riverbank. He cast his fishing pole into the deep water. He had been trying to catch a fish for many hours. Alex and Zach laughed as they watched Jake throw the line into the water one more time.

9. Let’s try Another!
The bus driver pulled out of the station. Jim’s heart beat fast. He had never traveled alone. He waved good-bye to his grandparents. “The bus will be in Tucson in two hours,” Jim told himself. He checked his watch. Jim pictured his father waiting for the bus in Tucson. “Two hours will be over in no time,” Jim said.
How does Jim feel? How do you know?

10. How does jim feel? Worried? Scared? Alone?
The bus driver pulled out of the station. Jim’s heart beat fast. He had never traveled alone. He waved good-bye to his grandparents. “The bus will be in Tucson in two hours,” Jim told himself. He checked his watch. Jim pictured his father waiting for the bus in Tucson. “Two hours will be over in no time,” Jim said.
What story clues helped you figure out how Jim feels?
What personal experience or prior knowledge helped you figure out how Jim feels? Text-to-Self? Text-to-Text? Text-to-World?

11. Last one!
John’s teeth chattered. His knees shook. His voice trembled as he said, “I can’t stay out here! I’m going inside.”
What is the weather like in this story? How do you know?

12. What are the strategies you can use to make inferences?
Readers use story clues – They use details about what they’ve read to make an inference.
Readers use prior knowledge – They make text-to-text connections.
Readers use their personal experience – They make text- to-self connections.
Readers use their real world knowledge – They make text- to-world connections.
And … PICTURES. Review the last slide!

13. Lastly …
Please make sure you are NOT confusing inferences with predictions. A helpful reminder:
What is the weather like in this story? How do you know?