1. Making Inferences
Objective: Students will combine text evidence with prior knowledge to make inferences about fictional text.

2. Guiding Questions What does it mean to make an inference?
What does it mean to read between the lines?
Why is it important to bring your prior knowledge to a text?

3. What can we infer? Sharks No
At the beach Jake saw a sign that read…..
Jake thought that this meant that sharks were not allowed to swim in this area.
What did the sign really mean?
Sharks No
Swimming

4. What verbal and nonverbal
clues do you notice?
Analyze the evidence.
Draw conclusions (read
between the lines)
Realize “Oh, now I get it!”

5. KIS Strategy Key Words are underlined.
Infer: Predict what information is missing by thinking about the key words.
Support the inference by explaining why it is correct. Base your explanation on your own past experience and knowledge.

6. Joshua went into the backyard to play on the swing set
Joshua went into the backyard to play on the swing set. His new puppy, Rascal, ran beside him. As Joshua was running toward the play area, he twisted his ankle. The accident caused him a lot of pain. Joshua’s dad was always doing yard work and making sure that the grass was perfectly cut and the ground was even. Certainly, he would have noticed that hole and filled it up. Neither Joshua nor his father could figure out how that hole appeared. Who or what do you think caused the hole?
Comprehension Mini-Lessons: Inference & Cause and Effect by LeAnn Nickelsen: 2004

7. Underline Key Words
Joshua went into the backyard to play on the swing set. His new puppy, Rascal, ran beside him. As Joshua was running toward the play area, he twisted his ankle. The accident caused him a lot of pain. Joshua’s dad was always doing yard work and making sure that the grass was perfectly cut and the ground was even. Certainly, he would have noticed that hole and filled it up. Neither Joshua nor his father could figure out how that hole appeared. Who or what do you think caused the hole?

8. Make an Inference & Give Support
I can infer: Joshua’s new puppy dug a hole in the yard.
My support for this inference: many puppies love to dig; Joshua’s dad keeps the lawn neat and even; neither Joshua nor his dad knew who had dug the hole.

9. Exit Slip
What did you learn today?
What questions do you have?