1. TARGET FOR TODAY-
INFERENCE

2. Have you ever overheard part of a conversation and tried to imagine what it was about? If so, you were making inferences.   
Using conversations to introduce inferences

3. In the following exercises, you will practice inferring information from short dialogues.  
Make sure with each example to push kids to support inferences with background knowledge and/or text evidence

4. Person A: Excuse me. Do you live around here? Is this Elm Street?
First Dialogue:   
Person A: Excuse me. Do you live around here? Is this Elm Street?
    Person B: No, this is Maple Ave.
    A: Maple Ave?…Oh, dear. I really don’t understand this! I’m looking for Elm St. and I thought this was it.
    B: No, no. Elm St. isn’t anywhere near hear.
    A: But wasn’t that the high school back there?
    B: No, that was the town hall.
    A: Oh. Then I really am confused. Can you take a look here and show me where I am?
    B: Sure. Let’s see…. You’re over here. See? This is Maple Ave. and here’s the high school. Now, if you want to get to Elm St. you’d better take the bus…
Before the you and the students start to discuss the following questions have the students write down or draw what they are visualizing. Where are these people? Where do you “see” them? In the city? Out in the country? Are they walking on the street and run into each other? Or do you “see” something else? Have them share out what they are envisioning.
Then ask the students-Who are these people? A visitor from out of town and someone who lives there.
What are they talking about? The visitor is lost and wants to know where she is on the map.
Where are they? They are on Maple Ave., city or town
Are they men or women? How can you tell?
It is impossible to tell.
Then lead a conversation that a lot of what we read requires background knowledge combined with the author’s words.

5. What are they talking about? Any other inferences?
Second Dialogue:
    Person A: For here or to go?
    Person B: To go.
    A: Large or small?
    B: Uh…small.
    A: Light or black?
    B: Black.
    A: Sugar?
    B: Yes, two please.
    A: What a bag?
    B: No, thanks.
    A: OK. That’ll be seventy-five.
    B: Here you are.
    A: Bye now.
    B: Bye.
Where are these people?
What are they talking about?
Any other inferences?

6. Person A: Fill it up, please. Person B: Regular or Super? A: Regular.
Third Dialogue:
    Person A: Fill it up, please.
    Person B: Regular or Super?
    A: Regular.
    B: Want me to check the oil?
    A: No, that’s all right.
    B: What about the windshield. Need a cleaning?
    A: Sure. Go ahead.
    B: OK.
    A: How much?
    B: Ten-fifty.
    A: Here, put it on my Visa.
    B: We don’t take credit cards.
    A: No credit cards! Hope I’ve got the cash. Let’s see, let me look in my jacket pocket…No…on here, that makes ten. I must have another fifty cents on me somewhere.
    B: Don’ worry about it.
    A: Really, I’m sorry. I thought I could use my Visa.
    B: That’s OK. You can give it to me next time.
    A: Thanks a lot.
Where are these people?
What are they talking about?
What is their trust level with each other? How do you know this?
Time period?
Any other inferences?

7. A: Really? You were so excited about going.
Fourth Dialogue:
   Person A: So how was it?
   Person B: Terrible.
    A: Really? You were so excited about going.
    B: I know, but I tell you, I’m glad to be back.
    A: What happened?
    B: First of all, there was the weather. It rained every day. Not just a little, but all day! There we were with these gorgeous beaches and no sun!
    A: I guess you didn’t get much of a tan.
    B: Look at me! I’m as pale as I was before.
    A: At least you must have gotten some rest.
    B: Rest! The second day we were there, my husband got sick. He was sneezing and coughing for three days and nights. And then I caught his cold. I felt just awful for another three days.
    A: Well, how was the food?
    B: That was the only nice thing about the whole week. Except that we were too sick to enjoy it half the time. Anything new in the office?
    A: Not much. It’s been slow week.
Where are these people?
What is their relationship?
What are they talking about?
What can we infer about Person B’s personality?
Any other inferences?

8. What do you infer is going on here?
The procedure is actually quite simple. First, you arrange things into different groups. Of course, one pile may be sufficient depending on how much there is to do. If you have to go somewhere else due to lack of facilities, that is the next step; otherwise, you are pretty well set. It is important not to overdo things. That is, it is better to do too few things at once than too many. In the short run, this may not seem important but complications can easily arise. A mistake can be expensive as well. At first, the whole procedure will seem complicated. Soon, however, it will become just another fact of life. It is difficult to foresee any end to the necessity for this task in the immediate future, but then one can never tell. After the procedure is completed, one arranges the materials into different groups again. Then they can be put into their appropriate places. Eventually, they will be used once more, and the whole cycle will then have to be repeated. However, that is part of life.
“arrange into different groups”
“lack of facilities” makes you need to go somewhere else to do it
“fact of life”; always necessary
Mistakes can be expensive
At the end, arrange materials and put away
Cycle
Doing the laundry

9. So, after all this practice what does it mean to make an inference?

10. To make an inference is…
To think and make meaning about something beyond what is written in the text
To combine what is read with what the reader already knows about that subject
It is reading ‘between the lines’
Verbally add that author’s assume you can infer when reading, if they didn’t assume this author’s would have to write books that would be so long in order to spell out every detail, inference is used to rely on the reader to understand subtext, or what is between the lines

11. Why do we need to know how to make inferences?
It helps us make sense, comprehend, text
Because an author doesn’t always put everything in writing, you will need to know how to infer in order to fully understand a text
You have to infer all the time, not just when reading
It flexes your higher level thinking muscles

12. Author’s Words + Background Knowledge = Inference
The Inference Formula
Author’s Words + Background Knowledge = Inference
AW + BK = Inference
Talk about slide, handout Harris Burdick graphic organizer sheet to kids

13. Let’s practice using the inference formula
See teacher’s filled out graphic organizer for this modeled example, show to kids and walk through all the inferences and how they are supported with background knowledge, author’s words, and author’s picture evidence.
Let students know that all the photos used for this lesson are done by Norman Rockwell
“Breaking Home Ties”
Norman Rockwell

14. The Black Eye Norman Rockwell
Print slides Hand out a slide to each group of two students. Have them make inferences from their picture. Have each group fill out the inference graphic organizer for their picture. When done, student groups can share their inferences for their picture with the class. Project the slide on the In Focus while each group is presenting.
The Black Eye Norman Rockwell

15. Caught in the Act Norman Rockwell

16. The Runaway

17. Wrap-up Discussion What does it mean to make an inference?
Why do you need to know how to make inferences?