I've been working on inferring with my second graders. Doing many of the lessons I've learned to use with older kids and the kids in the library setting last year. I thought I would resend this. Ginger moderator ++++++++++ I like to use large pictures first with kids that show everyday situations. I've used the Mondo flipchart from the set called "Let's Talk About It". Great large color photos. Many work well for this lesson. (This year I am using the Second Step social emotional picture set from years ago. They are black and white pictures which lots to infer.)
I wanted to introduce the "magic formula" for inferring: ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- CLUES FROM THE TEXT (literal pictures/words) plus SCHEMA/BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE (what I know about it) equals INFERENCE ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- I teach it first JUST with pictures. So if you don't happen to have large pictures, you could use magazine pictures. Ask around. I bet someone has something you can borrow in your building. I'll try to describe the pictures I used today. The first one was a girl with huge excited wide eyes, an open smiling mouth and hands up on each cheek. I told the kids they were going to be making inferences using the clues from the text and their schema. I flipped open to that picture. I asked them to turn and talk with their thinking partner about what they THINK the girl is feeling. (answer: She's surprised!!!). On chart paper I drew the "magic formula" with an empty box for each part of the equation. Labeling the boxes. I pointed to the boxes as we were "doing" that part of the lesson. So....... I asked them to turn and talk with their thinking partner and say what they THINK she is feeling. I had a few share back and we agreed that the inference is that the girl is surprised. (I pointed to the INFERENCE box). I talked about how we make inferences all the time when we really don't even realize it. But in order to make an inference we are doing two things. We are using the clues from the text, the words or pictures, and in this case we JUST have a picture, (I pointed to the CLUES FROM THE TEXT box) and we are adding the clues to our schema/what we know about it ourselves in our mental folders (I pointed to the SCHEMA box). I then had them turn and talk about what CLUES they SEE in the picture. Then I had them share back whole group. This is what they said: (You need to help them be VERY LITERAL here!) Her eyes are wide open. Happy eyes (we all made a startled face that would NOT be a happy surprised face to show the contrast). Her mouth is saying AHHHHH!!! Her hands are up on her face. I pointed to the CLUES box and repeated these. What we see. Everyone can see these. Next I had them activate their schema and think of a time they felt like the girl. A time when THEY could have made that face. Then I had them turn and talk and share that with their thinking partner. Then we shared a few whole group. I pointed to the SCHEMA box and talked about how each of us has different schema. Some of our particular experiences don't have to be same for us to INFER what she is feeling as long as we have had some sort of experience that surprised us. I repeated the formula. We can see her eyes, her mouth, her hands.... all showing a reaction to something. These are the CLUES we can see. We then put that together with our own schema for that "face".. thinking of something that WE would make that face in response to. That brings us to the inference that she is surprised. (Gosh it's really hard to write this all down like it happened. I hope you are following me????) I used a second picture that showed a paramedic in his uniform standing at the back of the ambulance with one hand on the gurney and a concerned look on his face as he stares out toward ??????? In the background you can see the second paramedic grabbing the medical kit. The license plate says "Emergency Vehicle". The paramedic has a hat on with the medical symbol. There are lights flashing on the ambulance. So here's how that one went. 1. Turn and talk with your thinking partner about what you can INFER about this picture. (Share back) ------he's a paramedic who is at a scene of an emergency about to go help someone (our inference) 2. Turn and talk about what clues you can SEE. (Share back) -----his uniform, hat, serious/concerned eyes, hand reaching to grab and pull out the gurney, license plate, flashing lights, other paramedic with medical kit in his hands (CLUES) 3. Activate your SCHEMA about what you know about ambulances, paramedics, accidents, hurt people needing help, flashing lights. Now turn and talk. (Share back) -----I've had to go in an ambulance when I was in a car accident, an ambulance sped by our car, my neighbor is a paramedic, I've seen an ambulance on the news when there was a fire, my doctor's office has a rug with that medical symbol on it just like what is on his hat, etc. (SCHEMA) 4. Recap: You can infer what is going on in the picture because you used the CLUES FROM THE TEXT and added it to your SCHEMA. Other pictures I used today were: 1. Three boys standing behind the backstop fence at a little league game cheering on a teammate. 2. A girl dumping out all the money from her piggybank. 3. A boy at the doctor's office with his shirt off and the doctor is listening to his breathing with a stethoscope. Pictures from the Second Step set: 1. A boy holding the pieces of a broken mug looking back with a sly face. 2. A girl holding a sandwich up to her mouth with a very disgusted face. 3. A girl holding a bag of candy pleading with her eyes to her mom standing with the grocery cart. 4. A boy on the couch with a bandaged foot reaching out to a friend bringing him a book. ------------------------ At first it seems like this is backwards. They are making the inference first. But to have to defend your thinking is where the power is in this activity. Do this often and by the time you move to text they will be able to notice the clues from the text that activated their schema and resulted in an inference. ++++++ Magazine picture lesson and more: Here are some suggestions for inference: Make an "equation" like this: clues from the text (words/pictures) (what you literally see in the book) + your schema (what you already know/your background knowledge) = Inference I've also heard it put this way: Questions you have + what you already know (Schema) = inference. I make a poster of the first "equation" and teach it that way. I also had trouble teaching this to my third graders as they were confusing it with predicting. (and YES I know I read all different interpretations about what exactly is an inference. Some say predicting is an inference. I just couldn't do it without having a more clear explanation for my class) Jan, who I co-teach the graduate courses with really helped me out a lot on the difference. See if this helps: A PREDICTION is when you read to a certain point and stop and think "what will come NEXT". Based on what you have JUST read. The unknown coming ahead in the story. A prediction is looking FORWARD. Predictions can be substantiated (found to be correct by evidence in the text) or not as you read on. An INFERENCE is when you read to a certain point and STOP and think "what did the author just mean?". Based on what you have JUST read. LOOKING BACK. When the words are not literal. For example if in the story the boy just yelled into the phone with a mean voice and slammed down the phone. You can infer that he is angry. You read that he slammed down the phone. It already happened. The author COULD have written "He was angry." But instead leads us to INFER that by his actions. Combined with our own experiences of slamming down the phone. When I teach inferring I stop whenever I can at these obvious moments and ask, "Using the clues of what we just read and what you already know (your schema), what does that part mean????" Because of Winn Dixie is PERFECT for inferring. The beautiful language the author uses is FULL of inferences. And the kids GET IT!!!!!!!! Another great idea that a teacher shared in class once was this: Take advertisement pictures from magazines. For example, I have an ad with Sammy Sosa sitting down reading. Next to him is a baseball bat. In the background is the field and other players warming up. I cut out the baseball bat and mounted a piece of purple construction paper behind it so when looking at the ad you just see the shape of a bat in purple. I tell the kids their job is to infer what the missing piece is. We use the first "equation" above and do it together. We can infer that it is a baseball bat. Our clues would be just what we see there: the shape (always a BIG CLUE), there is a baseball player next to the bat, he is wearing a baseball uniform, there is a baseball field in the background, there are other baseball players. Our schema would be: I know Sammy Sosa is a baseball player, I have a baseball bat, I've played baseball, I've watched baseball games on T.V., I've been to a baseball game. I tell the kids that if I lived in a country that didn't know about baseball or play it as we know it they would NOT have schema for baseball and would not have such an easy time "inferring" what the missing piece is. Help them see that we all could have different schema depending on our life experiences and our "mental files". Another example was a picture was of a soccer player with the ball in the air above his head. Cut out the ball and from the back glue on a red piece of paper. The kids had to use the clues that they see (net in the background, shin guards on his legs, soccer shoes, soccer shirt/uniform) + their schema for soccer (I have a soccer shirt, I've played soccer and use that gear, sometimes soccer players hit the ball in the air with their heads, I've seen people play soccer) to determine it was a soccer ball. You can say, "How do you know it is not a volley ball or a basketball?" You see they can prove it based on their schema. But I have NO SCHEMA for soccer and I pointed that out. If you then give a small group 4 different pictures they can work together to complete the "formula" four times. Then one person can share the groups favorite with the class. I've used the EXACT same pictures with first through 5th grade and each group of kids LOVES THIS ACTIVITY. I feel like after this, inferring will be easier since this "anchor lesson" can be referred back to as we do our work in our stories. Just get some magazines and flip through them and you will see you can cut out crucial parts to block out. I think this is a great way to tangibly teach inferring. I find that inferring slides right in after studying ANSWERED and UNANSWERED questions. You can take some of the UNANSWERED questions and infer the answers based on what you already know and the clues from the text. ++++++++++++ 1/17/07 For me, the best work I've done on inferring happens after these anchor lessons with just pictures. Then I move to wordless pictures books where you totally have to use inferring to make the meaning. On our TOOLS page(www.readinglady.com/mosaic/tools/tools.htm ) there is a list of the wordless pictures books I use in the "Other" category at the bottom. Most of this is done first in shared and then in partner groups but shared back whole group so the stronger verbal models can enlighten those still in process. Then I move to a great read aloud. Something with a lot of inferring. I've used Petey with the older kids and Because of Winn Dixie with my 3-4th graders. Haven't gotten to the point of the read aloud with my second graders so I don't know what it will be this year yet. Every chance I get where there is implied meaning I stop and say "Let me reread that part and you tell me what the author means here." Some can do it easier than others. But then I fill in the gaps. I then restate the written clues that lead us to know that meaning. Plus I ask them what schema they have for that situation. It starts to be almost obsessive to find these perfect points to infer. I love interactive think alouds where both the students and I do the thinking. Turn and talk is great after they've had the scaffolded support. They can turn and talk and infer what the author means and then share back and the wealth you will hear is breathtaking!!! Let me share a story about Rudi's Pond (Eve Bunting) that happens EVERY time I use that book. If you don't know it you have GOT to read it!! It's in the voice of a young girl who has a friend in the neighborhood/school with a heart condition. (Yes, he dies and I know many can't read this without crying but CRY!!! It shows the power of words and believe me the kids connect MORE and THINK MORE when the text is emotional!!!) It's a very tastefully written book. They build a pond for Rudi and she brings the hummingbird feeder to the nearby tree since Rudi made it with her. Well..... the very next day a hummingbird comes to the window near where she sits. Stares right at her and then flies to the feeder. After several days of this she senses something is special about the hummingbird. She begins to wonder could it be??? Well, Eve Bunting outdoes herself in this one..., she transposes a sketch of Rudi with the hummingbird and EACH AND EVERY TIME I show that page and have the kids turn and talk (you should see how fast they whip their little heads around to share their thinking in this book, too!!!) someone says in the share back: "I think Rudi's soul is in the hummingbird." I am NOT KIDDING. Last year I used this book with 7 classes and I did it this year with my own second graders and EVERY TIME some bright sensitive child will have that thinking. Once the kids hear that you just say, "Oh my gosh.... turn and talk about what Emily just said!!". Now not all kids "get it" and it's o.k. if they don't but the talk that you hear and the threads that run off of it are so powerful. We then always infer the theme at the end by answering this question: "Why do you think the author wrote this book?" They come up with things like: "To remind us that even when people die they are still in our heart." "Their spirit can watch over you." "Friends are with you forever." "You can always remember your friends." "You will never be alone." Getting them to infer independently is hard. First of all- how do you know they are doing it unless, like was already mentioned earlier today you see it in their writing. For me, I need to hear their talk. And struggling readers are often the best "inferrers". Especially if you take away the print challenges they face. So do it in shared and small groups and you be the reader and you will be amazed. If they know the "formula"!! Inferring is what takes us deeper. And even the little ones can do it. Gosh it's been so long since I've written and as usual I am long winded. Ginger moderator grade 2 _______________________________________________ Mosaic mailing list Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. 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