[MOSAIC] resend on inferring (LONG!)+new

[Zoe Jackson]

Do you realize that this is a masterpiece of a lesson?  I forwarded it  
to Linda for her to read and be amazed.
Zoe

On Wednesday, January 17, 2007, at 05:26  PM, ginger/rob wrote:

> 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
>
>
>
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