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

[Zoe Jackson]

On Saturday, January 20, 2007, at 10:02  AM, Zoe Jackson wrote:

> 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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>
>
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