Movers, Shakers, Inference Makers!

Talk the Talk So We Can Walk the Walk
It was so nice to see all of the families at conferences this week.  Each time I speak with you all, I always feel as though I get a clearer and clearer picture of your child. 

At conferences I spoke a lot about making inferences and how students will have to be able to discuss and then write about the inferences they are making.  Students now know that an inferences is:

Inference:  Something you know in the book even though the author hasn't told you.  You use clues in the text and your own background knowledge (schema) to make an inference. 

Common Inferences:

 

Character's feelings

Character traits

Why something is happening

The author's message

The lesson in the story

What a word means

 



 



Now that students know what an inference is, they are working on finding evidence (clues in the text) for their inference and explaining their inference.  They learned how to reread the text to find evidence to support their inference and how to use the schema to help them explain how their evidence shows that their thinking is correct.

 

We are spending a great deal of time discussing our inferences right now.  If students can talk about their thinking, they will be able to write about it, which is the ultimate goal.  This week, students all inferred about The Wretched Stone by Chris Van Allsburg and collected evidence and thought about how they would explain their evidence.  Each student participated in a debate where they had to prove their case to someone with a different opinion.  It was a very lively debate with many passionate opinions!  Below are two examples of notes that students took in preparation for the debate.

 

 

 

How Can You Continue This at Home?

Read and talk with your child!  When you read with them, ask them what they are thinking.  When they tell you, ask them why they think that (what is their evidence)?  When they share their evidence, ask them how that evidence shows they are correct.  You can also model your own thinking.  Most of all, enjoy reading!

 

 

Important Dates

 

10/20 - Team Up for Education Meeting 11:30

10/22 - 1/2 Day