Reader's Workshop: Strategy 7 Making Inferences

Teaching Points and Mentor Texts
Making inferences about characters Character actions --This shows that	Harry and the Terrible Whatzit - Gackenbach Tops and Bottoms - Stevens
Making inferences about plot	George and Martha - J. Marshall Yo! Yes? - C. Raschka
Making inferences about theme • Look for a character that acts differently than others • Look for a character that changes • Look for a repeating line • Look for a “wise one” • Look for a bold statement by a character	Crow Boy - T. Yashima Wings - C. Myers Enemy Pie - L. Burton The Summer My Father Was Ten - P Brisson I Wish I Were a Butterfly - J. Howe Koala Lou - M. Fox Rainbow Fish - M. Pfister Stand Tall Molly Lou Melon - P. Lovell The Quiltmaker’s Gift - J. Brumbeau Friends - H. Heine

The Inferring Song
Adapted from Reading Power by Adrienne Gear
Tune: My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean

Sometimes when you're reading a story
The words are not all there for you
So you’ll need to make some discoveries
The book plus your brain is the clue

Chorus
Infer, Infer
Discover what's not in the book, the book
Infer, Infer
It's taking a much closer look.

Some authors leave clues in the pictures
Some authors leave clues in the lines
So watch the characters closely
What they say and do is a sign

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Copyright 2012 to 2015 Unless otherwise referenced--these materials were created in part or whole by Holly Coates.
For classroom use only unless permission has specifically been given by Holly Coates

SUMMARY
Children often read the words on the page very literally and fail to discover the deeper message of the text. By teaching the process of making inferences, students learn how to think deeply about the books they read.

Character:
Inga the Inferencer

Props:
Lab coat, safety goggles, flasks.

Accent: Speaks with a Swedish accent

Song: The Inferring Song

Phrase: "I use the book plus my brain to make inferences"