Monica Figueiredo

October 16, 2014

The Wretched Stone by Chris Van Allsburg
Reading Mini-Lesson: Inferencing
Common Core State Standards:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.5.1

Quote accurately from a text when explaining what the text says explicitly
and when drawing inferences from the text.
Objective:
Students will use the Inferring graphic organizer to provide evident from the
text to support the inferences they construct from their independent reading
books.
Materials:
The Wretched Stone by Chris Van Allsburg
Inferencing graphic organizer
Story Recall write up sheet
Procedure:
Lesson Introduction/ Objective and Purpose
Readers, lately we have been talking about making inferences in a
text. An inference is a clue in the text that has implied meaning. It is
important to recognize that we do not find inferences in a text, rather
we read to find clues so that we can make an inference. Making
inferences allows for the reader to further understand what the
author is trying to say through the text! Its as if the reader is decoding
the authors hidden messages! In order to make an inference, we have
to use evident from the text (clues) and use what we already know to
make educated inferences about the story.
On Tuesday we looked at the book The Wretched Stone by Chris Van
Allsburg. Do you remember how we talked about the book being a bit
weird because we didnt really know the explicit purpose of the story?
It was a strange story line. Well it turns out that Chris Van Allsburg is
actually a master at inferring. Often, if you cant figure out exactly
what the story was about or the purpose the author was trying to
convey, there is an underlying message that the author is trying to
send.
Teach and Model (Model the thinking):
After reading the story on Thursday we had a discussion about the
sequence of events. After we talked about all the things that happened
from start to finish, I typed up our Story Recall so we could refer back
to it today.
Im a going to review the story recall that we discussed in just a
second, but while Im doing so I want you to think about a hidden
message that the author may be trying to telling the readers. Even

though this book was written in 1991, Chris Van Allsburg is sending a
message that is still extremely relevant, if not more relevant. About
society today. If you think of something please do not shot out. You
can simply give me a thumbs up once you think you know.
Refer to Story Recall Sheet
Aid children in making inference about T.V.s or technology in general
if they do not make the connection. Even if all children make the
connection, walk them through the connection briefly as a summary.
Ask Mrs. Hutchison Theme: technology?
If you notice on the Story Recall sheet we generated together, some
parts of the story sequence are italicized. The italicized words are
clues that we got directly from the text. When making an inference it
is important to include this evidence so that others can understand
where this hidden message is coming from and how you constructed
it from the text!
Guided Practice- Example 1: Extensive Teacher Help
When you go back to your desk you will be making inferences in your
independent reading books using a graphic organizer that looks like
this Show Inferring graphic organizer. Explain
Before you do so independently, lets do some examples together in
the format provided on the graphic organizer.
We dont just make inferences through text; we make them in
everyday life too! Heres a common situation
The other day I was playing outside with my friends and having a
great time. All the sudden the sky started to get really dark, the clouds
began to move swiftly, and the wind blew fiercely. We figured it was
time to go inside. Has this every happen to you while you were
outside with your friends or family?
From the description of the weather change, I can infer that there is a
storm coming and thats why we had to go inside. No one came and
told us that there was a storm coming, but the weather was sending us
clues! Using the clues, we inferred that the storm was near by!
So in my graphic organize I would write All the sudden the sky
started to get really dark, the clouds began to move swiftly, and the
wind blew fiercely and my inference would be there is a storm
coming.
We do the same thing to make inferences through text!
Guided Practice- Example 2: Less Teacher Help
Lets try another! Lets look at the inference we made in the text The
Wretched Stone
After the rock gets struck by lightening and the glow goes away, the
captain writes I have made an encouraging discovery. I am playing
the violin and reading to the crew. It is having a positive effect. They
are walking upright and have an alert look in their eyes in the ship
log. By the author saying that the crewmembers were standing
upright and had an alert look in their eyes, what can we infer about

the crew? Right! They will eventually turn back into humans! So let
me write that on my graphic organizer. (On SmartBoard?)
Independent Practice- Example 3: No Teacher Help
Try this one on your own!
Something is wrong with the crew. They rarely speak, and though
they swing more quickly than ever, they walk the deck in a clumsy,
stooped-over fashion. Last night I heard shrieks coming form the
forward hold
What can you infer from that passage from The Wretched Stone?
Correct, the clues the authors gives us lead us to the inference that the
crew has changed, turned into something different. The clues lead us
pretty close to the idea that the crewmembers turned into APES.
Place in graphic organizer.
When you go back to your desks, you will do the same thing we just
did with the weather example and The Wretched Stone but with your
independent reading books! Be sure to record the evidence from the
text on your Inferring sheet, followed by the inference you made.
Assessment: How will you know the lesson has been successful?
The lesson will be successful if students are able to infer using evident from
the text in their independent reading books with the use of the Inferring
graphic organizer.

REFLECTION
On October 16, 2014 I taught a lesson on Inferencing using the mentor text
The Wretched Stone that I read aloud for the students on October 14th. After the
read aloud, the students and I had recapped the main events in the story, with a
specific detailed focus on the crew before and after the stone. After having this
discussion, I typed up a Story Recall for the students with the information we had
talked about, including details straight from the text, which I wrote in italic. I did so
in order to refer back the Recall Sheet at the beginning of my reading mini-lesson,
and the italic allowed for me to show the students that I incorporated evidence from
the text. Before the lesson I also created a Inferencing graphic organizer, which the
students had been using prior, in order for them to make inferences in their
independent reading books.
In order to hit all the points I had planned to hit throughout the lesson, I
wrote up a post-it for the back of The Wretched Stone just like I had done for the
read aloud. I figured if it was effective for the read aloud it would be effective for the
reading mini-lesson as well! Before even mentioning the book, I talked about
making Inferencing with the students as a refresher because they had learned about
it earlier in the week. To start the lesson I put the Recall Sheet on a document
camera and reviewed the sequence of events with the story. During the read aloud,
one of the students had said she knew about the hidden message in the story and
wanted to give the students a hint. Before review the sequence of events, I reminded
the students of the hint that their classmate had offered, its something we use
today that gives off light. I asked the students to keep the advice in mind while I

was reviewing the events, and to think of what the authors hidden message could
be! They didnt get it right away, but with some guidance and direction, they were
able to get it! After The Wretched Stone hidden message exercise, I went on to do
three examples with the students in the teach/model, guided practice, and
independent practice format. The kids responded well and were eager to share the
inferences they made. When using examples from the text, I made sure to read the
quote from the book to jog the students memory, which was a helpful tip provided
by Mrs. Hutchison.
Overall, I think the lesson went well! The students were able to explain
Inferencing, understand Chris Van Allsburgs hidden message, and make inferences
in their independent reading books. During reading workshop, I walked around
helping some students with their inferences and observing others! They were all
doing great! I did not get the chance to record this lesson, but I really wish I had! I
am always very self-critical, so the video helps me to see what was bad, but also and
more important, what was good. I will be sure to record the rest of my lessons.