Subject: Reading

Central Focus: Literature/Comprehension

Essential Standard/Common Core Objective:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.4.1
Quote accurately from a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing
inferences from the text.
Daily Lesson Objective:
Performance- Students will be able to make two inferences about characters based on the textual
evidence, citing their sources and using this information to describe a character in one word.
Conditions- Students will be able to refer to notes and the text Frog and Toad and will work in groups.
Criteria - In total the assignment will be worth 40 points. 32 points (80%) will show mastery of the
concept and objective.
21st Century Skills:
Critical Thinking and Problem Solving Skills
Communication and Collaboration skills
Academic Language Demand (Language Function and Vocabulary):
Infer, Describe
1. Focus and Review
Students will respond to the question: How can we learn about characters from our reading? on a
small scrap piece of paper.
Students will then Think-Pair-Share and talk with a partner about some strategies they came up with.
Teacher will then ask the class to share one thing their partner told them. Teacher will make a list of
strategies shared on the board.
Today we are going to learn to use one more strategies that uses the words from the book and the
knowledge from your brain to make a whole new thought about the character.
2. Statement of Objective:
I can use information from the text and knowledge from my brain to form inferences about characters.
3. Teacher Input
The teacher will model one inference about a character using information from their brain and direct
quotes from the text. This modeling will be in direct connection with the worksheet the students will
complete in the independent practice. A large copy of the graphic organizer should be on the board
where the teacher can write on it while modeling.
Students participate in choral reading of Frog and Toad: The Letter.
The teacher will then model:
Okay so lets go back the text says, ________So in this quote the book is telling me _________ I am
going to write this quote down in this box where it says TEXT. I am going to put quotes around the
words because they are not my words and I am going to write that page number so I can look back
over it later. I know in my brain _________. I am going to write this down in this box that says BRAIN.
Now when I look at these two things together I am going to come up with an inference Toad from this
information. I am going to write that down in the INFERENCE portion.
So when we infer we take what we know and we add it to what the text says in order to create a new
thought about the book. Now we are going to practice this as a class.

4. Guided Practice
Students will work with the character of Frog to develop inferences using textual evidence. The class
will chose a quote or two to use for the worksheet.
Students will be split into groups based on which table/group they are sitting in. Each group will be
given a worksheet. They will write down the quote the class chose on their groups worksheet.
The groups will then work together to come up with the BRAIN portion of their sheet. This may look
different for each group and that is okay! It is personal knowledge. The students will also be asked to
come up with inferences during this time. The teacher needs to be walking around during this time and
probing for connections between the textual evidence and the brain knowledge. Help the groups form
these connections in order to create a new inference.
The class will then come together and discuss each groups inference. The class will then be asked to
come up with a common word we could use to describe the Frog based on the classs inferences.
5. Independent Practice
Students will use the same process modeled by the teacher and practiced in guided practice in order
to make two inferences on a character assigned to their group. Groups will consist of 2-3 students.
Students will then pull a quote from the text and write it on the sheet.
Students will then discuss as a group and come up with brain knowledge that connects to the text
and come up with a new idea about the character in the inference portion.
The students will complete two of these and then come up with one word that describes their
character. This word should be a character trait of some sort or an adjective.
The teacher should be walking around the room as needed during this time. The teacher should not
necessarily be probing students but the student can answer questions if asked.
1 worksheet will be completed per group.
6. Assessment Methods of
all objectives/skills:
Summative: The worksheet completed in the Independent Practice portion of this lesson will be graded
as an assessment. Students will be given the following points for each correct and sufficient portion of
the worksheet that shows understanding:
3 points each accurate quote pulled from the text
2 points for each proper citation shown (age number and quotations included)
5 points for accurate background knowledge that connects to the quote
5 points will be given for an inference that shows a connection to the quote and brain knowledge
5 points will be given for a descriptive word given that connects to the two inferences.
5 points will be given if the work shows evidence of group discussion or if group discussion was seen
through observation
In total the assignment will be worth 40 points. 32 points will show mastery of the concept and
objective.
Formative: Teacher will assess students understanding through observation throughout the lesson and
respond with probing questions throughout the lesson.
7. Closure
Students will respond to an exit ticket question on a small piece of paper independently: What are two
times when you can use inferencing in class?

This exit ticket will be collected and the teacher will use this information to look for application
opportunities throughout class in the future.
Student/Small Group Modifications/Accommodations
Early finishers:
-If time allows, they can also repeat the independent practice portion focusing on a different character
(Wonder)
.
Materials/Technology: Coppies of one or two pages of frog and toad (1 per group)
Whiteboard/ SMARTboard/ large chart

Review:
Strengths: Engagement. Students were excited about this lesson, and
loved taking turns reading to their peers. They caught on fast to
inferring attributes of these characters, and had serious conversations
about how they also wanted to be good friends and show kindness as
well. Which was encouraging to me. The stayed focused the whole
time and many were excited to complete the exercise for characters
from their class read aloud, even if his meant recalling themes and
events or details from their memories.
Weaknesses: This text was a little easy for them. I chose it because
this classroom had some students that read at a very low level, and
they were able to read to their peers and participatewhich was
something I had not observed the entire time I was with them. I
wanted them to feel included and boost their confidence while focusing
on the skill of inferring. This worked, but the text almost had too few
details to do a very in depth analysis. I almost wish I had used this for
the I do we do sections, and then let them choose a character from
their read aloud for the worksheet independent practice. In hindsight
though, I did not realize they would remember so much from their read
aloud!
What I learned about teaching and student learning:
I learned that lessons go smoother when students want to learn and
are excited. I learned that fostering a sense of community has benefits
in the attention span of the group. I learned that students can over
complicate things that are simple, and thus need more complicated
tasks so they can be challenged, as well as so they can compare
complex to less complex perhaps learn not to second guess
themselves on easier work. As always, I was reminded of the very
great importance of delivering group direction clearly.