Grade Level: Grade 6
Subject: English/Reading
Topic: Reading Comprehension and Inferencing Skills
Learning Objectives:
By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:
a. identify and use inferencing skills to understand a text;
b. demonstrate comprehension by answering inferencing-based questions; and
c. use context clues to determine the meaning of unfamiliar words.
Materials:
Short reading passage: "The Surprise Party" (fictional passage with a twist ending, to
engage inferencing skills).
Whiteboard and markers
Vocabulary flashcards for new or challenging words
Notebooks
Procedure
Introduction (10 minutes)
1. Begin with a quick recap of previous reading strategies, focusing on prediction and
questioning.
2. Explain that today, students will focus on inferencing—a strategy that involves
reading between the lines to understand things not directly stated.
3. Ask students, “Have you ever guessed what a friend was thinking or feeling without
them telling you? That's inferencing!”
4. Share the objectives of the lesson, emphasizing how inferencing can make them
better detectives in reading.
Presentation/Modeling (15 minutes)
1. Distribute the reading passage "The Surprise Party."
2. Read the passage aloud while modeling good reading fluency. Pause periodically to
model inferencing:
o Example: “In the story, when Mia quietly hid behind the door with her hands
shaking, what can we infer about how she feels?”
o Write responses on the board (e.g., “She’s probably nervous or excited”).
3. Demonstrate using context clues for unfamiliar words, such as "anticipation" or
"trembling."
4. Introduce sentence stems for inferencing, like “I infer that… because…” or “It seems
like… based on…”
Guided Practice (20 minutes)
1. Divide students into small groups and assign each group a different section of the story
to read and analyze.
2. Each group identifies moments in their section where characters’ actions or expressions
require inferencing.
3. Provide vocabulary flashcards for words in their sections, and ask groups to define the
words based on context clues.
4. Circulate and assist as students work, prompting them with questions such as:
o “What do you think the character is feeling here?”
o “Why do you think the author chose this word to describe the setting?”
Independent Practice (15 minutes)
1. Provide each student with comprehension questions that require inferencing based on
the passage. Examples:
o Question: “Why do you think Mia felt nervous before opening the door?”
Expected answer: “She was likely nervous because she was about to
surprise her friend, and surprises can make people feel anxious or
excited.”
o Question: “What might Mia’s friend’s reaction be when she sees the surprise
party?”
2. Ask students to highlight parts of the text that helped them make their inferences.
Conclusion (5 minutes)
1. Review key takeaways on inferencing. Ask students to share an inference they made
from the story and explain how they figured it out.
2. Summarize how inferencing allows readers to deepen their understanding by looking for
clues beyond the obvious.
Assessment
Evaluate students’ comprehension answers for evidence of inferencing skills.
Observe student participation during group work for understanding of context clues and
inferencing.
Follow-Up Activity
Assign a short passage for homework, asking students to write three inferences they can make
and underline the clues in the text that helped them make those inferences.
