Final Project 1

Part 1: Original Lesson Plan

Making Inferences, Animals Should Definitely Not Wear Clothing

Objective

This lesson is designed to teach primary students to make inferences as a reading comprehension

strategy. The lesson uses the book, Animals Should Definitely Not Wear Clothing by Judi Barrett.

In this lesson, students will draw on their prior knowledge and use the information from the

pictures in the book to articulate (verbalize) the inference the author is making in the text. This is

the first of a set of lessons designed to teach students how to make inferences.

Planning and Diagnostics

For students to successfully complete this lesson, they should know how to connect what they

already know to the text. They should be able to make guesses and predictions related to a story

and visualize what is happening in the story. For further information, you may want to

review Activating Prior Knowledge.

Materials

• Animals Should Definitely Not Wear Clothing by Judi Barrett

• Construction paper

• Crayons

1. Hook/Engagement

This book introduces the skill of making inferences by using the clever relationship between text

and illustrations. On every page, an illustration completes an idea that is only partly explained by
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the text. For example, on the first page, the text says that wearing clothing "would be disastrous

for a porcupine." The picture on the facing page shows a porcupine wearing something that looks

like tight-fitting pajamas or a dress. The poor porcupine's quills are poking through the garment,

disastrously shredding it. Although the text doesn't say so, the inference is that the porcupine's

quills would poke through the clothing and ruin the clothes – as illustrated in the text. In other

words, the illustrator helps makes the inference for us.To introduce the lesson, begin by writing

this sentence on the board: Old Mr. Chicken was standing by the side of the road. He heard what

sounded like a BIG TRUCK coming. He decided to cross the road anyway. Unfortunately, he

never made it to the other side. Poor Old Mr. Chicken. Ask students what happened to Mr.

Chicken. Probably at least one student will suggest that Mr. Chicken was run over by the truck.

That's a reasonable conclusion (inference). Ask, "But how do we know that? Did the author say

the chicken was run over by the truck? Where does it say that?" Ask students what they think the

author wants us to think. The author probably wants us to think that Mr. Chicken was run over

by the truck. How do we know? The author gives us clues.

Clues:

o Mr. Chicken was standing by the side of the road.

o Something that "sounded" like a big truck was coming.

o Mr. Chicken decided to cross the road anyway.

o Mr. Chicken never made it to the other side.

o The author suggests that we should feel sorry for "poor old Mr. Chicken."

The author never says that Mr. Chicken was run over by the truck. But we are given just enough

information to think that this is what happened. The author seems to want us to think that Mr.

Chicken was run over by a truck, and we do. That's called "making an inference." It's also called
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"reading between the lines." Making an inference means understanding something from the text

that the author doesn't tell us directly.

Here's another example: Last night I baked a dozen cookies. I left them out on the kitchen table

to cool. Just before I went to bed, I saw a little mouse under the table looking at me. She looked

hungry! I turned off the light and went to bed. When I came down in the morning, one of the

cookies was gone. Another was half-eaten. "Oh well," I thought, "I guess she wasn't that

hungry." Ask students to make inferences from this text (e.g., the mouse ate the cookies, the

person didn't mind that the mouse ate the cookies, the person was very stupid, etc.) If you have

time, and if you think students can manage it, ask them to write something themselves that

requires the reader to make an inference. Since Animals Should Definitely Not Wear

Clothing uses illustrations, have students practice making inferences by looking at picture that

are partially covered, and then using their own knowledge to figure out what is covered in the

picture. For example, you could use the cover of the book, The Paper Bag Princess or David's

Father, by Robert Munsch, partially cover a character on the cover, and ask students what they

think the story is about. As they make guesses, reveal more of the character, strategically

uncovering clues until students have all the information to make an inference about the content

of the book. Students should narrow their choices of possible answers as more information is

given. Discuss how they used the facts along with what they already know to make a good guess,

or an inference.

2. Vocabulary

o Make an inference-"read between the lines," guess what the author intends to say

o Definitely-for sure, certainly, without doubt

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o Disastrous-very, very bad

o Terribly hot-very, very hot

o Manage-get along, to perform in spite of something (I can't manage without you. We can

often manage to understand the author's meaning even if the meaning is not told to us directly.)

3. Measurable Objectives

Explain to students, "Readers often have to guess about an author's meaning. Good writers don't

tell us everything directly in words. During this lesson, we're going to practice making

inferences. We'll do it together at first, and then I'll ask you to make some inferences on your

own. That way, I'll be able to see if you have learned what I want to teach you."

4. Focused Instruction

Show students the cover of the book, Animals Should Definitely Not Wear Clothing, by Judi

Barrett and brainstorm all of the types of clothing that students wear. Ask students why animals

should not wear clothing and make a list of reasons as a class. Explain that sometimes an

illustrator gives clues about the author's meaning. In other words, the picture helps us make an

inference. Tell students that they will make inferences about why the author thinks that certain

animals should not wear clothing. Then use the illustrations to check the inferences. Say, "The

title of the book is Animals Should Definitely Not Wear Clothing. This author expects us to do

some of the work. That's part of the fun of reading-finding the secret message between the writer

and the reader. We guess what the author and illustrator want us to know. It's not because they

can't tell us something, but they know we're smart enough to understand, even if we're not told

everything directly. "I am not going to show you the illustrations yet. Listen to the story and

make pictures in your mind of each animal wearing clothing. I think that you will agree that most
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animals look very silly in clothes. However, there are some animals that wear clothing

occasionally. Think about which animals might wear clothing and we will talk about it at the end

of the story." Start reading the story: "Animals should definitely not wear clothing...because it

would be disastrous for a porcupine..."[show the text, but not the picture.] "Now, why would it

be disastrous for a porcupine? (Remember, disastrous means very, very bad.). Why do you think

the author writes that it would be "disastrous" for a porcupine to wear clothes? Hmmm....Let me

try to make an inference."

"First, I am going to ask myself what I know about porcupines. Then I am going to think of the

text and make an inference.

o What do I know about porcupines?

o Well, I know that porcupines are small, close to the ground, have four legs, and sharp quills.

o What do I think about the text, Animals Should Definitely Not Wear Clothing? I am going to

make a picture in my mind of a porcupine wearing clothes. The porcupine is wearing pants. The

porcupine is so close to the ground that the pants don't fit and its quills are making holes in the

pants. "So, the inference I make is that the author thinks that porcupines should not wear clothes

because the clothes won't fit and their quills would make holes in them. "Now let's look at the

illustration. It shows a porcupine wearing a dress, with its quills making holes in the dress. My

inference was a little bit different because I had a little bit different idea than the author and

illustrator, which is OK. The main thing is that I did the work of guessing the author's meaning

by myself." Emphasize throughout the lesson that students' inferences will be different because

they are based on our background knowledge. Tell them that this knowledge is unique to all of

us.
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5. Guided Practice

As you read each page, cover the illustrations, and ask the students to make inferences about why

the author might think that each animal should not wear clothing. Encourage students to

visualize each animal, making pictures in their head from the text. Ask them to think of what is

unique about each animal. Read, "because a camel might wear it in the wrong places." Say,

"Picture a camel in your mind. What does a camel look like? What is unique about a camel?

Why would clothes be silly on a camel?" Student respond with something such as:

"I know that a camel is tall, has four long legs, a shaggy coat and at least one hump on its back.

My inference is that a camel shouldn't wear clothes because it might wear them on its humps."

As you go through the book, cover each illustration and ask why each animal should not wear

clothing. Read the text, and give students two minutes to describe the picture in their mind to a

partner. Continue through the book, encouraging students to make inferences between the text

and what they know. Stop before the page that says, "...because moose could never manage."

6. Independent Practice

When you get to this page, cover the illustration. Ask each student to infer why a moose could

never manage clothes. Have them draw and explain or write about their inferences. Have

students continue the process with the next page, "because opossums might wear it upside down

by mistake." Ask students to share their inferences and illustrations and explain why they think

that opossums might mistakenly wear clothes upside down.

7. Assessment

Examine students' drawings and listen to their conversation to determine if they are comfortable

using what they know to make inferences. Students should be able to use their prior knowledge
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along with the text to make an inference. If some students are able to write, you can ask them to

write a sentence or two that requires the reader to make an inference. This is perhaps the best

way of assessing if students really understand how to make an inference.

8. Reflection and Planning

If students are struggling with this skill, review the skills of activating prior knowledge and

making predictions. The more background knowledge students have, the easier it is for them to

make inferences. Be sure students have a good understanding of these concepts before trying to

teach them about making inferences. If students are proficient at making inferences using their

background knowledge, use a different book and have students make inferences about what the

author has intentionally left unstated.

Part 2: Revised Lesson Plan

The original lesson plan is so well planned and detailed that I am choosing to number the

step and show what type of technology I plan to integrate at that point. At step 2, vocabulary, I

would put in a Jamboard to have students come up with definitions whole class but have it on the

smartboard where everyone can see it. Throughout the “meat” of the lesson, steps 3 and 4, I

would present a NearPod where students could interact with my questions and continue to stay

engaged and held accountable. I could ask questions on my NearPod such as, “what is the

purpose of the lesson today?” and continue that throughout the lesson. For the guided practice,

step 5 and 6, we would go back to our Jamboard so we could collaborate and get different ideas.

I would then have students complete a Kagan structure at their teams to talk about the ideas and

what they are taking away from the lesson. For part 7, I would like to do a NearPod Time to

Climb to see which students understood and which students did not and for Step 8, I would give
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students the chance to send me a message on SeeSaw to state whether or not they understood the

concept of what I had taught or if they needed more practice. This way it is private and they can

be open and honest.

Lesson Analysis

I believe it is important to have hands on and integrated technology to keep students

engaged and learning. The reason I chose to just add and incorporate parts into this lesson is

because it is wonderful for 2nd grade students and inferencing is a standard that we teach.

Inferencing can be an extremely hard concept for small children to understand so the more in-

depth and the more ways you have to keep them engaged, the better. When incorporating things

like Jamboard it helps to make sure students are accountable for what they are doing and how

they are saying things. “It is really up to those of us involved with the use of technology in

education to redefine community, for we truly believe we are addressing issues here that are

primal and essential to the existence of electronic communication in the educational arena”

(Betts, 2008) It also helps them to build some academic vocabulary. NearPods are fun for

students and keep a high level of engagement. If students do not have a high level of

engagement, especially on a difficult subject, they are more likely to sink into the background

and completely lose track of what is supposed to be learned. Incorporating SeeSaw messages

helps students to feel safe in their feelings and concerns and gives them the opportunity to share

whether or not they understand and not have to do so in front of their peers. For this lesson, the

objective would be to be able to make an inference from a piece of text and retain what was

taught. While all of the things stated above are done on an iPad, they are all done differently and

make students accountable for knowing how to integrate and operate different parts of

technology.
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Part 3: Assessment

For my assessment, I chose to use Nearpod Time to Climb. Students love this game and it

create a high level of engagement. It also gives me the opportunity to see who needs help and

who does not. This means, that without embarrassing anyone, I can pull students who need extra

support and create more of a foundation in this topic for those students. With this assessment,

technology standards would be met because students should be able to freely type and respond

by 2nd grade. It would meet the state standards and objectives because it is remaining on the fact

of whether or not students can effectively inference. It would also help students to become more

confident when taking state testing because they have to do all of that on the computer now and

these types of closing assessments help those students to build online test taking skills.
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References

Betts, K. (2008). Online human touch (OHT) instruction and programming: A conceptual

framework to increase student engagement and retention in online education, Part

1. MERLOT Journal of Online Learning and Teaching, 4(3), 399-418.