INFER!

1. read between the lines assume INFER! speculate figure

2. You INFER when you “put two and two together”. Sometimes it’s called “reading between the lines.” Really, it’s just your eyes and your brain working together to draw a conclusion. You do it every day!

3. Think of it this way… You only have 5 minutes before you have to be at school. Do you have time to stop at this McDonald’s for a McMuffin?

4. How did you know? Did someone tell you? Hey, kid. You know your school starts at 8:00. It’s already 7:55, and this line is going to take 30 minutes!

5. Of course not! You made an inference. You’re probably really good at making inferences. Let’s see…

6. INFER: How much money does this woman have?

7. INFER: How does this man feel toward this woman?

8. You probably don’t realize it, but when you make an inference, you do this: + = What am I seeing, hearing, tasting, touching, and feeling around me? What information do I have in my brain that tells me about what I’m experiencing? Oh! Now I can tell what’s going on!

9. Let’s practice, paying attention to the way our brain does that…

10. INFER:What can you tell about the person eating this meal? + = I see… lots of burgers, fries, onion rings, and ketchup And I know… These foods are unhealthy. So… This person is probably an unhealthy eater.

11. INFER:How is this woman feeling? + = What do you see? What do you already know? So what can you infer?

12. See? You’re already great at this!

13. Let’s practice! • Partner up. Partner A is the taller partner; B is the shorter. • Partner A makes a face that conveys an emotion. • Partner B INFERS what emotion Partner A is experiencing. • Switch and continue! Are you…. SURPRISED? Partner A Partner B

15. Now here’s how we INFER in school. It isn’t much different from what you do in the real world every day.

16. Remember this? + = I see… And I know… So…

17. When you make inferences about something you read, we look at it like this: TE + PK = I Text Evidence: What clues can I get from what I’m reading? Prior Knowledge: What do I already know about what I’m reading? Inference: Now I know that…

18. Let’s try it together…

19. I see bubbles rising. I hear my own breathing. There are fish swimming above me. I feel the seaweed brushing against me. TE + PK = I Prior Knowledge: Bubbles rise to the surface in water. People need equipment to be able to breathe in the water. Fish and seaweed only exist in the water. Inference: This person is scuba diving! Text Evidence: “bubbles rising” “hear my own breathing” “fish above me” “seaweed”

20. I hear a loud “THWACK” as the ball leaves the park and the crowd roars with cheers! TE + PK = I What’s the Prior Knowledge? What’s the Inference? What’s the Text Evidence?

21. Now try some on your own. Fill out your chart to help you.

22. I hear screaming. My stomach feels funny. Can you see my hair blowing? I’m feeling excited! INFER: What am I doing?

23. After Anne’s father broke her trophy, he turned and walked away without saying anything. INFER: What kind of person is Anne’s father?

24. Searchlight put her big front paws up on the bed and rested her head on Grandfather’s chest. She licked his beard, which was full of tears. INFER: What is Searchlight?

25. Mother told me I needed to stop, but I couldn’t stop now, not when I was so close to winning! My eyes were fixated on the television and the controller was making my hands sweaty. I didn’t even see my brother when he walked into the room. INFER: What is this boy doing in front of the TV?

26. As soon as James walked into the cafeteria, Amy’s eyes lit up. Her heart started beating faster and her palms got all sweaty. She crossed her fingers that he would come sit at her table. INFER: How does Amy feel about James?

27. It isn’t the most glamorous job. I mean, who wants to stare into people’s mouths all day? I guess it’s kind of fun to play with all those tiny brushes and drills, though. Besides, the profession pays very well. INFER: What job is this person talking about?

28. James placed the small sticky square onto the top corner of the envelope and dropped it in the large blue box. He hoped it would get there in time. Nobody likes a late birthday message. INFER: What is James doing?

29. I just can’t figure them out. Sometimes I get so frustrated. Like when I ask the file to save, and I come back an hour later and it has erased my paper. I also can’t stand all these goofy names: “mouse,” “web surfing, “double-click.” Who came up with that nonsense anyway? INFER: What is frustrating this man?

30. Michael felt completely sad and completely alone. He had always counted on his grandfather for help and guidance. Now, without him, he wasn’t sure what to do. The feeling made him even more against drunk driving. INFER: What happened to Michael’s grandfather?

31. Trayvon tried as hard as he could to stay awake. Everyone had told him that he was real, but he needed to see for sure. Last year he tried to stay awake all night, but had fallen asleep around 9:30 only to wake up in the morning surrounded by presents. INFER: What is Trayvon trying to stay awake for?

32. Mary and Beth were excited about Saturday. They had planned a picnic in the park. They would ride their bicycles to the park, play for a while, go fishing, and eat the sack lunches they brought. They were also looking forward to walking around the lake and feeding the ducks at the park. On Saturday morning, Mary hopped out of bed and looked out her window. Her shoulders slumped and she frowned. INFER: Why is Mary upset?