Unlocking the Unsaid: Teacher Script

Warm-up & Introduction (5 minutes)

(Display Inference Practice: Slide Deck - Slide 1: "Read Between the Lines!")

"Good morning/afternoon, everyone! Today, we're going to become super detectives of reading. Have you ever heard the expression, 'read between the lines'? What do you think that means? Take a moment to think or discuss with a partner."

(Allow 1-2 minutes for student responses/discussion. Guide them towards the idea of understanding what is not directly stated.)

"Exactly! When we 'read between the lines,' we're figuring out something that the author doesn't directly tell us. And that's what we call making an inference!"

Making Inferences (What Does That Mean?!): Slide Deck (15 minutes)

(Display Inference Practice: Slide Deck - Slide 2: "What is an Inference?")

"So, what is an inference? Look at this slide. An inference is an educated guess. It's not just guessing randomly; it's a smart guess based on two important things: clues from the text or situation, and your own prior knowledge, which is what you already know in your brain."

"Think of yourselves as detectives! Just like a detective gathers clues to solve a mystery, you'll gather clues from what you read and combine them with what you already know to figure out what's really happening, even if it's not written down."

(Display Inference Practice: Slide Deck - Slide 3: "Let's Practice! Example 1")

"Let's try an example together. Look at this sentence: Sarah is wearing a raincoat and carrying an umbrella. What are the clues here? (Pause for answers). Right, the raincoat and the umbrella. Now, what's your prior knowledge about raincoats and umbrellas? (Pause for answers). Yes, we use them when it rains."

"So, if Sarah has a raincoat and an umbrella, what can you infer? What's your educated guess about the weather? (Pause for answers). Great job! We can infer that it is probably raining outside. The text didn't say 'it's raining,' but we used the clues and our knowledge to figure it out."

(Display Inference Practice: Slide Deck - Slide 4: "Let's Practice! Example 2")

"Let's try one more. The boy's hands are sticky, and there's a wrapper on the floor. What are the clues? (Pause for answers). Sticky hands and a wrapper on the floor. What do you already know about sticky hands and wrappers? (Pause for answers). Fantastic! Candy can make your hands sticky, and candy comes in wrappers."

"So, what can you infer about the boy? (Pause for answers). Excellent! We can infer that the boy probably just ate some candy. See how you're using clues and your brain to solve these little mysteries?"

Your Turn! Worksheet Time! (10 minutes)

(Display Inference Practice: Slide Deck - Slide 5: "Your Turn! Worksheet Time!")

"Now it's your turn to be inference detectives! I'm going to give you a Reading Between the Lines: Worksheet (Inferences) with some short passages. Your job is to read each passage carefully, find the clues, and then use your prior knowledge to make an inference. Then, write down your inference and explain which clues helped you."

"I'll be walking around to help. If you finish early, you can even try to write your own short sentences or scenarios for a friend to make an inference about!"

(Distribute the worksheets. Circulate and assist students.)

Share and Discuss (5 minutes)

"Alright, detectives, let's bring it back together. Who would like to share one of their inferences from the worksheet? And, importantly, tell us how you made that inference. What clues did you use, and what did you already know?"

(Call on several volunteers. Guide the discussion, using the Inference Answer Key as a reference, ensuring students articulate their reasoning.)

"Why do you think making inferences is an important skill, not just in English class, but in other subjects or in your daily life?"

(Facilitate a brief discussion.)

Cool Down (5 minutes)

(Display Inference Practice: Slide Deck - Slide 6: "Great Job, Detectives!")

"You all did a fantastic job today! To wrap up, I'm going to give you a Inference Cool Down Ticket. Please take a few minutes to complete it, reflecting on what you learned about making inferences. This will help me see what you understood and what we might need to review."

(Distribute cool down tickets and collect them as students finish.)

"Thank you for being such great inference detectives today!"

Reading Between the Lines: Making Inferences

Name: ____________________________

Date: ____________________________

Directions: Read each short story or sentence. Use the clues in the text and your own knowledge to make an inference. Then, write your inference and list the clues that helped you.

Scenario 1

The car screeched to a halt, and a loud crash followed. Looking out the window, you see two drivers getting out of their cars, looking angry, and inspecting the damage.

What can you infer happened?

What clues helped you make this inference?

Scenario 2

Maria walked into the classroom with her eyes half-closed and yawned loudly. She kept rubbing her eyes and struggled to keep her head up during the lesson.

What can you infer about Maria?

What clues helped you make this inference?

Scenario 3

The boy wore a heavy winter coat, a scarf, and thick gloves. He was shivering as he waited for the bus.

What can you infer about the weather?

What clues helped you make this inference?

Scenario 4

When the teacher handed back the math tests, Emily smiled brightly and quietly pumped her fist in the air. Her friend next to her sighed and put her head down on the desk.

What can you infer about Emily's test score? What about her friend's?

What clues helped you make this inference?

Scenario 5

Smoke was billowing from the old house, and the loud wail of sirens grew closer. People stood on the sidewalk, looking worried, as a large red truck pulled up.

What can you infer is happening at the house?

What clues helped you make this inference?

Inference Answer Key

Directions: Below are possible inferences and the supporting clues for each scenario. Students may have slightly different wording, but the core inference and identified clues should be similar.

Scenario 1

The car screeched to a halt, and a loud crash followed. Looking out the window, you see two drivers getting out of their cars, looking angry, and inspecting the damage.

What can you infer happened?

Possible Inference: A car accident happened.

What clues helped you make this inference?

Clues:

• Car screeched to a halt
• Loud crash
• Two drivers getting out of cars, looking angry
• Inspecting damage

Scenario 2

Maria walked into the classroom with her eyes half-closed and yawned loudly. She kept rubbing her eyes and struggled to keep her head up during the lesson.

What can you infer about Maria?

Possible Inference: Maria is very tired or didn't get enough sleep.

What clues helped you make this inference?

Clues:

• Eyes half-closed
• Yawned loudly
• Rubbing her eyes
• Struggled to keep her head up

Scenario 3

The boy wore a heavy winter coat, a scarf, and thick gloves. He was shivering as he waited for the bus.

What can you infer about the weather?

Possible Inference: It is very cold outside.

What clues helped you make this inference?

Clues:

• Wore a heavy winter coat, scarf, thick gloves
• Shivering

Scenario 4

When the teacher handed back the math tests, Emily smiled brightly and quietly pumped her fist in the air. Her friend next to her sighed and put her head down on the desk.

What can you infer about Emily's test score? What about her friend's?

Possible Inference: Emily got a good grade on her test. Her friend likely got a bad grade.

What clues helped you make this inference?

Clues (Emily):

• Smiled brightly
• Quietly pumped her fist in the air

Clues (Friend):

• Sighed
• Put her head down on the desk

Scenario 5

Smoke was billowing from the old house, and the loud wail of sirens grew closer. People stood on the sidewalk, looking worried, as a large red truck pulled up.

What can you infer is happening at the house?

Possible Inference: The house is on fire and firefighters are arriving.

What clues helped you make this inference?

Clues:

• Smoke billowing from the house
• Loud wail of sirens growing closer
• People looking worried
• Large red truck pulled up (prior knowledge: fire trucks are large and red)

Inference Cool Down Ticket

Name: ____________________________

Date: ____________________________

Directions: Please answer the following questions to show what you learned about making inferences today.

1. In your own words, what is an inference?
   
   
   
   
   
   

2. What two things do you need to use to make a good inference?
   
   
   
   
   
   

3. Read the following sentence: My older brother came home from soccer practice, threw his muddy cleats by the door, and went straight to the shower.

   What can you infer about his soccer practice? (Write your inference below.)
   
   
   
   
   
   

4. What clues in the sentence above helped you make your inference?