Making Inferences

Well, I survived my first days back.  Actually, Monday and Tuesday went extremely well.  Today felt a little ... long ... (to be diplomatic) ;).  Sticking to my motto - kill 'em with kindness and routine ... wow - sounds  little harsh, but you know what I mean.

I'm VERY excited to start our new reading unit for the month - it's one of my absolute favourites!!!  We're going to spend the next five weeks making inferences using Chris Van Allsburg books.  LOVE!  We've just started The Wretched Stone, and we will spend a full week on each book in this unit.  I made this unit in my pre-document camera days, so I had scanned all the pages from the book and made a slideshow of the book for our shared reading.  The kids really enjoyed the slideshow - just that little bit of extra technology hooked them.  And, boy are they hooked.  Today they were supposed to find out what "the rock" really is ... but I wasn't a fan of their behaviour by the end of the day (again, being diplomatic), so I left them hanging and we went on to another subject.  Their disappointment was palpable, and their behaviour improved drastically.  Can't wait for tomorrow!

When we are studying inferences, I use a chart very similar to the K-W-L chart.  This is our O-Q-I chart (I call it our "okee" chart).  When we are reading a text for the first time, I hand out three stickies to each student.  They must make an observation (I know that ...), a question (I wonder what/why ...), and an inference (I think ...).  We then post the stickies on the chart at the end of the lesson (kind of like their exit slip, only they don't get to 'exit'), and then we revisit the chart the next day before we start our new lesson.

If  you are interested in previewing this unit, click here.  I also have a little freebie for The Sweetest Fig, which I have used as a diagnostic, or summative assessment for this unit.  Click here to download a copy.

Be sure to check back on Friday - I've got a FANTASTIC Friday Art Feature to share with you - we're just about finished and I can't wait to show them off!

Happy Wednesday!!!