ED 215R LESSON PLAN

RATIONALE FOR THE LESSON:

As developing readers and writers, it is important for second graders to expand their
mental toolboxes to be more effective in these endeavors. To this end, the students have been
adding tools and strategies for reading and writing all year, though most recently with activities
and discussions centered on drawing inferences from their texts. There are many important
literacy skills for them to develop before they can successfully make inferences, though. They
have also discussed predictions they can make based on their prior knowledge of storylines,
structures, and characters in a series, and they are able to confidently discuss the similarities and
the basis for their predictions by referring to the texts. Since theyre in a unit on series books,
these inferential strategies are particularly relevant. This lesson will build on the strategy of
prediction and focus on inferring from series texts. By using Mercy Watson a series of books
that have been read in class throughout the semester, so all students will have a common
background knowledge to draw from I will be able to help the entire class practice drawing
inferences, and students will be able to share their thinking using post-it notes.
The post-its are a routine that theyve established over the year in different activities, and
are used with clipboards during mini-lessons like the one Ive outlined below. The students have
been working in pairs throughout the year, and while the pairs themselves arent static partners
can and do change the intention is always the same: to share knowledge, practice discussion
skills, and expand their thinking through collaboration. The class as a whole has been using this
partner-sharing technique all year, so it is another well-developed learning tool that I will also
certainly utilize in this lesson. Overall, I am very lucky to be working with a group of second
graders that average into third grade reading levels, according to Fountas and Pinnells Text Level
Ladder of Progress, though these scores do vary from I-O; to address these variations, I will use
several books from the Mercy Watson series, so that all of the students will be able to contribute
based on a common knowledge of the series. I will also allow students to perform individual
work and to discuss their differences in thinking. As a result, students at any reading development
level will be able to participate and contribute in different ways.
Unfortunately, assessment and conferencing with students after the mini-lesson may be
difficult, as they immediately reorganize for specialized classes. While I will be in touch with my
peers to try to exchange information on the students with whom we each confer, my assessment
of student learning will heavily depend on observations and materials collecting during the minilesson.

OUTCOMES/GOALS:

For the Student:

CCSS.RL.3.1
Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring
explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers.

For the Teacher:

WTS #6: The teacher uses effective verbal and nonverbal communication techniques as
well as instructional media and technology to foster active inquiry, collaboration, and
supportive interaction in the classroom.

Performance:

The teacher knows how to ask questions and stimulate discussion in

different ways for particular purposes, for example, probing for learning
understanding, helping students articulate their ideas and thinking
processes, promoting risk-taking and problem-solving, facilitating factual
recall, encouraging convergent and divergent thinking, stimulating
curiosity, helping students to question.

LEARNING OBJECTIVE:
In order to more deeply comprehend the texts in a series, students will be able to make
inferences about character traits, feelings or actions by combining ideas from me and ideas
from the author, and will know how inferring can be useful when reading across a series.

ASSESSMENT:
I will take notes on student learning during various parts of the lesson, including partner
discussions, group sharing, and independent work time, and pay particular attention to the
following:
Are the students able to draw inferences about the characters? Can students refer to
something in the book as the basis for their inference? Can students refer to something
they already knew as the basis for their inference? Do students know why being able to
infer will make them stronger readers? Are students using post-its to mark inferences
made in their own reading?

STRATEGIES FOR STUDENTS OF VARYING LEVELS OF DEVELOPMENT

AND IDENTIFIED LEARNING NEEDS:
Mini-lessons that build on students common knowledge are useful as teaching tools
because they can engage readers of all levels. As a result, Im confident that all students will be
able to learn from the model and remodels, if necessary that I provide, especially since I plan
to strengthen that learning with partner-based discussions and note-taking on post-its at strategic
points throughout the mini-lesson. Ive also selected a series Mercy Watson from which all
the students have read at least 2-3 books, so the entire class will undertake the lesson with a
common set of background knowledge and will be able to discuss inferences more
knowledgeably.
After our mini-lesson and at any point in the future, this strategy of drawing inferences
will be applicable to any level of reading. At any developmental level, students will be able to
draw inferences about the characters throughout a series, and will be better able to understand
their motivations and interactions. So that Jodi and I can assess their application of this strategy, I
will have students mark with post-its in their books where they made inferences.

MATERIALS:
Title: Mercy Watson Fights Crime by Kate DiCamillo
Title: Mercy Watson Goes for a Ride by Kate DiCamillo
Title: Mercy Watson to the Rescue by Kate DiCamillo
(all borrowed from Brookfield Elementary)

TOTAL TIME NEEDED:

~20-25min

PROCEDURES:
Introduction: ~3min
Make sure students are seated next to their reading partners and have post-its to write on.
o These routines are well-established reminders about note-taking and partnersharing interactions shouldnt be necessary.
The other day, I was playing with my cat, Oliver. Everything was great. We had his
favorite toy out, but he got tired and eventually laid down. I went over to pet him, and his
tail started to do something strange It started thumping the ground, and pretty hard,
too! I already knew that if a cat does that, though, that means they want to be left alone.
By combining what I already knew (an idea from me about when cats tails get twitchy
or thumpy) with what was right in front of me - Oliver thumping his tail I was able to
infer that he wanted to be left alone for a little bit!
I know that youve all been inferring whenever you read here in class especially in
series books - but you might not even notice when you do! Today, we are going to make
sure everyone can make inferences about the characters in the series books youve been
reading, and infer how they might feel or act.
o Remember, if we can infer about the characters from these series texts, we can
better understand whats happening because we understand the characters better!
o How can we make inferences?
By connecting ideas from me (like cats using their tails to tell you
when they want to be left alone!) and ideas from the author (or other
things right in front of you, like a cat thumping its tail)
The idea that comes up from putting these two things together is an
inference (the cat wants to be left alone). By making these connections,
you start thinking about what youre reading in new and interesting
ways.
Write the following on the board:
o Idea from me + Idea from the author = Inference
o (idea bubble) + (book) = (exclamation point)[pictures]
Transition into, I have a book here Mercy Watson Fights Crime - that will help us
practice making inferences, and well do that as a group based on what we already know
about Mercy Watson!
Introduce titles and author
o Mercy Watson Fights Crime by Kate DiCamillo
o I know we have read a few Mercy Watson books in class together, so I know that
you all have ideas from me about the series already. That makes it much
easier to talk about as a group!
Introduce purpose:
o We are going to think about what inferences we can draw from Mercy Watson
Fights Crime, and make sure that we are combining ideas from us (about the
series) and ideas from the author when we do!
We will use post-its and partner discussion to get everything straight, so
keep your ears open!
Read the title again and start delving into demonstration/participation.
Demonstration and Participation: ~20min
Read first page for introduction to the book. (I do, you watch)
o Theres something I recognize here first sentence: Mr. Watson and Mrs.
Watson have a pig named Mercy.

This is how every book starts in the Mercy Watson series. (refer to other
two books to show). This is something I already know idea from me
about the series.
Since I know that the other books start with this sentence, and now I
know that this book starts with it too (from the book), I can safely infer
that all of the Mercy Watson books probably start this way.
Go to page 40-41 and read. (I do, you watch)
o She is not there, said Mrs. Watson.
Reread that last sentence.
I can draw inferences about the characters here, which is what
were working on today.
I know from the rest of the series that Mr. and Mrs. Watson care about
Mercy deeply. (idea from me)
I know from this book that Mercys gone missing. (idea from the
author)
I would bet that they probably feel worried about her! (inference
about characters feelings)
They might even start a search party to try and find her.
(inference about characters actions)
SMARTBOARD: Write inference pieces into the columns
PARTNER SHARE: Turn and talk to your partner about what
you saw me doing to draw these inferences.
o Follow up with a group share
Go to page 58 and read. (I do, you help)
o Mercy yawned. She was very tired... Its almost time for breakfast.
Re-read the last sentence. Its almost time for breakfast.
Before we even look at the picture, we could make an inference on how
Mercy feels.
Buttered toast is a breakfast food. (from me)
ASK: What has the author told us about Mercy and buttered
toast? (from the author)
o Evidence: She loves it!
(Mercy Watson Goes for a Ride, pg. 66)
PARTNER SHARE: Based on this knowledge, how do you think
Mercy feels when Mrs. Watson says Its almost time for
breakfast? What might she do?
o Write various answers in the last column.
Get out three post-its and put three of them in a row.
Go to page 37 and read. (You do, I help)
o Together, the Lincoln sisters watched Mercy gallop across the lawn.
o I think you all could draw an inference about how the Lincoln sisters felt or what
they did go ahead and use those post-it notes to draw an inference, and we will
talk about the process you used afterwards.
Use prompts below as necessary throughout post-it process.
FIRST: Write down a few ideas from me on the first post-it.
o Prompt: What do we already know about Eugenia and
Baby Lincoln?
o Refer to Mercy Watson to the Rescue (pg27) if students
dont remember
SECOND: Write some ideas from the author on the second
post-it.

o Prompt: What just happened in the book?

THIRD: Write your inference on the last post-it.
o Prompt: Now, how you think the Lincoln sisters feel at
this point in the book or what might they do?
o GROUP SHARE: Write some of the students inferences on the board.
Alright, put three more post-it notes over the ones you just wrote. (You do, I watch)
Go to page 52-53 and read.
o They saw Eugenia Lincoln and Baby Lincoln running out the front door of their
house.
o PARTNER SHARE: How do you think the firemen feel about the situation?
What do you think they will do? Use your post-its to write down your inferences.
o GROUP SHARE: Be sure to look for varying opinions and thought processes,
and write some of the inferences on the board.

Closure/Recap/Transition to Mrs. Erickson: ~3min

Now, weve learned that once we have a new piece of information from the author, we
can combine it with an idea from us to make an inference. We also know that we can
draw these inferences about the characters feelings or what they might do, and that by
doing so, we can better understand the story.
We made some really great inferences about Mercy and some of the other characters in
the series, like Eugenia and Baby Lincoln, and were able to understand how they felt at
different times, how they acted, and why they might have felt/acted that way. We can also
use this new information about the characters to make inferences about them again, when
we see them in later books from the Mercy Watson series.
Transition children to planned practice/performance
o Now, we can use inferences for almost anything (like cat behavior), but it will be
extra helpful to you when youre reading series books, which I know youve all
been doing lately. Try to stop every once in a while during independent reading
later today to practice making an inference, and mark with a post-it where you
inferred something Ill leave our examples up on the board so you can refer
back to them.
_____Practice:
In their own reading. Unfortunately, Im not sure Ill be able to confer with students afterwards,
as their morning schedule has changed and almost the entire class will move to different rooms
after my mini-lesson.
_____Performance:
In their own reading. Based on the students morning schedules, I will only be able to assess the
value of my lesson through the interactions/post-its within the mini-lesson and (maybe) a later
review of students use of post-its in their own reading.