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Artifact #6: English Language Arts Inferencing Lesson.

One of the most important subjects within school is English Language Arts. Without a good

grasp on the fundamentals of reading and writing students are already being set up on a path for

failure. The following lesson plan is based off the comprehension strategy of inferencing. This

was used within a grade 4 and made to get students thinking deeper than normally. Rather than

just have student inference the story, they are inferencing specific characters. The skills they

learn here will set them up on a path for mastery within the educational system. This artifact

could be connected to Elliot Aronson. Elliot Aaronson (1969) is famous for creating the jigsaw

theory. This lesson could be jigsawed together by the students to allow them a new avenue of

learning.

Connections to Standards

INTASC Standards

Standard #3: Learning Environments

The teacher works with others to create environments that support individual and

collaborative learning, and that encourage positive social interaction, active engagement in

learning, and self-motivation.

3(d) The teacher manages the learning environment to actively and equitably engage

learners by organizing, allocating, and coordinating the resources of time, space, and learners’

attention.

NYS ETHICS

Principle 2: Educators Create, support and maintain challenging learning

environments for all.

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Educators create, support, and maintain challenging learning environments for all.

Educators apply their professional knowledge to promote student learning. They know the

curriculum and utilize a range of strategies and assessments to address differences. Educators

develop and implement programs based upon a strong understanding of human development

and learning theory. They support a challenging learning environment. They advocate for

necessary resources to teach to higher levels of learning. They establish and maintain clear

standards of behavior and civility. Educators are role models, displaying the habits of mind

and work necessary to develop and apply knowledge while simultaneously displaying a

curiosity and enthusiasm for learning. They invite students to become active, inquisitive, and

discerning individuals who reflect upon and monitor their own learning.

The Ontario Ethical Teacher Standards

Care: The ethical standard of Care includes compassion, acceptance, interest and

insight for developing students' potential. Members express their commitment to students'

well-being and learning through positive influence, professional judgment and empathy in

practice.

P-12 NYS Common Core Learning Standards for ELA, Math and Social Studies
A. Standards:

Category: Reading for Literature

Grade: 4

Standard and statement: Reading Standards for Literature (RL) 4.1: Refer to

details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when

drawing inferences from the text.

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New York Standards

Standard 1: Language for Information and Understanding Students will listen, speak,

read, and write for information and understanding. As listeners and readers, students will

collect data, facts, and ideas; discover relationships, concepts, and generalizations; and

use knowledge generated from oral, written, and electronically produced texts. As

speakers and writers, they will use oral and written language that follows the accepted

conventions of the English language to acquire, interpret, apply, and transmit

information.

Ontario Ministry of Education Curriculum Expectations

A. Standards:

Category: Reading for Meaning

Subcategory: Making Inferences Interpreting texts

Grade: 4

Standard and statement

1.5 make inferences about texts using stated and implied ideas from the texts as

evidence (e.g., read “between the lines” to detect bias in a written text)

TEAC/CAEP CLAIMS 1-3

Claim 2: Medaille College graduates meet the needs of diverse learners through

effective pedagogy and best teaching practices.

Claim 3: Medaille College graduates are caring educators

International Literacy Association Professional Standards (ILA)Standard 2:

Curriculum and Instruction Candidates use instructional approaches, materials, and an

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integrated, comprehensive, balanced curriculum to support student learning in reading

and writing.

Council for Exceptional Children (CEC)

1. Maintaining challenging expectations for individuals with exceptionalities to

develop the highest possible learning outcomes and quality of life potential in ways

that respect their dignity, culture, language and background.

3. Promoting meaningful and inclusive participation of individuals with

exceptionalities in their schools and communities.

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Teacher Candidate’s Name: Mauro Di Fazio
Date: Sunday June 24th, 2018

Context for Learning (edTPA)

Where is the school where you are teaching located? City: __X____ Suburb: _______ Town:_______ Rural:
______

Grade level: __4___ Number of students in the class: ___15__

Students with IEPs/504 Plans

Complete the charts below to summarize required or needed supports, accommodations, or modifications for your students
that will affect your instruction in this learning segment.
IEPs/504 Plans: Number of Supports, Accommodations, Modifications,
Classifications/Needs Students Pertinent IEP Goals
Fidget object (hand ball), balance cushion, bouncy
ADHD 1 band for chair, quiet space in classroom for breaks,
repeated directions, extra time to complete tasks.

Auditory Processing Disorder Visual cues, repeat/clarify/reduce oral directions,

1 stress key words, additional wait time, extra time to
complete tasks

Students with Specific Language Needs

Language Needs Number of Supports, Accommodations, Modifications
Students
Visuals with texts, translator dictionary, provide
Expanding English Language Proficiency 2 concept maps when appropriate, clarify vocabulary
and language concepts in first language when
possible.
Students with Other Learning Needs
Other Learning Needs Numbers of Supports, Accommodations, Modifications
Students
N/A
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Subject and Lesson Topic: English Language Arts and Literacy

Grade Level: 4 Lesson Duration: 35 minutes

Central Focus of the Learning Segment

The central focus is an understanding that you want your students to develop. It is a description of the important identifiable theme, essential question,
or topic within the curriculum that is the purpose of the instruction of the learning segment (Making Good Choices, 2016).

The Central Focus of this learning segment is for students to utilize the comprehension strategy of inferencing using text-
based evidence.

Knowing Your Learners

What do you know about your students’ prior academic learning as it relates to the central focus? (edTPA Handbook, Task 1, Prompt 2a)

During the first learning segment the students were taught the comprehension strategy of making inferences and using text
based evidence to support their answers. Examples were modeled for students during the read aloud of the book The English
Roses. During this learning segment I will access students previously learned knowledge of making inferences. Students will
scaffold off their existing knowledge of understanding texts and the foundational skills of making inferences and apply them
to the story of Mr. Peabody’s Apples. Students will make inferences about the characters from this story and provide text
based evidence to support their answers.

How will you use this knowledge to inform your instruction? (edTPA Handbook, Task 1, Prompt 3a)

Since I know my students are familiar with inferencing and using evidence from the text to support their answers I will be
scaffolding off that existing knowledge and challenging students to make inferences about specific characters from the text
Mr. Peabody’s Apples and support those conclusions with evidence from the story.

What do you know about your students’ personal, cultural, and/or community assets as they relate to the central focus? (edTPA Handbook, Task 1,
Prompt 2b)

The students in my class are between the ages of 9 and 11 years old. At this age student’s may not have a deep understanding
of how much their words can hurt someone and change someone’s opinion of them. They tend to make fun of and pick on the
kids who appear different then themselves or who speak differently. There are two students who immigrated from countries
overseas in my class and may feel the pressures of being talked about by people who don’t know the whole story. I will utilize
this book to teach the students that it doesn’t matter they look like. All that matters is the truth. I will also teach students that
their words have power and to be careful what they say.

How will you use this knowledge to inform your instruction? (edTPA Handbook, Task 1, Prompt 3a)

We will be using the book Mr. Peabody’s Apples. This book is about a little boy named Tommy Tiddlebottom who notices his
baseball coach taking an apple from the fruit stand every Saturday after their game. He tells his friends who witness it and
they all tell their parents and everyone else in their small town. Everyone thinks Mr. Peabody is a thief. Mr. Peabody teaches
Tommy Tiddlebottom that words have a significant impact on people and can change the way they view someone. My
students will be able to understand how Mr. Peabody or Tommy Tiddlebottom feels through their own personal experiences
and the evidence they used from the text to support their conclusions. Students already have an idea of inferencing from the
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previous learning segment and from their own lives. This lesson and book will reinforce the notion that sometimes things can
be clearly stated and other times you need to look at the illustrations, surroundings and actions of people to understand how
others may be feeling or to fully understand what is happening. Students will be able to walk away from this book and its
conclusions and relate the character of Mr. Peabody or Tommy to themselves, or situations that were similar they might have
experienced.

Curriculum Standards
NY: Reading Standards for Literature (RL) 4.1: Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says
explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.

Ontario Curriculum Standard:

1.5 make inferences about texts using stated and implied ideas from the texts as evidence (e.g., read “between the lines” to
detect bias in a written text)

Objectives Assessment Modifications to Assessments

Using Bloom’s Taxonomy, include statements that
identify what students will be able to do by the
end of the lesson and are aligned to the standards
identified above.
Students will be able to identify possible
conclusions from the book “Mr.
Peabody’s Apples” and provide text
based evidence to support their
conclusions.
Using formal and/or informal assessment tools,
how will you evaluate and document your
students’ progress on each of the objectives?
Teacher will formatively asses through
observations during class discussions,
and think-pair-share and group work.
Teacher will pay close attention to the
vocabulary used during read aloud
discussion. Teacher will circulate
classroom as students work in groups
and observe and record the conclusions
being made, vocabulary being used and
the text based evidence being used to
support their answers.
If applicable, explain how you will adapt
assessments to allow students with specific
needs to demonstrate their learning.
(edTPA Task 1, Prompt 5b)
 Allow extra time in class for
ELL, ADHD and auditory
processing students to
complete assignments
 Provide handouts for ELL in
first language if required.
 I will model example from
previous lesson for students
 I will review vocab and check
for understanding periodically
with each group.

Lesson __2_ of a _3___ Day Learning Segment

 Academic Language Demands
(edTPA Task 1, Prompt 4c)
Function
Looking at your standards and
objectives, choose the one Bloom’s word
that best describes the active learning
essential for students to develop
understanding of concepts within your
lesson.
Vocabulary
Key words and phrases students need to
be able to understand and use
Instructional Supports
Strategies teachers provide to help learners understand, use, and pra
the concepts (edTPA Task 1, Prompt 4d)
Infer Teacher will demonstrate how to identify8 one of the
conclusions form Mr. Peabody’s Apples and provide text
based evidence to support the conclusions.
Teacher will read the story Mr. Peabody’s Apples and sto
page 9 and ask” why does Billy think Mr. Peabody is the
greatest?” This will be done after the page has bene read
On page 10 read the page and once completed pause ag
Teacher will ask “look at the picture on page 11. I think
Tommy is surprised to see Mr. Peabody Take an apple? I
think this because Billy said in the other page that Mr.
Peabody is the greatest.”
On Page 16 and 17 the teacher will pause and ask “Let’s
a closer look at the illustrations on both these pages. Wit
what was mentioned on the previous page I’m thinking t
Billy doesn’t think Mr. Peabody is as great as he once
thought. I think he thinks Mr. Peabody is a thief like ever
else does.”
Teacher will read page 27 and pause at the end. Teacher
ask students “Look at Tommy’s face on Page 26. What do
you think he is realizing in this moment with Mr. Peabod
How do you know?” This will get students involved in
discussion after seeing it modelled twice prior.
Inferencing Vocabulary will be modelled throughout the lesson and
Text-based Evidence provided on an Anchor chart for students to refer to not o
for this lesson but for future writing and comprehension
assignments. Each time allowing the student to scaffold o
previous knowledge.
Vocabulary will be added in future lessons.
For ELL student’s visuals with texts will be provided, as w
as translator dictionaries. Clarification of vocabulary and
documents in students first language will also be provide
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Syntax
Describe ways in which students will
organize language (symbols, words,
phrases) to convey meaning.
The students will be put in
groups of 5 and will be using
chart paper to make
inferences about a character
form the story (Mr. Peabody,
Billy or Tommy). Students will
also provide text based
evidence to support their
answers. Different colored
markers will be utilized in
groups to ensure participation.
I will support the students by giving them sentence fram
on the blackboard that state “The inference I can make
about _________________
is___________________________________. I know this
because in the text
______________________________________________
“

Discourse
How members of a discipline talk, write,
and participate in knowledge
construction and communicate their
understanding of the concepts
Instructional Process Accommodations and/or Modificat
and/or Supports
Anticipatory Set/Motivator For student with ADHD Fidget object
(hand ball) will be provided as well as
1. Prior to the start of learning write three riddles on the blackboard and cover them balance cushion, bouncy band for cha
up. quiet space in classroom for breaks,
repeated directions, extra time to
2. Provide each student with a piece of paper.
complete tasks.
3. Reveal the three riddles will be written on the blackboard one at a time. Instruct
students to write their answers on the paper. For ELL student’s visuals with texts wi
a. “what has hands but doesn’t clap?” provided, as well as translator diction
b. “I’m tall when I’m young and short when I’m old. What am I?” Clarify vocabulary and documents
c. “What is at the end of Rainbow?” provided in first language.
4. Ask students to share their answers and explain how they got to that answer.
5. I will introduce todays lesson by saying “In today’s lesson we will be inferencing
once again but this time we will be inferencing about characters from the story” For auditory processing concerned
student visual cues will be provide
allow better communication,
Directions will be repeated and
clarified. Additional time will be giv
needed
Instructional Procedures For student with ADHD Fidget object
(hand ball) will be provided as well as
1. I will review with students the previous days lesson. balance cushion, bouncy band for cha
a. I will ask them “what is drawing a conclusion or inferencing mean?” (Appendix quiet space in classroom for breaks,
repeated directions, extra time to
A)
complete tasks.
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i. This requires reading between the lines of a text or story or looking at For ELL student’s visuals with texts wi
the illustrations to help better understand what is not clearly stated. provided, as well as translator diction
1. Inform students that drawing conclusions can be done Clarification of vocabulary and docum
through reading between the lines and through illustrations. provided in first language.
b. “How can you support a conclusion made from a story?” (Appendix A)
i. Evidence that is taken from a story, passage or text that is used to help
For auditory processing concerned
support your argument, and deepen your understanding
student visual cues will be provide
c. “What does it mean to read between the lines?” (Appendix A)
allow better communication,
i. Refer back to riddles in anticipatory set.
Directions will be repeated and
i. Explain to students that when solving a riddle, you need to think
clarified. Additional time will be giv
about the words and what they are saying and think about objects
needed
that may connect with them.
i. Ex. “what has hands but doesn’t clap?”
For partnering students will be pai
a. Ask students “what had hands?”
together to make teams that will
b. Ask students “what has hands but is not alive?”
benefit each other. Students with I
2. Once the key points from the previous lesson are reviewed teacher will move onto
will be paired with strong
todays lesson.
comprehension and reading stude
3. Teacher will call students to the carpet and say “yesterday we read a book called The
to allow a balance.
English Roses and together we made inferences about the book with support from
the text. Today we are going to do something similar but instead of making
inferences to the book, we are going to make inferences to the characters with the
story.”
4. Teacher will transition from The English Roses discussion and introduce the book Mr.
Peabody’s Apples to the class.
5. and model inferencing with the cover.
a.
6. Teacher will read the book out loud to the class. Instruct students to think about
what the book is talking about and the clues that help them understand that.
7. Teacher will read the story Mr. Peabody’s Apples and stop at page 9 will do a think
aloud. Teacher will ask” Do any of the other children think Mr. Peabody is the
greatest? How do you know?” This will be done after the page has bene read
8. Teacher will continue onto page 10and read the page. Once completed teacher will
ask “Let’s all look at the picture on page 11. I think Tommy is surprised to see Mr.
Peabody Take an apple? I think this because Billy said in the other page that Mr.
Peabody is the greatest and he would never steal”
9. Teacher will continue reading and on Page 16 and 17 the teacher will pause and ask
“Let’s take a closer look at the illustrations on both these pages. With what was
mentioned on the previous page I’m thinking that Billy doesn’t think Mr. Peabody is
as great as he once thought. I think he thinks Mr. Peabody is a thief like everyone else
does.”
a. Teacher will follow up by asking “What clues from the picture tells you Billy
doesn’t think Mr. Peabody isn’t the greatest person anymore?”
10. Once students have provided answers teacher will continue reading up to the end of
page 27
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11. Teacher will ask students “Look at Tommy’s face on Page 26. What do you think he is
realizing in this moment with Mr. Peabody? What evidence is there to support this?”
This will get students involved in discussion after seeing it modelled twice prior.
12. Once teacher has completed reading start a small discussion with students to get
them thinking.
13. Ask Students “What are some conclusions we can make from this book?”
14. Steer the discussion to talk specifically about the three major Characters of the story
a. Mr. Peabody
b. Billy Little
c. Tommy Tiddlebottom.
15. Ask students “how do you think Mr. Peabody felt after hearing people thought he
was a thief? What evidence was provided in the story to help you understand how he
felt?”
16. Once students have provided answers ask “How do you think tommy felt? And what
in the text led you that?”
17. Once discussions are completed place students in groups of 5 and provide each
group with a sheet of chart paper and different colored markers.
a. Inform students that each group member is assigned a marker color. This is to
ensure all group members are participating.
18. Instruct each group that they are going to make inferences about the three
characters and provide evidence from the story to support their answers.
19. Teacher will write the sentence frames on the blackboard that state “The inference I
can make about _________________ is___________________________________. I
know this because in the text
________________________________________________.
a. Instruct students that all answers must follow the sentence frame format.
b. Teacher will model making character inferences for students using the
sentence frames provided.
i. Ex. An inference I can make about Tommy Tiddlebottom is that he
thinks Mr. Peabody is a thief.
c. Model text-based evidence for students to show them how to support their
answers.
i. I know this because in the text on page 11 you can see Tommy
standing on the street looking at Mr. Peabody taking the apple.”
20. Throughout the groupwork teacher will circulate the class to ensure and questions
that arise are answered and provide proper guidance to students
21. Once students have finished their inferences about the characters and have provided
evidence to support them. Each group will present their conclusion to the rest of the
class.
22. During presentations I will be asking students “how did your inferences help you to
understand the characters and the story better?”
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Closure

The teacher will provide a summary statement of the literacy lesson completed. “Boys
and girls today we reviewed what inferencing was and we reviewed the inferences we
made from the book The English Roses. We also read a new book called Mr. Peabody’s
Apples and took inferencing a step further. We applied inferencing to the characters of
the book. One such inference we made was that Tommy Tiddlebottom thinks Mr.
Peabody is thief because on page 11 he sees Mr. Peabody take an apple from Mr.
Funkadeli without paying for it. This is just one example of a character inference that can
be made with text evidence from the story. We came to this conclusion together and you
had the opportunity to work in groups and make inferences about all the characters in the
story that you presented to your classmates.
List all materials and/or technology tools required for the lesson.
Key instructional materials must be attached. These materials might include such items as class handouts, assignments, slides,
interactive white-board images.

 Mr. Peabody’s Apples book

 Anchor Chart (Appendix A)
 Chart paper
 Markers

Appendix A: Anchor Chart

 Also referred to as inferencing

 Information is never clearly stated
 You must “read between the lines” and use illustrations to determine what the author
wants you to know

 Using the text (story, article, book) to support an answer you are giving.
 This involves using quotes, or specific examples form the text
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 Looking beyond the text to discover a meaning that is hidden or not explicitly state