Unit: 2. Reading Applications-Main Idea-Purpose-Inference

Short Description:
 Introducing the concept of identifying the main idea, author's purpose and inference.

Long Description:
Preview Student Learning Map.
Launch Activity: "The Main Idea
Envelope Please." Pick four or five of your favorite short stories or
stories your students have read as a class. Give students envelopes
with either a topic sentence, supporting detail, or a main idea on the
front. Inside will be a card with the correct response folded so it
cannot be seen through the envelope. Have the students go around the
room and see whose envelopes belong with their group. Once the students
have found their group, they are to read their envelope and discuss
which one is the topic, supporting detail, and the main idea. They are
to give reasons for their choices. Then, they should say which one they
think they have (topic sentence, supporting detail, or main idea. Once
the prediction has been made, the teacher announces, "The Envelope
Please." This is the signal for the students to open their envelope and
see if their predictions were correct.



Launch activityto distinguish between an inference and a fact. The teacher needs to
model the activity to set expectations for the students. Show the students a
picture and let them infer what is happening in the picture. The facts will
come from the actual picture and the inference will come from the actions,
feelings, settings and characters in the picture.

   Each child will have an envelope. The
envelope will have the inference or fact on the outside of the envelope. An
index card for inference or fact will be inside. Make sure the card is folded
so it can't be read through the envelope. The students will read the card and
walk around the room to find their match. The match is the envelope that has
the same topic. Once the match has been made, the students sit together and
discuss whether their envelope is the fact or the inference. When the teacher
announces, "The Envelope Please," the students are to open their envelopes and
look at their card to see if they were right.

Sample Envelopes and Cards

The cat was making my sister
sneeze.                     Inference

My sister is allergic to
cats.                                     Fact

 

The boy did not have any
friends.                           
Inference

The boy was new in town.                                        Fact

 

The lights flashed on and
off.                                  
Inference

There was a storm
outside.                                      
Fact

 

We were red from the
sun.                                      
Inference

We did not use suntan
lotion.                                  
Fact

 

We did not go to school
today.                                 Inference

It snowed six inches.                                                
Fact

 

The plants were dry and
turning brown.                  
Inference

It has not rained all
month.                                      
Fact

 

We have not scored a goal all
year.                          Inference

We need to practice
more.                                       
Fact

 

The leaves were falling off
the trees.                       
Inference

The season is fall.                                                      Fact

 

We can eat lunch on the
blanket.                             
Inference

We are having a picnic.                                            
Fact

 

I could not read the
board.                                        
Inference

Differentiation:
 Plan for the accommodations needed in order to meet the interests,
learning styles, and abilities of all students.

Resources and Materials:
 Plan for the accommodations needed in order to meet the interests,
learning styles, and abilities of all students.

Time (in days):
2

Attached Documents:
5W and How Model

Strategies for reading

The Important Thing

Rubric(s):