Reader’s Workshop (Gradually Released within the Mini-lesson)
Standard and Learning Target: F1a-f (Academic, language, and social-emotional learning targets)
I can draw inferences by referring to details and examples in the text.
Note: This lesson incorporates the outdoor classroom and is intended to last two shared reading periods. Day 3 can be completed indoors, but Day 4 must take place outside for observations.
Whole Group Mini-lesson
How am I teaming with the Special Education, AL, and/or ELL teachers to support our students?
Have I reviewed my classroom engagement plan and considered how individual students will have access to this lesson? / Focused Instruction
Text:F3a-b What Happens When it Rains (StepReads version 610L/O)

Days 3 and 4
Connection:F2aYesterday, we worked on…determining the correct meaning of words in the text that have multiple meanings.
Teach (What, Why, When, How, Misconception, Analogy): F2b-e
●Today we are going to...continue with our text “What Happens When it Rains”, but this time we’re going to be making inferences, which means acting like detectives. We need to figure something out, and then prove our thinking with details and examples. I need you to use your imagination, though. I want you to pretend you just got to Madison right now, that you’ve been on vacation. You don’t know what the weather has been like lately. Tomorrow, we’re going to go outside and look for clues as to whether there has been rain lately, and we’re going to make an inference about that. What will we use to help us figure it out? That’s right...our text!
●Watch me…(Refer to Process Anchor Chart while modeling.) My first step is to read the text, and look for words that give me clues about what I might observe if it has just rained. As I read this first sentence, it talks about seeing storm clouds. Now, in the text it is talking about seeing storm clouds before it starts raining, but I know I might still see darker clouds just after it has rained, so I’m going to highlight that. (Model reading next paragraph.) Dry dirt is important to notice, but the text says the dirt would be dry before it rains. I’m looking for clues that it has rained recently, so I’m not going to highlight that. (Read third paragraph and think aloud about how the text is talking about what happens during the rain.) We’re talking about after the rain, so we’re not going to highlight that either.
●Scholars, with your card partner, I want you to practice with steps 1 and 2 on our anchor chart. Work together to read and highlight, so that both of you know what you’re going to be looking for as we explore our outdoor space. (Teacher roves to support and check for understanding as students read and highlight. )
●Readers, I have a graphic organizer for each of you, to help you compare what you’ve just highlighted to what you see outside. Under the column, “The Text Says”, you’re going to write the things you highlighted, so I would write storm clouds. I know I won’t always see those after the rain, but I might. It could be a clue. So your directions are to copy what you highlighted under “The Text Says”. END DAY 3.
●Scientists, remember that we’re working on making inferences about whether it has rained lately. Yesterday, we reread the text to find details about what we might observe if it had rained recently. Today, we’re going to look carefully for clues related to what you wrote. If you see the opposite of what you wrote, record that too. Now, as I look up at the sky, I notice _____ (insert observation here). I’m going to make a note of that next to “storm clouds” on my graphic organizer. (Model on teacher example that even if it is a blue sky, still record that information next to storm clouds). You’ll have about 10 minutes with your card partner from yesterday to make and record observations related to your graphic organizer. (Students explore and record while teacher supports and checks for understanding.)
●(After ten minutes, pull students together.) Scientists, we’re going to stop our observing now and try to make our inference. My question for you today is: Using observations and text evidence, infer whether it has rained recently. Why do you think this? You and your partner should go over your notes and make an inference based on the text and your observations. Once you’ve decided whether or not you think it has rained lately, you can practice sharing your thinking with this language frame:I infer that it has/has not rained recently because I observed ___ and the text says ______. Let’s practice that together.
●Pairs make inference and practice answering the question using the language scaffold.
●Use Line Up Protocol to match students with a new partner and share their inference. Teacher checks for understanding.
Process Anchor Chart
  1. Read text, looking for words and phrases of what you might observe if it had just rained.
  2. Highlight them so you know what to look for.
  3. Explore the outdoor space, looking for the clues you highlighted.
  4. Record clues that will help you determine if it has or has not rained.
  5. Reread your clues and decide which has more evidence.
The Text Says…(if it has recently rained) / We Saw...
I might see storm clouds.
Guided Practice/Collaborative Learning/Independent Practice
Tasks for Engagement (Check for Understanding): G2b, G3b, G4a-e, C1a-e, C2a-d, C4a-d, C5a-c, I1a-d, I2a-b, I3a-c, I5a-c, I6a
Card Partners
Outdoor Exploration!
Highlighted text
Graphic Organizer for recording clues
Line Ups / Question(s): G1a, F3b
Using observations and text evidence, infer whether it has rained recently. Why do you think this?
Discussion Protocols:G1b-c, G2a, C5c
Card Partners
Line Ups
Language Scaffolds: G3a, C3a-c, I4a-b
I infer that it has/has not rained recently because I observed ___ and the text says ______.
Process Anchor Chart
Link: Today and everyday, we are going to…F1e,I1b
Make inferences based on details and examples in the text and explore outside!
Workshop: I1a-d, I2a-b, I3a-c, I5a-c, I6a
What will students be doing during this time to transfer their understanding of the learning target over time? / Partner Reading
Read and discuss your notes with someone you have not yet partnered with today; did you make the same inference? / Independent Reading
Reread the text and highlight details that help you infer whether rain is important. / Writing about Reading
Answer question in writing, using language scaffolds.
Share: C5c, I6b-cWhat is something you want to remember about making inferences? OR What did you learn from going outside?

Updated 5.18.17