MIDDLE SCHOOL ENGLISH INSTRUCTION: Unit 4, Lesson 4 1

Focus of the lesson: drawing conclusions and making inferences based on explicit and implied information; organizing main idea and details to form a summary; critiquing text

1. DRAWING CONCLUSIONS AND MAKING INFERENCES

Unit 2, Lesson 4 focused on drawing conclusions and making inferences based on information in literary texts. Now we focus on applying the same skills to informational text. To review information about inferences and conclusions, click on the following link:

Making Inferences and Drawing Conclusions

ACTIVITY 4-4-1

(1) Read pp. 294-295 in the Holt online text.

(2) Answer questions 1-5 on p. 296.

ACTIVITY 4-4-2

For practice in making inferences based on informational text, complete the activity on pp. 2-3 of this lesson.

PRACTICE: MAKING INFERENCES BASED ON INFORMATIONAL TEXT

DIRECTIONS: Read the following paragraph carefully. Then answer the questions about it.

1. What can you infer about the ability of insects to communicate with one

another?

______

2. What can you infer from the fact that the scout bee does not have to lead

the rest of the bees to the flowers?

______


3. How do you think the scouts give directions to the forager?

______

4. Do you think that bees have the ability to remember where they have been? Why?

______

2. ORGANIZING MAIN IDEA AND DETAILS TO FORM A SUMMARY

We focused on skills for summarizing and paraphrasing in Unit 2, Lesson 6 (narrative prose), and Unit 3, Lesson 4 (poetry). For information about a process for summarizing informational text, access the Holt online literature text, p. 294.

ACTIVITY 4-4-3

(1) Read the information on p. 294 in the Holt online text.

(2) Read the article “Picking Strawberries” on p. 295 in the Holt online text.

(3) Answer questions 1-5 on p. 296.

ACTIVITY 4-4-4

For practice in summarizing informational articles, complete the activity for summarizing informational text on p. 5 of this lesson.

PRACTICE: SUMMARIZING INFORMATIONAL TEXT

DIRECTIONS: Read the following article excerpted from Consumer Reports. Then use the process described in the Holt online text to summarize the article.

3. CRITIQUING TEXT

The simplest way to critique informational text is to apply the three C’s:

CLARITY – The author uses word choices that are clear. If technical language is employed, it is defined or explained. Sentences are not unnecessarily long and involved. Details and examples are relevant and easy to understand. The writing is well organized, and flows smoothly from one point to another. The author’s purpose is easy to identify.

CONCISENESS – The author gets to the point and includes only the most relevant information/explanation for support of his/her main idea or primary purpose. There is no unnecessary or repetitive information.

COMPLETENESS – Everything the reader needs to know is included in the text.

If the purpose of the text is PERSUASIVE, several other questions need to be answered:

·  Is the author’s argument or claim supported by adequate relevant evidence?

·  Is support primarily factual?

·  Has the writer used any faulty logic?

Activity 4-4-5

Complete the activity on critiquing informative text on pp. 7-10 of this lesson.

ACTIVITY ON CRITIQUING TEXT

DIRECTIONS: (1) Read the article “What Our Education System Needs Is More F’s” on pp. 7-8. (2) Use the instrument provided on pp 9-10 to rate the article’s clarity, conciseness, completeness, and persuasiveness.

IN THE BLANK PROVIDED, RANK EACH QUALITY OF THE ARTICLE ON A SCALE OF 1 (POOR) TO 5 (EXCELLENT). THEN GIVE SPECIFIC REASONS FOR YOUR RATING.

1. CLARITY ______

______

2. CONCISENESS ______

______

3. COMPLETENESS ______

______


4. PERSUASIVENESS ______

______