Medaille College Department of Education

Lesson Plan

Teacher Candidate’s Name: Meghan O’Driscoll Date: July 15th, 2018

Context for Learning (edTPA)

Where is the school where you are teaching located? City: _______ Suburb: ___X____ 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, Pertinent
Classifications/Needs Students IEP Goals
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) 1  Use of a fidget object such as a hand ball
 Use of a balance cushion
 Use of a bouncy band for chair
 Quiet space in the classroom for breaks
 Repeated directions
 Extra time to complete tasks
1  Use visual cues
Auditory Processing Disorder  Repeat/clarify/reduce oral directions
 Stress key words
 Additional wait time
 Extra time to complete tasks
Students with Specific Language Needs
Language Needs Number of Supports, Accommodations, Modifications
Students
English Language Learner (ELL) 2  Visuals with text
 Translator dictionary
 Provide concept maps when appropriate
 LESSON 3 2
 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

Lesson __3____ of a ___3___ Day Learning Segment

Subject and Lesson Topic: Literacy – Making Inferences

Grade Level: 4 Lesson Duration: 40 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 to infer meaning by combining schema with analysis of text and pictures.

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)

In the previous module my students extracted evidence from a text drawing upon details, dialogue, text evidence, illustration, and text features,
in order to construct meaning inferentially. In the first lesson of this learning segment, students used schema and text clues to make inferences,
using the painting, Christmas Morning, Breakfast by Horace Pippin and the picture book, The Widow’s Broom by Chris Van Allsburg. In the
previous lesson of this segment, students successfully used their skills of extracting textual evidence combined with using their schema to infer
meaning from the poem, “Abandoned Farmhouse” by Ted Kooser. In social studies, students are learning about the American Civil War,
slavery, and the Underground Railroad. Students are studying safe houses, abolitionists, freedom quilts, and slave songs used as maps to guide
the runaway slaves to freedom. In math, students are analyzing freedom quilt patterns by investigating and re-creating their geometry and
symmetry, creating their own class freedom quilt.

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

Since I know my students are familiar and successful with inferring meaning from narrative text, I will be challenging them to find deeper
inferential meaning of a text that contains only illustrations. Using the book Unspoken: A Story From the Underground Railroad by Henry Cole,

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 LESSON 3 3
students will find meaning inferentially by analyzing the illustrations and extracting evidence from the pages, in combination with their
background knowledge about the Underground Railroad, safe houses, and the slave song, “Follow the Drinking Gourd.”

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)

I know my students are between 9 and 10 years old. We live in a suburb of Toronto so most of my students take the school bus or their parents
drive them to school. In general, both parents work full-time and two students have a stay-at-home parent. Five students stay in the after-school
program, five students have their grandparents pick them up and stay with them until their parents are done work, and three students take the
school bus home where they stay with either older siblings or a babysitter. Two students have recently immigrated to Canada, one from Korea
and one from Iran. It is October and students have a heightened interest in Halloween, spooky or suspenseful literature, fall, and autumn
activities. Earlier this month, we have taken a field trip to a farm, where students enjoyed hay rides, a pumpkin patch, and a corn husk maze. We
have some African American students in the class whose grandparents have told them generational family stories about relatives’ experiences
with the Underground Railroad and slavery in general. Children love listening to songs in class, especially ones with a catchy chorus they can
sing along with.

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

I will connect our current autumn season and our recent trip to the fall farm and corn field to this book, whose main character helps a runaway
slave who is hiding in the corn on her family’s farm. Some of our African American classmates might have some family stories/insight to share
during the lesson. I will use students’ interest in suspense by not providing individual copies, displaying the book via projector, and only
allowing students to work with specific pages, in an attempt to build suspense and student engagement. I will utilize students’ interest in music
and sing-along by playing a portion of “Follow the Drinking Gourd.”

Curriculum Standards

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.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 MINISTRY OF EDUCATION: GRADE 4 LANGUAGE CURRICULUM EXPECTATIONS: 1. Reading for Meaning – 1.5
Making Inferences/Interpreting Texts
Make inferences about texts using stated and implied ideas from the texts as evidence.

Objectives Assessment Modifications to Assessments

Using Bloom’s Taxonomy, include statements that Using formal and/or informal assessment tools, how If applicable, explain how you will adapt
identify what students will be able to do by the end of will you evaluate and document your students’ assessments to allow students with specific needs to
the lesson and are aligned to the standards identified progress on each of the objectives? demonstrate their learning.
above. (edTPA Task 1, Prompt 5b)

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 LESSON 3
Using the book, Unspoken: A Story From the
Underground Railroad, students will be able to
make inferences about a wordless text through
combining their schema with analysis of
illustrations as textual evidence.
I will formatively assess with observation
during group work, where I will be looking for
students to write their thoughts in their
notebooks. I will be asking questions such as,
“What is happening here?” “What is she
feeling?” “What can you infer about the
character or setting?” I will be listening for use
of the thinking stems we have been working
with throughout the segment. I will visually
ensure students are writing their sentences
using the provided sentence stem, that is
similar to the one from last lesson, but is
specific to illustration. Additionally, during
student discussions, I will be listening for the
students to convey their ideas about inferring
meaning from the images.
4
 For my student with ADHD, I will
repeat the directions to the activity,
allow extra time to complete the
tasks, and provide a quiet space in
the classroom in case he needs to
take a break.
 For my student with an auditory
processing disorder, I will tap her
desk to let her know I am about to
call on her for a response, I will
repeat/clarify/simplify oral
directions, I will stress key
vocabulary, and provide her with
extra time to complete the tasks.
 For my ELL students, I will provide
a translator dictionary, provide a
concept map, clarify vocabulary and
language concepts, and provide
clarification in their first language
when possible, I will also pair them
with strong readers, someone with
whom they are comfortable.
 Maria benefits from additional
challenges to keep her engaged, so I
will offer her the option to work
independently.

Academic Language Demands Instructional Supports

(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.
Strategies teachers provide to help learners understand, use, and practice the
concepts (edTPA Task 1, Prompt 4d)
Infer I will support my students to know how to infer as I will review the
“Making Inferences” anchor chart we have been using. I will also
model how to infer meaning from an illustration using evidence
from the first few pages. I will have students working in table
groups, which are already designed according to ability, in an effort
to have students work together and help each other find evidence

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 LESSON 3 5
from the illustrations combined with schema to find deeper
inferential meaning of the book.
Vocabulary I will support my students by reviewing with them the vocabulary
Key words and phrases students need to be Infer/making inferences and definitions on the Word Wall from the previous lesson; I will
able to understand and use Schema add to it “Underground Railroad” and its definition. I will reference
Evidence this Word Wall and our “Making Inferences” anchor chart
Underground Railroad throughout the lesson.

Syntax
Describe ways in which students will
organize language (symbols, words,
phrases) to convey meaning.

Discourse The students will be using  I will support students by modelling how to make
How members of a discipline talk, write, discourse during group work inferences. I will also support them by giving them a
and participate in knowledge construction when they will be agreeing or sentence stem to show structure of description for this
and communicate their understanding of
the concepts
disagreeing with inferences made lesson: “I can infer _____ , because in the illustration
from the illustrations based on ______.”
schema and text evidence. They  I will also provide these thinking stems: “I can infer
will be using discourse when they __________.”, “This could mean _________.”, “Perhaps
discuss and write in groups, ____________.”, and “Maybe ___________.”
working on inferring meaning  I will provide students with written instructions for the
from the specified pages of the activity, including the thinking stems and the sentence stem
book.  Additionally, I will have them work in table groups, so they
can discuss their ideas with each other and help one another
write their inferences.
Instructional Process Accommodations and/or Modifications
and/or Supports
Anticipatory Set/Motivator  I will repeat the directions for my
student with ADHD.
 I will ask students to gather around the carpet and review with them the “Making
Inferences” anchor chart that we have been using throughout this learning segment  For my student with an auditory
(Appendix A). I will also review our terminology and definitions on the Word Wall. processing disorder, I will tap her
 I will focus on the term ‘Underground Railroad’ and access prior knowledge from social desk to let her know I am about to
studies: I will ask students if the Underground Railroad was really underground and if it call on her for a response, I will
was actually a railroad. I will clarify, as needed, that the Underground Railroad was a repeat/clarify/simplify oral
network of secret routes and safe houses used by slaves to find their way to freedom during directions, and I will stress key
the American Civil War. vocabulary.

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LESSON 3 6
 I will ask students if they remember any “maps” slaves used while fleeing to freedom
(‘Freedom quilts’ is one answer. I am looking for ‘slave song’ or ‘spiritual’ as a response).
 I will play a portion of the Youtube video of the slave song/spiritual, “Follow the Drinking  For my ELL students, I will provide
Gourd”: 1:23-2:05. I will encourage the children to sing and clap along. a translator dictionary, provide a
 After playing the portion of the song, I will refer to our anchor chart that we created concept map, clarify vocabulary
together during the first lesson of the segment featuring our thinking stems: and language concepts, and provide
o “I can infer __________.” clarification in their first language
o “This could mean _________.” when possible, I will also ensure
o “Perhaps ____________.” they are paired with someone with
o “Maybe ___________.” whom they are comfortable.
 I will ask students to turn and talk to a partner about the song. I will then facilitate a class
discussion about inferring meaning from the song, reminding students to use clues from  Maria benefits from additional
the song with background knowledge from social studies and to use the thinking stems challenges to keep her engaged, so I
when articulating their answers. For example, “I can infer the lyric ‘follow the drinking will be sure to call on her share her
gourd’ means to look to the sky to find The Big Dipper and travel in that direction to a safe inferences from the song.
house.”
 I will ask students if they remember the painting we looked at two days ago (Appendix B)  I will be supporting the students by
and how we inferred what was happening in the scene. I will display the image of the having them discuss with their
painting for reference elbow partner to brainstorm
 I will remind students that when we look at a painting, a picture, an image or an answers before whole-class
illustration, even though there are no words to tell us what is happening, we can use discussion.
evidence (what we see) and background knowledge to figure out what is going on.
 I will reference a past anchor chart with yesterday’s sentence stem, “I know that  I will activate prior knowledge by
______________ because in the text it says ______________.” I will discuss with students referring back to the painting we
that, just as we have been doing for the past two days, today we will be making inferences analyzed in the first lesson of this
using our thinking stems but also using this modified version of our previous sentence learning segment
stem. I will write on the board: “I can infer ____________, because in the illustration
____________.”
 I will explain that in today’s lesson, we will be using schema and text evidence to make
inferences from a book that has no words, only illustrations: Unspoken: A Story From the
Underground Railroad by Henry Cole (show the book).
 Gesture toward the learning targets written on the chalk board:
o “I can refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says
explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.”
 Invite students to return quietly to their seats

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Instructional Procedures  “Making Inferences” anchor chart
displayed on the wall to help remind
students that inferences are created by
 I will distribute the “Unspoken - Making Inferences” activity instructions (Appendix C) combining what the text says with what
that provides students with directions, the thinking stems, as well as our new version of our we already know.
sentence stem.
 I will highlight the new sentence stem, “I can infer that _______, because in the illustration  The handout will provide written
______.” I will explain that we are not working with written text today, so we need to directions to the activity, as well as
change our wording and our thinking to find a deeper, more challenging meaning of the visual reminders of their thinking stems
illustrations. and modified sentence stem
 Using the SMART board projector/ document camera, I will project the first two pages of
the book.  For my student with ADHD, I will
 I will think aloud what could be inferred from these pages’ illustration, using the thinking ensure he has use of a fidget object, a
stems: I will say, “Maybe this was in the 1800s?” balance cushion, and a bouncy band for
 I will write on the board and think aloud: I will use our sentence stem (point to sentence chair.
stem on the board and remind students it is on their handout) to write down my inference
and underline the given parts of the stem: “I can infer that this story takes place during the  For my student with an auditory
Civil War, because in the illustration there are soldiers on horseback carrying a processing disorder, I will tap her desk
Confederate flag.” to let her know I am about to call on
 I will then ask, “Do you agree? Why or why not?” her for a response, I will stress key
 I will then instruct students to work in their table groups. I will display the pages of the vocabulary, and provide her with
book and then we will pause on certain pages, where the groups will be analyzing the additional wait time.
illustrations and working together to infer what is happening in the image. Students are to
use their background knowledge of the Underground Railroad and evidence from the  For my ELL students, I will provide a
illustrations to make inferences. They must use their thinking stems for discussion and then print-out of the posted anchor charts, a
each student is to write their inferences in their notebook using our sentence stem. translator dictionary, provide a concept
 The first pause will be on the pages of the girl feeding the chickens on the farm; her house, map, clarify vocabulary and language
the storage shed, and a fence with a quilt hanging are in the background. concepts, and provide clarification in
 I will circulate and observe the groups, listening for thinking stems and prompting when their first language when possible.
necessary: “How do you know she lives on a farm?” “Why do you think there is a quilt
hanging on the fence?”  I will model how to make inferences by
 I will continue to turn the pages until the illustrations where the girl is inside the shed and combining schema with evidence from
inside the stack of corn hides an open eye. I will instruct groups to infer what is happening the illustrations.
in the plot and who is hiding in the corn – pointing out the person’s skin color, if
necessary.  Students will be able to work with their
 I will turn the page, where now the girl is running from the shed and hiding behind her peers to support thinking.
house and ask students to infer how the girl is feeling.

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 LESSON 3 8
 Throughout these pauses, I will observe and ensure groups are discussing using thinking  For my student with ADHD, I will
stems and then writing in their notebooks what they are inferring from the illustrations. repeat the directions to the activity and
 I will turn the page to where the girl is sneaking in the night across her farm, holding a allow extra time to complete the task.
package. If needed I will prompt that The Big Dipper is in the sky, asking students if they
remember what “Follow the Drinking Gourd” was about.  For my student with an auditory
 I will continue turning the pages, holding long enough for students to “read” the processing disorder, I will
illustrations. repeat/clarify/simplify oral directions, I
 I will pause again when the men on horseback with guns arrive on the farm. I will instruct will stress key vocabulary, and provide
students to analyze the image, which has the quilt hanging from the fence and men on her with extra time to complete the
horseback who do not look like the soldiers from the first pages: “What can you infer task.
about the setting on this page?”
 I will continue turning the pages until the pages illustrate a closet door with the girl’s eye  Maria benefits from additional
peeking through the hole. I will ask, “What can you infer is happening at this point in the challenges to keep her engaged, so I
story?” will offer her the option to write her
 The next pause will be a few pages later, where the girl is depicted back in the shed, own narrative to the story
finding a corn-husk doll: “What can you infer about the characters on these pages?”
 On the next and final page, we see the girl lying in her bed with her corn-husk doll,  For my student with ADHD and my
wrapped in the quilt that was hanging on the fence, and staring out the window looking up student with an auditory processing
at The Big Dipper. I will display this page and instruct the groups to make a final disorder, I will repeat and simplify the
inference, prompting the quilt, the doll, The Big Dipper, and the girl’s facial expression instructions as well as provide extra
where necessary. time to complete the task.
 Once all the groups have completed their discussion and students are done writing their
inferences about the last page, I will choose group leaders.  I will check and see if my student with
 Each group leader will share the inferences their group has made from the selected pages, ADHD needs a break in the quiet
asking if the rest of the class agrees or disagrees with the inferred meaning. space.
 I will remind students that different people infer different things based on their prior
knowledge. I will remind them that each group is to be respectful and listen to each other’s  Sentence stem or thinking stems will
ideas to see their perspective and understand that it may be different from their own help students show structure and
syntax.
Closure
 Students with ADHD and auditory
 I will ask each group to huddle for a moment to discuss what they think has happened in processing disorder will have extra
this book. I will ask, “How do you think the slave arrived at the farm?” “What do you time to complete their notebook tasks.
think happens at the end of the book?”
 I will ask one student from each group to share their version of the book’s narrative. It will
be quite interesting to hear what each group of children has come together to infer from the
illustrations and to hear what they think happens to the runaway slave.

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 LESSON 3 9
 I will thank the students for working well in their groups, being respectful of others’ words
and opinions
 I will remind students how today we remembered how to construct an inference: by using
our schema and evidence from the text, highlighting that instead of written textual
evidence, we used visual evidence from the illustrations
 I will reference the anchor charts with the students reviewing with them how we construct
an inference and the sentence stem or thinking stem we use to express our inference
 I will collect students’ notebooks

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, and interactive white-
board images.

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CAcZ6leUbDA, 1:23-2:05
 Appendix A – “Making Inferences” anchor chart
 Appendix B - Christmas Morning, Breakfast by Horace Pippin (1945)
 Appendix C – Unspoken making inferences activity directions/handout
 Cole, H. (2012). Unspoken: A story from the Underground Railroad. New York: Scholastic Press
 Word Wall
 Chart paper and markers
 Exercise books, pencils
 SMART Board projector/document camera

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LESSON 3 10

Appendix A

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LESSON 3 11

Appendix B

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LESSON 3 12

Appendix C

Making
Inferences

 Analyze the illustration: use your schema (background knowledge) and text evidence
(what you see) …. HINT! Think about what we are learning in social studies about the
American Civil War and the Underground Railroad.

 Use our thinking stems:

o “I can infer _______.”
o “This could mean ______.”
o “Perhaps ______.”
o “Maybe _______.”

 When you are ready to write your inferred meaning, use this sentence stem to write
your sentence:
o “I can infer _________, because in the illustration __________.”

Be as detailed as possible!!

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LESSON 3 13

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