7th-Grade Lesson Plans

Lesson Title: Making Inferences from a Mystery Book
Created and Submitted by: Loida Korrody (Librarian) and Leticia Peña (Classroom Teacher)
School Name: Salvador Garcia Middle School
District: United Independent School District
Roles: School Librarian and 7th-grade ELA Classroom Teacher

Grade Level: 7th Grade

Lesson Plan Objectives:
At the end of this lesson, students will be able to:
1. Make inferences and support their responses with text evidence.
2. Adjust their fluency when reading aloud.

ELA-R TEKS:
§110.19
(6) Reading /Comprehension of Literary Text/Fiction. Students understand, make inferences and draw conclusions about the structure and elements of fiction and provide evidence from text to support their understanding. Students are expected to:
(B) analyze the development of the plot through the internal and external responses of the characters, including their motivations and conflicts.

Standards for the 21st-Century Learner Indicators:
1.1.6 Read, view, and listen for information presented in any format (e.g., textual, visual, media, digital) in order to make inferences and gather meaning.
1.1.9 Collaborate with others to broaden and deepen understanding.
2.2.3 Employ a critical stance in drawing conclusions by demonstrating that the pattern of evidence leads to a decision or conclusion.

Classroom Teacher – School Librarian Collaboration:
• Classroom teacher and school librarian use a rectangular graphic organizer as an assessment tool.
• The school librarian provides a copy of Bunnicula: Rabbit-Tale of Mystery by Deborah and James Howe from school library novel collection.
• Both educators introduce the text and use graphic organizer think-aloud to model the process of drawing inferences.
• Both educators monitor students’ guided practice.
• Both educators assess student learning outcomes through oral discussion, questioning and use of rectangular graphic organizer.

Measurable Outcome or Final Product:
The students learn to infer and draw conclusions by using their background knowledge and text from reading. The students use the Rectangular Graphic Organizer to record inferences.

Assessment Tool: Rectangular Graphic Organizer

 
Resources:
Bunnicula A Rabbit-Tale of Mystery by Deborah and James Howe (Simon & Schuster 1979)
Dracula (1931) Trailer Video: http://youtu.be/7Nfmh178L98
Rectangular Graphic Organizer
Rectangular Graphic Organizer Directions
Document camera/LCD projector

Estimated Lesson Time: 55 minutes

Instructional Plan Outline:

Preparation:
• Educators post the learning objectives.
• Educators distribute one book per student, and one copy of the Rectangular Graphic Organizer.
• Educators distribute scissors and glue for students to prepare Rectangular Graphic Organizer estimated time of 5 to 10 minutes to cut and paste.

Motivation:
1. Educators share a clip of Dracula of the 1930’s to have students view a different perspective of a character: http://youtu.be/7Nfmh178L98
2. Educators discuss the video clip with the students to elicit responses that describe Dracula’s character during the 1930’s and what a modern day Dracula would be like.

Presentation:
3. Educators demonstrate book cover Bunnicula: A Rabbit – Tale of Mystery and post a question to students. (What do you think the book will be about?) (Introduction to inference)
4. Educators define and explain the meaning of inference and how it is used in everyday life. Educators review and inform students that an inference is an educated guess that is based on evidence.
5. Educators point out to students that their response to “What do you think the book will be about?” is based on visual details from the front cover.
6. Educators point out to students that they often make inferences without them realizing. For example; when adults carry on conversations in the presence of young children, the children don’t understand the double meaning of the conversation. Therefore, they make their own conclusions to the information that was obtained during the adult conversation.
7. Educators model fluency by co-reading of the book. After reading the first two pages, pause and discuss point of view. (It’s important for the students to know who the narrator is). Complete the first chapter and recap the important events and how the characters responded to them. Continue reading until the end of chapter two and again recap the important events.
8. Following the second chapter, educators model (whole class) how to fill in the Rectangular Graphic Organizer. Educators use the document camera to demonstrate how the Rectangular Graphic Organizer is used to record the character information; select a minor character (for example Toby or Peter) to demonstrate the activity.
9. Students discuss within their group four important details of the character presented by educators.
10. Students work in groups of two or three; students select a major character, (Harold, Chester, or Bunnicula), for the independent practice to demonstrate understanding of making inferences.

Guided Practice:
11. Educators monitor as students fill in the rectangular graphic organizer with their four important characteristics of the selected character.

Closure:
12. Educators and students share their findings amongst each other: educators assess students’ comprehension.
13. Volunteers share aloud with the entire class.
14. As whole class discussion, students will be asked a question, “What did you learn today?”

Assessment:
15. Educators determine what areas to address after listening to students’ responses.
16. The educators review and assess the students’ Rectangular Graphic Organizer.

Extensions:
17. Students design a book jacket for a sequel to Bunnicula.
18. Students research Dracula and determine whether Dracula was a real person or a (fictionalized) character.

Lesson Plan Resources

Rectangular Graphic Organizer (for students)

Rectangular Graphic Organizer Directions (for educators)

ELAR_7_6_B_Korrody_Peña_TEKS_Alignment_Lesson_Plan