Shoe Inferences

Recently we have been talking a lot about inferring in our class.  We know that powerful readers make inferences as they read.  When inferring, we think about it like this:

evidence + background knowledge = inference

To practice our inferring skills, we have been making inferences in many different circumstances.  One day last week Ms. Birdsall arrived with a bag full of shoes and asked us to become shoe detectives to practice our inferring!  

Each group received a shoe to examine.  First, we had to make observations about the shoe.  This was our evidence.  For example, we noted things like the shoe was made of leather, had a high heel or smelled bad!  Next, we had to access our background knowledge about this type of shoe.  For example, some students had moms who wear high heels for special occasions.  Another student had seen people wearing open-toed sandals at a water park.  Finally, based on the evidence and our background knowledge, we had to make inferences about what type of person might wear each shoe and for what purpose.  

Each group got to discuss all five shoes.  After lots of time to share our ideas, we were asked to individually choose one shoe.  For that shoe we presented our evidence, background knowledge and wrote a detailed inference.

 

Check back later this week to read some of our ideas!