Inferencing Activity {First Grade}

We learned about inferencing this week in First Grade and I was determined to find a better way to teach it than complete the ridiculously ineffective {and booooooring} graphic organizer that my reading series issues for this unit.  It was totally BLAH.  Anyway, with snow being so prevalent in our lives right now, it only seemed fitting to find a way to connect inferencing to the ever-present white stuff that is driving me batty.  {This was actually the lesson I taught for my observation.}

So, I decided my students were going to Inference Investigators! 

 After activating prior knowledge with Snow Day by Barbara Joose, we completed a whole group graphic organizer about snow day activities. 

Next, I read a cute mini-story that I wrote about "Tim", who is at home on a snow day with his grandmother.  When his mom arrives home from work, she has no idea where either Tim or his grandmother are or what they did all day.  So she starts searching the house in search of "Snow Day Evidence."  After reading this story to my students, I told them that their assignment was to be an "Inference Investigator" and to work with their group members to sort through the evidence Tim's mom collected to figure out a) what they did all day and b) where they were when she got home.

I presented the evidence in Snow Day Case Files (laminated manila envelopes) that contained four "pieces of evidence."  They were oh so excited!  I looooove to see my kids get pumped up about learning! I gave them a recording sheet so that they could make inferences based on the objects in their case file.

Here is what one group found...

Thus, they could infer that Tim and his grandma might have eaten at McDonalds and drank hot cocoa. 

Each group had a different set of evidence, and some of the evidence connected to other group's evidence.  For instance, one group had a muffin tin and inferred that they made cupcakes.  However, another group had a recipe for blueberry muffins.  So, at the end of the lesson when we reconvened as a whole group to sort through all of the evidence together, the two groups were able to conclude that they must have made blueberry muffins (though cupcakes was a great inference, too!). 

To finish the lesson, students responded to some questions that I wrote out.  We then extended the lesson by creating a whole-group timeline of what we thought their day might have been like; then, the students chose a time and illustrated Tim and grandma's activity.

{This may seem like a complex activity - and it is detailed - but it isn't easy to teach 6- and 7-year-olds about inferences.   So, this is VERY hands-on, and my students really "got it" when all was said and done.  I heard lots of Aww, now it I get it!  or It all makes sense now!  as they sorted through the evidence - making them detectives was key!} 

I have created a printable of this entire activity that includes the detailed lesson plan, story, case file front/back, graphic organizers (not pictured), and activity sheets (not pictured) - plus, as a bonus, 2 inferencing definition posters, and 5 inferencing pictures and text posters to supplement your reading series or to use with a mini-lesson.  You can buy it at Teachers Pay Teachers by clicking HERE. 

If you click on the picture below, you can download a free printable of one the inferencing pictures/text posters.  The picture of the one in my classroom seen beneath has copyrighted clip art, so I couldn't upload it to TpT.  However, the clip art I used for the printable was much, much, much cuter!  I'm going to reprint them for my room.  Enjoy :)

{FYI: You need the latest download of Adobe Acrobat to clearly view/print the download. MAC users need a special Adobe application.}

What are your ideas for teaching inferencing? 
I'd love, love, love to hear them - and happy Friday!

{PS.  For those of you that asked, I create all the printables in a Word document that I then convert to a PDF.  I share them via Google docs. Would you like a more detailed explanation?  I could write another post about it if you do!  Let me know :)}