Transcript Reading in the Content Areas and

and
Reading in the
Content Areas
Modeling the Inquiry Methods
Buy a car? Senior going to college? Sick relative? Travel in your future?
 Encountering the Issue
 Task Analysis
 Investigating Information
 Reasoning with Information
 Acting on Decisions
Stages of Inquiry
in the Classroom
Encountering the Issue
• getting the “big idea”
• making connections
Task Analysis
• defining the task
• asking questions
Investigating Information
• seeking, organizing, analyzing,
• applying to project
Reasoning with Information
• evaluating, creating, judging,
inferring, visualizing
• making decisions
Acting on Decisions
• synthesizing
• communicating findings
Making Connections
 Text to text, text to self, text to
world
 Open and closed word sorts
Asking Questions
 Right there, think and search
 Author and you, in your head
Determining Importance
 Features, structures of text
 Note taking, graphic organizers
 Facts to main ideas, summaries
Inferring and Visualizing
 creating models
 using text clues and prior knowledge
 using implicit and explicit
information
to reach conclusions (author and you)
Synthesizing
 text to text, self and world
• applying to new settings and contexts
• in your head
Integrated Curriculum and Instruction Design: Inquiry-Based Learning
Authors: Lori Ufkes, Carthage Schoo l District; Becky Cowser, Peoria Schoo l Dist rict
Title: Trees or Us
Grade Lev el: 2nd
Goals/Standards: (#ΥS)
State Goal 12: Understand the
fundamental concepts, principles and
interco nnectons of the life, physical and
earth/space sciences
Standa rd A. Know and apply conc epts that
exp lain how li ving things func tion, adapt
and change .
Standa rd B. Know and apply concep ts that
describe how living things func tion, adapt
and change .
 Ana lyze the tree as a li ving system
and determine the fun ction of it s
parts
 Determi ne the growing pa tterns and
need s of pla nts
 Predict and verify the lif e cycle of
plants
 Use the parts of trees to de termi ne
the species
 Describe how trees impact our daily
li ves and judge their value
State Goal 1. Read with understanding
and fluency.
Stand ard A. App ly wo rd analysis and
vocabu lary skill s to comprehend selection s
Standa rd B. App ly reading strategies to
im prove unde rstanding and fluen cy.
Standa rd C. Comprehend a wide range of
reading ma terials .
 Read a variety o f non -fiction
materials to identif y, describe and
locate im portant info rmation about
trees
Emily Alford, 1998
CONTEX T
Engag ing the Learne r
The teache r brings in a bird nes t,
produc ts from trees, a broken
branch , etc. Teams are asked to
brainstorm relationsh ips between
the items.
The Park Rang er speaks (and s ends
a letter) to the class exp laining that
he/she c an protect the trees that are
wit hin the forest preserve but no t the
trees outside of the preserve.
Chil dren are harmi ng the trees by
carving on them, clim bing on them,
naili ng things to them, breaking o ff
leave s and branche s, etc.
The Range r will ask the class to
make a book for other chil dren to
help them unde rstand the importance
of trees and their need s.
Final Team Performance
The ch il dren will use KidPix to create
a trade book abou t trees. The book :
 exp lains the impo rtanc e of trees,
their features and interactions
wit h o ther living things
 provides info rmation abou t need s
and protection of trees
CONTENT
Teaching and Learning Even ts*
Note: prior to beginning un it studen ts received instruction in the
QAR (Question and Answe r Relationsh ips)
 identif y e ssential ques tions and cu rrent thinking abou t our trees
and plants including their im portance , parts and systems;
organ ize ques tions (1)
 Reading Strategy: Making Connections, open or closed
wor d sorts
 inquiry begins wit h studen ts seeking information from books,
internet and observa tions of trees
 Reading Strategy: Questioning; review “right there” and
“think and search” questions, students practice and become
proficient in answering these types of questions using nonfiction materials.
 teams jigsaw info rmation, record im portant facts and sketch
trees show ing major parts; share wit h class; hypo thesize how
parts of the tree serve the whol e system
 Mini l essons on lif e cycle: teams grow Fast Plants (U. of Wis c.);
(2); studen ts will observe p lants growing, draw and label
pictures and describe growth pa tterns
 Sort parts (root, stem, leaf, flower, seed) and “expe rt” teams
locate info rmation about func tion and phys ical cha racteristics
 Mini l esson: use celery and food coloring in w ater to show how
plants distribute water and nut rients; expe rts write team
summ ary statement; sha re result s orall y (3)
Individu al Studen t Assessme nts
(1,3) Pre-test on tree parts and their func tions .
(2) Pre-test in which stud ents sequen ce pictures of the li fe cyc le of a
plant.
(4) Post test: studen ts sequence pictures of the li fe cyc le of a plant
(5) Narrative writi ng p rompt: S easons in the Life of a Tree
*Numbers after Teaching and Learning Event s refer to assessments
What strategies do we
use to comprehend text?
Seven Comprehension
Strategies
Making Connections
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Open Sort/Closed Sort (Words or Pictures)
Connect Two
Tracking Words
Word Splash
Anticipation Guides
Reflection Journals
Response logs
Book Bits
What the research shows
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Activate prior knowledge
Ask questions
Vocabulary development
Determine importance
Visual and sensory images
Draw inferences
Synthesize
Why is it important to
read nonfiction text?
It is estimated that
___% of direct
instruction is
provided for reading
nonfiction materials in the
primary grades…
___% of the time
spent reading and
writing as adults is
nonfiction.
MakingConnections
Asking Questions
Drawing Inferences
Determining Importance
Synthesizing
Sid Meier's Civilization Board Game
Create a civilization to stand the test of tim e! The game begins in 4000
BC where the players fo und the first small settlements of a fledgling
people. Throughout the game, explore the world around you,
discovering resources, terrain, treasures, technologies and minor
civilizations. Building military units can help defend your own land
while enabling yo u to conquer others. Trade with other civilizations to
create new wealth and build your own city improv ements to increase
happiness and productivit y.
But, is this the game for high school students? We need students who
are game-savvy, fe arless risk-takers, and unafraid of a challenge! We
want teams to learn and play the game and then be willing to evaluate
the game and what it can teach about ancient civi lizations.
Create a strategy book based on information about how civilizations
rise to power, pass their traditions to other generations, and collapse
or become assimilated to show what you have learned about ancient
civilizations. Then compare your work to the game.
Are you in?
Open Word Sort
squalor
barbarism
anthropologists
indigenous
lineages
Easter Island
colonization
subsistence taro
rongorongo mnemonic
Orongo ahu
solstices equinox
draught animals quarry degradation
deforestation
cannibalism
Word
cannibalism
barbarism
Easter Island
anthropologist
colonization
indigenous
subsistence
taro
lineages
rongorongo
mnemonic
Orongo
ahu
Use in Text
Page
Inquiry...
provides a purpose for reading…an opportunity
to read to learn
 provides the opportunity for application of
explicit reading strategies
 gives students access to quality nonfiction texts
 increases student enthusiasm for reading
nonfiction
 allows teachers to more easily differentiate
instruction
 positions important content so that
students make connections to self,
world, and text
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Text-to-Self
Connections that readers
make between the text
and their past
experiences or
background knowledge.
Goudvis & Harvey 2000
Text-to-World
Connections that
readers make between
the text and the bigger
issues, events, or
concerns of society and
the world at large.
Goudvis & Harvey 2000
Text-to-Text
Connections that
readers make between
the text they are
reading and another
text.
Goudvis & Harvey 2000
Making Connections
with Words
Vocabulary knowledge is
the single most important
factor contributing to
reading comprehension.
J. G. Laflamme, The effect of the Multiple Exposure Vocabulary Method and the Target
Reading Writing Strategy on Test Scores. 1997
Three properties of
successful vocabulary
instruction
1. Integration (relating words
to previous experiences)
2. Repetition
3. Meaningful use
Open Word Sort
beliefs latitude
carrying capacity
architecture soil arable
consumption
demographics
agglomeration longitude
land use
population die-off
clothing government industries
language homes
climate
education overshoot crash
collapse drawdown
Closed Word Sort
beliefs latitude
carrying capacity
architecture soil arable consumption
demographics
agglomeration
longitude land use population die-off
clothing government industries
language homes
climate
education overshoot crash
collapse drawdown
Categories:
• Location and Place
• Human Interactions
• Sustainability
• no clue
Closed Word Sort
latitude longitude
soil arable
demographics
climate land use
population
architecture
clothing government
industries
agglomeration
language homes
beliefs education
Location and Place
Categories:
• Location and Place
• Human Interactions
• Sustainability
• no clue
Human Interactions
consumption
drawdown overshoot
carrying capacity
crash die-off collapse
Sustainability
Making Connections
With Words
latitude
longitude soil
arable
demographics
climate
land use
population
architecture
consumption
drawdown
overshoot
carrying capacity
crash
die-off
collapse
and
clothing
government
industries
agglomeration
language
homes
beliefs
education
are connected because
Fruit Bats: Word Splash
SCREAM
FRUIT
RADAR
36 inches
FLOWERS
largest
Making Connections
Anticipation Guides
Team Text
Mosquitoes eat plant nectar and pollinate
plants.
Mosquitoes make great food for fish.
Honeydew is a favorite food of the
male mosquito.
The larvae do not hatch successfully in
water that has fish or frogs.
Mosquitoes are the most dangerous
animal in the world.
Making Connections
by Reflecting
Making Connections
Response Logs:
• reflecting on content
• encourage the use of evidence
and examples that build meaning
and limit irrelevant responses
Explain how _________(topic of the day) plays a part
in your life.
Write a sentence telling how knowing about
________(new topic) might be useful to you
personally.
How do you think your feelings about ________(new
topic) is different from your teachers (or friends or
parents)?
Making Connections
Asking Questions
Drawing Inferences
Determining Importance
Synthesizing
Asking Questions
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QAR (Text or Art)
Question Trackers
Cyberhunts
Goals/Standards: (#’S)
CONTENT
Teaching and Learning Events*
CONTEXT
Engaging the Learner
No questions = no inquiry!
State Goal 17. Understand world
geography and the effects of
geography on society, with
emphasis on the United States.
Standard A. Locate, describe, and
explain places, regions, and
features on the Earth.
In modeling the opening we:
• students read letter and complete task
People interact with their
analysis; ask questions based on opening
environment to create cultures. If
activities and letter
civilization depends on natural
• inquiry begins with students reading articles provided
resources then their demise may be
by teacher
the result of overuse; Students
• jigsaw information in teams, organize and share with
explore cultures that collapsed
class
because of this mistake. Teachers
• mini lessons begin
use an apple to represent the Earth • Vocabulary activity
and slice away portions that
• activity
represent resources.
• activity
• activity
• activity
Call it directed research.
Benchmark
Call it project-based learning.
Student’s continue asking questions and
seeking answers throughout the unit.
Benchmark
State Goal 1. Read with
understanding and fluency.
Standard A. Apply word
analysis and vocabulary skills
to comprehend selections
Standard B. Apply reading
strategies to improve
understanding and fluency.
Standard C. Comprehend a
wide range of reading
materials.
Read a variety of non-fiction
materials to identify, describe
and locate important
information about trees
• Note taking with graphic organizer
• activity
• activity
• activity
But, do not call it inquiry-based
learning!
Emily Alford, 1998
Final Team Performance
Teams create infomercials
promoting sustainable growth
strategies and base their
reasoning on analysis of
historical patterns of human
growth and development.
Individual Student Assessments
*Numbers after Teaching and Learning Events refer to assessments
What have core samples revealed about early plant life on Easter
Island? Underline your answer in pencil.
What events led to the collapse of the civilization? Highlight your answer.
In what ways might Easter Island serve as a metaphor
For conditions on our planet?
What demigods are worshiped by groups in our culture?
Question/Answer Relationship (QAR)
IN THE BOOK
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Right There:
answer in text, easy to
find; words used in
question and used in
answer are in same
sentence
Think and Search:
words and answers
come from different
parts of text (or
books)
IN MY HEAD
 Author and You:
answer not in text; must
think about what is
known, what text is
saying and how it fits
together (inferring)
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On My Own:
using experiences
(schema) to answer
question
In the Book (Gathering Information
Right There:
The island was heavily forested
with a giant now-extinct palm.
Think and Search:
• Lumber was used for housing, fires
and for moving and erecting the
moai
• Deforestation
• Land erosion, topsoil washed into
sea
• Crop failures
• Scarce food supply
• Battles for scarce resources
• Hunger
• Rapa Nui culture collapsed
In Your Head (Inference)
Author and You:
In what ways might Easter
Island serve as a metaphor for
conditions on our planet?
On Your Own:
What demigods are worshiped
by groups in our culture?
Write Team Questions
Want Milk? Get Goats
(Mother Earth News June/July 2002)
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Students write questions based on their reading of
a text (one Right There and one Think and
Search)
Student reads one question to a group
Student calls on a volunteer
Volunteer answers and now reads one of his/her
own questions
Continue until everyone has asked and answered
once
http:/ /www.un esco.org/courie r/1998_08/uk/dossie r/txt24.h tm
So you think only ancient civiliz ations can colla pse? Check out this sit e. Where in the h eck is Newfoundl and
anyw ay? What happened in 1992 in Newfoundl and?
http:/ /endange red.fws.gov/ wildlife.html #Specie s
So the Easter Islanders chopped do wn a few trees and ate a lot of fish, b irds and th eir eggs. We know b etter
than that! Don’t we? Go to this site and scroll down to “How many a nd which species…” Then click “List”.
Name 10 anima ls that are threatened that you didn ’t know about.
http:/ /ecos.fws.gov/ tess_pub li c/TessStatReport
How many sp ecies are threatened in the United States?
http:/ /cgee.hamline.edu/fr ogs/science/photos.html
http:/ /www.np sc.nb s.gov/n arcam/ pictures/looklike.htm
Could this happen to u s? Go to both sit es and look at the pretty p ic tures. (You mu st scroll down and c li ck on
the hyp erlink s unde r li mb ma lformation.)
http:/ /www.ihpra.org/deformed_frogs.h tm
But why ? What explanation do s cientists give for the d eformities?
http:/ /data.pca.state.mn.us/hot/frog-bg.html
Yeah, w ell who cares about frogs anyw ay? Why shou ld we be concerned?
http:/ /www.childenvironment.org/factsheets/ma le_reproduc tive_h ealt h.ht m
I still don’t unde rstand wh at this has to do wit h me. (Men, ch eck out the site listed above. )
http:/ /www.childenvironment.org/factsheets/childrens_vu lnerabil ity.htm
Look at what you hav e alre ady b een th rough.
http:/ /www.childenvironment.org/factsheets/endocrine_disruptors.htm
What’s in the water?
http:/ /news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/ sci/tech/3430481.s tm
ItΥs just a bird. They don Υtund erstand anyth ing o r have fee lings. Why shou ld people protect them?
http:/ /www.alexfound ation.o rg/
What can p eople do to he lp?
http:/ /www.scorecard.org/
How does Illi nois rate?
Making Connections
Asking Questions
Determining Importance
Drawing Inferences
Synthesizing
Determining Importance
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The Structures of Nonfiction Text
The Features of Nonfiction Text
Note-taking formats
Graphic Organizers
IWAC, Frayer Model, Concept Definition Map
Visualization
GIST
Readers Theatre-Teacher created
Article Organizer
Problem:
Major Historical Figures:
Key even ts in chronological order :
Where:
MOTIVATION
PEOPLE
Historical
Episode
When:
Outcome:
LessonsWHAT
learnedHAPPENED?
fro m history:
TIME
Qu i ck Ti me ™ an d a TIFF (Un co mp re ss ed ) d ec om pres so r a re ne ed ed to se e thi s p ic ture.
Change Over Time: Life Cycle of a Tree
Change Over Time: Life Cycle of a Tree
Mapl e key
(seed )
Mape l seed
sprout s
Seed ling
grows
Tree
matures
Tree di es
Falls
from
mature
tree.
Seed
inside
key
swells.
Stretche s
leave s to
sun.
Smooth
trunk
become s
rough.
Mapl e
canliv e
for 200
years.
Spin s
to
forest
floo r.
Seed
coat
spli ts
apart.
Leave s
make
chlorophyll
and food
Produce s
blo ssoms
which are
fertilized.
Many
hol es
made by
animals
lighten ing
Tiny root
creeps
into the
damp so il.
Become s
dormant
in winter.
Make s
more
maple
key s
(seed s).
Not
enough
sapc an
feed
growth.
Lies
unde r
leave s all
wint er.
Str u ctur ed N o t e Tak ing
Top ic:
Po siti o n or
Hyp ot h es is
Fa ct ua l
Su p po rt for
or a ga in st
Ad d iti on al
Dat a
Exa m p les
I m p o rta nc e
Str uc t u re d No te T aking
To p ic:
Water supply and quality
P osi ti o n or
Hy po the sis
Fa ct u a l
Su p po rt
There is plenty of water for everyone.
Ad d iti ona l
Dat a
Exa m p le s
I m po rta n ce
•Populations grew near rivers
• water is being pumped from aquifers to meet
increased demand (enough to raise sea levels)
• populations are growing
• aquifers are slow to recharge (15,000 years)
• per capita consumption is 2x’s population
• water is scarce if more than 20% of flow
is diverted for local use
• in 1995, more than 1/3 of world pop.
of 5.7+ billion lived in such areas
• 70% of earth’s surface is water, 96.5 is
salty; 2% is ice; 1% available
• Pakistan and India fight over boundary
waters
• Western States compete for water
• 22 countries deptendent on water from
other nations (Egypt, Pakistan, India)
• Conservation will be expected in areas
that have adequate supplies
• researching inexpensive ways to
desalinate seawater should be supported
• limiting population growth should be a
priority
Str u ctur ed N o t e Tak ing
Top ic:
Exp lorers
Pre d ic ti on :
Fa ct ua l
Su p po rt for
or a ga in st
Th ey h ad a d v e n t u res !
Ad d iti on al
Dat a
Exa m p les
I m p o rta nc e
Wha t can this process acco mplis h?
Cor ne ll Met ho d
Que stions
Main Ideas
What are the benefits of
 accepts almost any
using a therma l
carbon-based feedstock
depolymerizat ion process?
Details
 a 175-pound man
would come out th e
other end as 38 pounds
of oil, 7 pounds of g as,
7 pounds of minerals,
as we ll as 123 pounds
of sterilized wa ter
 sewage and turkey offal is
turned into oil
 large chunk of the
 clean up wa ste and
world's agricultural,
distribut e the generation
indust rial, and
of oil all over the world.
muni cipal wa ste may
someday go into
thermal
depolym erization
machines scattered all
over the globe
 most toxic wa ste
problems become
history, so would
impo rted oil
 converting all the U.S.
agricultural wa ste into
oil and g as would yield
the energy equivalent o f
4 billion barrels of oil
annually
 in 2001 the United
States impo rted 4.2
billion barrels of oil
 process handl es mixed
wa ste
 ground-up appli ances,
 the perfect process for
destroying p athogens
 takes apart materials at
comput ers, refrigerator,
muni cipal sewa ge,
PVC, wood, fiberglass,
metal
the molecular level
 pathologi cal vectors
will be compl etely gon e
Po w e r No t es
Question: How is oil produced naturally and by thermal depolymerization?
P1 Ea rth h a s a proc e ss for tak
i n g h ydr o carb o n- b ase d w a ste i nto o il a nd g a s.
P2 cr u de o il comes from o
n e-c e ll e d p la nts a n d an i ma l s that d i e , sett l e to
o cean f l oor s, d e comp o se , an d a re mash e d by s li d i ng te chton i c p l at e s
P2 d e ad cr e ature s’ l on g p o ly mer cha i n s (h y dro g en o x yg e n an d carb o n )
d e comp o se i nto sh o rt-ch a in p etro l e u m h ydr o car b ons
P2 The pr o ces s ta k es tho u sa n ds or mi lli ons of y e ars
P3 su bterra n ea n h e at an d pr e ssu re ch ang e s are ch a ot i c
P1 The rma l d e po l ym e ri z at i on ma ch i nes s p eed u p t h is p roce ss by ra i si ng h e at
a n d pres sure to l ev e ls th a t b rea k t h e fee d stoc k ’s (wa ste pro d uct ’ s) l o n g
mo l e cu l ar bon d s
P2 fe e dsto ck (turk e y feat h ers , bo n es , sk i n , b lo od , fat , g uts ) is d um p ed i nto
th e m a ch i ne s’ f i rst stag
e g ri n der a n d transf
o rmed i nto s l urr y
P2 th e m i xtur e i s he a ted an d b rok e n dow n
P3 pr o duc e s a h i g h -gra d e o i l wh i ch i s es sent i a ll y the sam
of h a lf fu e l o il a nd h a lf g a so li ne
e a s a mi x
It’s Your Turn
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The Change Over Time organizer can be used to
record any biological or mechanical process
View the notes on the life cycle of a tree
Read the article and respond to the question, “What
is the process that turns waste into profitable and
safe by-products”?
Pair up, use one organizer and record notes that
respond to the question.
Pairs, pair and share.
Change Over Time111 Wha t is the process that turns waste into profitabl e an d safe
by-products?
Name: ___________________________
sup er-hyd rate
the slurry
drives in
water
slurry is
dropped to
lower pressure
releases 90
percent of
the free
water
organ ic soup
sent to second
stage reactor
hea ted to
900 degr ees
breaking
molecular
cha ins
in verticle
distill ation
columns
hot vapor
fl ows up,
conden ses,
and flows
out
uses hea t
and pressure
dehyd ration
via
depressuriza
tion is
che aper
gases from
the top of
the column
cooking tim e
is usu ally 15
mi nutes
mi nerals
settle out: a
perfect
balanc ed
fertili zer
li ght oil s
from t he
uppe r
mi ddle
Concept Mapping
What can this process accomplish?
Cornell Method
Questions
What are th
benefits for
using a
depolymerization
process?
Main Ideas
Details
Power Notes
How is oil produced naturally and by
thermal depolymerization?
Change Over Time
What is the process that turns waste
into profitable and safe by-products?
• determining importance by
eliminating trivial
information
• paraphrasing
• promoting understanding
Generating Interactions Between Schema and Text
Adapted from Cunningham, 1982
Antimosquito Coils Release Toxic Fumes
In places with nocturnal mosquitoes, many people burn
spiral-shaped strips of insecticide-treated plant matter near
their beds. These mosquito coils smolder through the night
to keep bugs at bay, but they can also cause asthma and
wheezing in children. Now, researchers have measured
several pollutants in smoke emitted from mosquito coils.
Formaldehyde is one example. A single burning coil can
release as much of the carcinogen as can 51 cigarettes. The
researchers report in an upcoming Environmental Health
Perspectives. Each coil can also emit PM2.5, or airborne
particles less than 2.5 micrometers wide. Particles that
small can carry toxic compounds deep into the lungs.
G.I.S.T.
Concept Definition Mapping
Graphic organizers help
students understand the
essential attributes, qualities,
and characteristics of a
word’s meaning.
Open Word Sort
beliefs latitude carrying capacity
architecture soil arable
consumption
demographics
agglomeration longitude
land use
population die-off
clothing government industries
language homes
climate
education overshoot crash
collapse drawdown
Word
beliefs
latitude
carrying
capacity
architecture
soil
consumption
demographics
agglomeration
longitude
land use
population
arable
die-off
Use in Text
Page
Category
What is it?
Compare/Contrast
ANIMAL
Properties
Describe it.
What is it like?
HAS WINGS
BAT
MOUSE
MAMMAL
FRUIT
INSECTEATING
VAMPIRE
Illustrations: What are some
examples?
USES
“RADAR”
A bat is an animal similar
to a mouse. It is a mammal,
has wings and uses radar to
locate prey. Some examples
are fruit, vampire and insect
eating bats.
What is it?
What is it like?
Mathematical
Shape
Closed
Compare or
contrast
Circle
Plane Figure
Straight Sides
Polygon
Twodimensional
Made of Line
Segments
Pentagon
Hexagon
Rhombus
What are some examples?
Concept Definition Mapping
A polygon is a closed mathematical
shape. The line segments that make
up the sides of a polygon are straight.
It has two dimensions: height and
width. Some examples of polygons
are the five sided pentagon, the foursided rhombus, and te six-sided
hexagon.
Category
What is it?
SPECIAL
CLIMATE
Properties
What is it like?
less than 25cm
of rainfall
Comparison
RAIN
FOREST
DESERT
no cloud cover;
winds dry land
heat radiates
into dry air at
night
Mojave
Gobi
Sahara
Illustrations: What are some
examples?
A desert is a specific climate on Earth.
Unlike a rainforest, a desert has less
than 25 cm. of rainfall. It also lacks
cloud cover and has high winds. The
heat radiates into dry air at night. Some
examples of famous deserts are the
Mojave in California, the Gobi in Asia,
and the Sahara in Africa.
What is it?
What are the parts?
Compare or
contrast
Civil
War
What are some examples?
Activities for
Determining Importance
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The Structures of Nonfiction Text
Finding Important Information
Rather Than One Main Idea
Key Points vs. Supporting Details
Taking Notes
Graphic Organizers
Making Connections
Asking Questions
Determining Importance
Drawing Inferences
Synthesizing
Drawing Inferences
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
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Poetry Reconstruction
Fact/Inference T Chart
Inferring from Lists of Related Facts
A volunteer,
please…
“Inferential thinking occurs
when text clues merge with
the reader’s prior
knowledge and questions to
point toward . . . a
conclusion in the text.”
Goudvis & Harvey, 2000
In the Book (Gathering Information
Right There:
Queens Lay 1500 eggs each day.
In Your Head (Inference)
Author and You (Inference)
Which bee is the busiest?
Right There:
Drones mate with the queen bee.
Why is it necessary for the queen
to lay so many eggs?
Worker Bees…
•Make wax
•Feed the larvae
•Collect pollen
•Store pollen
•Make honey
•Guard the hive
On Your Own
Do you know someone who
works as hard as the bee?
Making Inferences
Facts
• Because nuclear generated
electricity does not emit carbon
dioxide into the atmosphere,
nuclear power plants in the U.S.
prevent as much greenhouse
emissions as taking 5 billion cars
off our streets and highways.
Inferences
• Cars emit carbon dioxide.
• Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse
gas.
• Other methods of generating
electricity may produce greenhouse
gases as a by-product.
David woke up 15 minutes late. As soon as he saw
the clock, he jumped out of bed and headed for the
shower, afraid he’d miss the bus again. He looked
in the dryer for his favorite jeans, but they were
actually still in the washing machine. “Dang! I told
my sister to put my stuff in the dryer! Now what am
I going to wear today?” After settling for a pair of
baggy shorts and a Hilfiger rugby shirt, he grabbed
a bag of chips and a soda form the kitchen, and
searched frantically for his history book. When he
found it, he put it in his backpack, along with his
breakfast, his hat, and his lucky deck of cards. As
he ran to the bus stop, he told himself, I will not
stay up late watching wrestling anymore!”
David
Right There:
•What did David do as soon as he saw the clock?
•What type of shirt did David put on?
Think and Search
•What did David look for before he left the house?
•What steps did David take to get ready to leave the house?
Author and Me
•Where was David headed that morning?
•What time of day was David getting ready to go?
•On My Own
•Should parents wake their children up for school?
conservation
Making Connections
Asking Questions
Determining Importance
Drawing Inferences
Synthesizing
“Synthesis at the highest level
goes beyond merely taking
stock of meaning as one reads.
A true synthesis is achieved
when a new perspective or
thought is born out of the
reading.”
Goudvis & Harvey, 2000