Inference Graphic Organizer
Definition:
An inference graphic organizer can be used for all type of text -- sequential, descriptive, cause/effect, persuasive, problem/solution and compare/contrast (Miller & Veatch, 2012). The inference graphic organizer is important because it moves students beyond just recording information from the text to helping them make inferences about what they are reading (2012). Observations occur when we can see something happening. In contrast, inferences are what we figure out based on an experience. Helping students understand when information is implied, or not directly stated, will improve their skill in drawing conclusions and making inferences. These skills will be needed for all sorts of school assignments, including reading, science and social studies. Inferential thinking is a complex skill that will develop over time and with experience (http://www.readingrockets.org/strategies/inference).
How it works (Miller & Veatch, 2012):
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How I will use an Inference Graphic Organizer:
I will use the inference graphic organizer in a few ways in my classroom. I think it can be used when reading a text with students. I am really excited to use this graphic organizer when studying scientists and their research. I think it will be interesting to lead students through the thinking process of what information the scientist found, what prior knowledge we have and then see what inferences the students come up with. It will almost be like they will be the scientist coming up with the discovery. They will have the information but need to draw conclusions from it. I can easily see using this when studying Watson when he discovered how the DNA molecule was built. In chemistry I think the students would be challenged by the inference graphic organizer when studying the individual scientists and what they discovered in their research on what atoms look like. I will ask my students to come to their own conclusions, given the information, and then we will look at the conclusions the scientist made.
Examples:
The video above shows a well thought out lesson on making inferences and completing an inference graphic organizer. The instructor shows step-by-step how she will use this process in her class. First she will discuss what inferences are. Using a non-fiction book she will first then ask questions and do a "think aloud" to activate the students prior knowledge and questions on the top. She guides the students to important information to record on the "words from the text" part and then will also a think aloud to make inference combining both ideas from the text and prior knowledge. Overall, she does a thorough job guiding her students through making inferences using a text.
I used the next video because I felt it was something I would be talking about quite a bit with my biology and chemistry students. We will not only be making inferences as we read the texts but we will also use inferences in labs as a conclusion to the observations we noticed in lab. I felt she did a great job of explaining what inferences are in the video. I would probably go one step further and instruct the students to use a inference graphic organizer when they are looking at the sets of footprints in the video. But the activity lends itself to making inferences as well. Students will have to look at observations and then draw conclusions by making inferences as to what took place. This happens all the time in science and therefore I will be using the Inference Graphic Organizer not only with a section of text but also in many types of lab, activity situations.
Writing Component: Common Core English Language Arts Standards » Science & Technical Subjects » Grade 9-10 (http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/RST/9-10/)
Inference Graphic organizers aid in the meeting of several common core standards for 9th and 10th grade science writing. First of all, while reading the text, students will be pulling out evidence with details of explanations or descriptions. This will go in the "words from the text" category. This will also aid in them determining the central ideas and conclusions of the text, that is part of doing the think aloud and asking them to draw conclusions, or make inferences, from what they are reading. Inference graphic organizers will aid in determining the meaning of key terms and concepts because students will need to understand the "words from the text" in order to make an inference and they will also be asked to analyze the structure of relationships among concepts in order to draw inferences about a particular concept. By making inferences, the students will also be analyzing the author's purpose in providing an explanation, because I will be asking them to provide an explanation for what conclusions can be drawn from an experiment. Also, by having the students analyze quantitative data and then use that data as part of the information received and then draw inferences from it we will be meeting the standard of translating quantitative information and expressing it in words in a text. Finally, all of the graphic organizers are designed to aid in my students ability to read and comprehend their science text independently and proficiently.
- Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of science and technical texts, attending to the precise details of explanations or descriptions.
- Determine the central ideas or conclusions of a text; trace the text's explanation or depiction of a complex process, phenomenon, or concept; provide an accurate summary of the text.
- Determine the meaning of symbols, key terms, and other domain-specific words and phrases as they are used in a specific scientific or technical context relevant to grades 9-10 texts and topics.
- Analyze the structure of the relationships among concepts in a text, including relationships among key terms (e.g., force, friction, reaction force, energy).
- Analyze the author's purpose in providing an explanation, describing a procedure, or discussing an experiment in a text, defining the question the author seeks to address.
- Translate quantitative or technical information expressed in words in a text into visual form (e.g., a table or chart) and translate information expressed visually or mathematically (e.g., in an equation) into words.
- By the end of grade 10, read and comprehend science/technical texts in the grades 9-10 text complexity band independently and proficiently.