1. Making inferences Clues and Pictures Copyright © 2015 Amy Smith
Intervention Creations
All rights reserved by author.
Permission to copy for single classroom use only.
Electronic distribution limited to single classroom use only.
Not for public display.
Clipart provided by
Graphics provided by Ashley

2. Inference Videos

3. Inference What clues does the author give to support this inference?
Cake with candles
Where the boy is sitting
What background knowledge do you need to answer this question?
Inference
It is the boys’ birthday.

4. Inference What clues does the author give to support this inference?
Lounge chairs
Umbrella
Sailboat
What background knowledge do you need to answer this question?
Inference
This is a good place to go for a vacation.

5. Inference What clues does the author give to support this inference?
City setting
traffic
people
What background knowledge do you need to answer this question?
Inference
This is a busy place.

6. Inferences are built by…
Looking at the clues the author gives in both pictures and text
Activating background knowledge
Drawing a conclusion (your own idea) about the text

7. Which one is the better inference?
The boy just woke up
The boy has a toothbrush in his hand

8. Which one is the better inference?
The boy just woke up
Why is this the answer?
Looking at clues and activating background knowledge
we can tell the boy is tired looking and yawning.
He is wearing pajamas and is holding a toothbrush.
We can conclude that he just woke up.
TIP: Holding a toothbrush is a given clue so the other answer choice doesn’t work. An inference has to be a conclusion (your own idea) based on clues.

9. Which one is the better inference?
1. The boy is getting an injection (injection=shot)
2. The boy doesn’t like getting shots.

10. Which one is the better inference?
The boy doesn’t like getting shots.
Why is this the answer?
The boy is getting an injection is the clue.
Use of background knowledge tells me that nobody likes to get shots
Facial expression and character action

11. Which one is the better inference?
The man is going to work
The man is thinking about what he will have for lunch

12. Which one is the better inference?
The man is going to work.
Why is this the answer?
There are no clues in the picture about lunch (needs clues)
Background knowledge tells us that construction workers need to bring tools to work with them to do the job

13. What did we learn about inferences?
Build them by using clues the author gives
Use background knowledge
The clues themselves cannot be the inference
Character’s actions can be a clue
Inferences are your own ideas (conclusions)

14. Practice Time Read your story and find a page that you like.
Make an inference about the page
Tell me the clues you used to make your inference