Teaching students the differences between making inferences, drawing conclusions, and predicting outcomes may be one of the most difficult skills to teach. This series of three posts includes definitions, examples, and activities.
Conclusions
Conclusions are opinions, judgments, or decisions that are formed based on a situation’s facts. A reader or observer collects information. Readers weigh the evidence. The evidence proves what is going to happen or the next logical step in the information series.Continue Reading
Teaching students the differences between making inferences, drawing conclusions, and predicting outcomes may be one of the most difficult skills to teach. This series of three posts includes definitions, examples, and activities.
Inferences
An inference is a conclusion reached on the basis of evidence and reasoning. Readers infer many topics. For example —Continue Reading
If you are looking to add some high interest activities to your lessons this Christmas season, try using animated shorts to teach reading and writing skills.
This post contains a sample of my new product “Using Animated Short Films to Teach Reading Skills Christmas.” The product contains printable organizers with guiding questions to help students evaluate the short film and learn valuable reading skills. All short films will be added to a webpage on Book Units Teacher for easy access. The link to this webpage will be included in the purchased product.Continue Reading
If you are reaching this post without seeing the previous basic plot patterns posts, you might wish to start at the beginning. Be sure to download the handout in theIntroductionpost as it contains links to all the posts in this series.Continue Reading
If you are reaching this post without seeing the previous basic plot patterns posts, you might wish to start at the beginning. Be sure to download the handout in the Introductionpost as it contains links to all the posts in this series.
Christopher Booker outlined seven basic plots. You will find a post for each plot. Each post contains a handout. This handout includes a foldable graphic organizer going over the basic plot pattern. Examples and outlines help students better understand the plot. Students ‘dig deeper’ with discussion questions. After students explore each plot individually, this activity contains a fun way to practice. Students use television advertisements to help identify plot types.Continue Reading
The Reading Crew is a group of primary through middle school reading specialists. About three to four times a year, we share materials and ideas through a blog link up. Enjoy reading through our posts and collecting free materials to use in your classroom this fall. Links to all the posts are found at the end of this post.Continue Reading
Several researchers have attempted to categorize basic plot patterns in literature. William Foster-Harris thinks stories can be sorted into three basic patterns. Ronald B. Tabias theorizes 20 Master Plots. Georges Polti writes aboutThe Thirty-Six Dramatic Situations. Kurt Vonnegut argues that all stories can be outlined into one basic shape. Christopher Booker’s book The Seven Basic Plots: Why We Tell Stories outlines seven plots.
So just how many basic plots are there? Everyone has a different opinion. Continue Reading
Recent Comments