Angela Fae/ Kelly Campbell

Freshman English CPA, Periods 2 & 4

September 8-October 3, 2014

Unit Plan: Introduction to Freshman English

(Active Reading and Inference Skills)
Unit Summary
In preparation for an independent project and a reading circle activity at the end of the year, all
students must understand the basic skills required and the level of expectations at the beginning
of the year. They will begin by understanding how to actively read using both symbols and
annotations. Then, they will apply that information to help them trace the clues in a story to
make an inference.
Unit Purpose
The purpose of this unit is for students to develop and enhance their active reading and inference
making skills. Students will practice and achieve this by connecting to and analyzing the text of
various short stories.
Essential Questions

Why are inference making and active reading skills essential in any class?

Form
-Hansel and Gretel, short story/fairy
tale

Powder short story

-Am I Blue, a short story by Alice

Walker

Opener/Closer Samples
Openers: What is active reading? What
are the two ways we can actively read?
Then compare the two ways. What is an
inference?

Assessment
-Use active reading symbols while reading (formative)
-Small groups will use a Venn Diagram to compare the
process, usefulness, and benefits of active reading to
Hansels dropping of the pebbles in the forest. (formative)
- Quiz- Why is active reading an important skill for you to
have? (formative)
-Make inferences about settings and faces of people while
recording information on a foldable (formative)
-Inference Charades using foldables (formative)
-Actively read the story and answer questions inferential
questions about it (formative)
-Quiz- What is an inference? Describe the process of
making an inference.
-Make an inference about the setting (formative)
-Actively read story and indentify where Alice Walker
makes inferences about the horses change in attitude
(formative)
Homework
-students will compare and contrast their old active reading
skills to their new active reading skills
-students will pick three of the active reading symbols and
explain how they have or how they will use them in other

Angela Fae/ Kelly Campbell

Freshman English CPA, Periods 2 & 4
Closers: Summary of days lesson,
conclusive statements about the skills
they are learning, etc

September 8-October 3, 2014

classes this week
-students will make an inference about an event in their life
and write down the clues and share it with the class
-finish class work assignments

Literacy Objectives
Readingto apply reading strategies; to
understand a concept and construct meaning;
To gather information;
Writingto take notes; to explain ones
thinking; to argue a thesis and support ones
thinking; to compare and contrast; to generate
a response to what one has read, viewed, or
heard; to convey ones thinking in complete
sentences
Speakingto convey ones thinking in
complete sentences; to interpret a passage
orally; to participate in class discussion; to
communicate in a manner that allows one to be
both heard and understood
Reasoningto use analogies/evidence to
support ones thinking; to explain the logic of
an argument or solution

Common Core
RL: 1. Read closely to determine what the text says
explicitly and to make logical inferences from it; cite
specific textual evidence when writing or speaking
to support conclusions drawn from the text.
W: 2. Write informative/explanatory texts (b, c,
e, f); 4. Produce clear and coherent writing; 9.
Draw evidence from literary texts to support
analysis

S&L: 1. Initiate and participate effectively in a

range of collaborative discussions; 4. Present
information, findings, and supporting evidence
early
L: 1. Demonstrate command of the conventions of
standard English grammar; 6. Acquire and use
accurately a range of general academic and domainspecific words and phrases sufficient for reading,
writing, speaking, and listening at the college and
career readiness level

Summative Assessment
Open response- How does Alice Walker use inferential skills to determine Blues mood?
Class discussion about the skills they learned and the stories they read.