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Shannon Broughton/ Math Remediation and Enrichment

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Shannon Broughton/ Math Remediation and Enrichment

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I never thought about using the cool math game battleship to teach inference!

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Make the correct inference with the information provided before your enemy sinks your battleship(s)!

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Althea Mottas :)

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the teacher will let you take it tomrrow

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they will definetely have hotdogs on the menu

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Infering means to take what you know and make a guess. Read the following situations and pick which answer you could infer.

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Inference is the mental process of reaching a conclusion based on specific evidence. In math, inference questions come in the form of word problems or statistical analysis. The students must take the data they have available to them to determine an outcome. Activities for inferences should focus on the process of making an inference and developing strong reasoning skills to support the inferences they have made.

Traffic Jam

Traffic Jam, from the Math Forum website, is a problem involving two groups of people, one moving to the right and the other moving to the left. There is only one open space between the two groups to move. The students must determine how to maneuver the people to the opposite side in the fewest moves possible. This game can be repeated with multiple scenarios such as two people and three spaces and six people with seven spaces. Have the students play multiple games with varying amounts of people, keeping track of the minimum number of moves for each scenario. What can they infer about the number of moves required to complete any of the boards from the patterns that have been created ?

Logical

The Council Bluffs Community School District offers the word problem "Tug of War" which pits grandmas, football players and a dog against one another in tug of war matches. There are a series of match ups that occur, such as five grandmas versus four football players, which end in a draw. After the students read through all the match ups and results, they are given another match to decide who will win. The students must use the information from the previous results to infer who the winner will be and why this result will occur.

Candy

Provide the class with a bag of M&Ms or Skittles that have multiple-colored pieces of candy. Each student should count the number of each color present in the bag. The students will then create a chart listing all the combinations present in the bag. The students must use this information to infer what is the most probable color combination of candies if they were provided another bag of candy. This will provide students a chance to analyze data, such as calculating averages and means to make inferences about a hypothetical bag of candy. There is no correct answer to this question as the color distribution is random.

Hermits

From the Office for Mathematics, Science, and Technology Education, University of Illinois website the problem of infectious hermits works on students' inference skills. An island has six hermits and an infectious disease. One of the hermits is immune. The first hermit gets sick and visits another hermit on the island. The next day the visited hermit visits another hermit on the island. Each hermit gets sick except when the immune hermit is visited, the disease dies out. The students must determine the average number of hermits that get the disease. Change the number of hermits on the island and see if those averages change. What can the students infer if X number of hermits lived on the island?

Stockbyte/Stockbyte/Getty Images

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Math Activities About Inferences | Synonym

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Inference is the mental process of reaching a conclusion based on specific evidence. In math, inference questions come in the form of word problems or statistical analysis. The students must take the data they have available to them to determine an outcome.

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http://eduscapes.com/sessions/superpower/

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Inference proves difficult for most middle-school readers. Requiring higher level thinking skills, inferring forces students to search the text for clues, rather than black and white data. After students find clues, they have to sort the information and draw conclusions. Since it's so hard for students to understand, teaching inference requires creative, engaging activities.

Trash Bag

Fill a trash bag with carefully chosen "trash." Each piece of trash should provide a clue. For instance, open a clean bandage, crumble it up so it looks used, and throw it in the trash. Maybe include an empty medicine bottle, grocery store receipts or empty dog-food bags.

Divide your students into groups and give each student a pair of gloves. Let them know they will dig through your trash. As they dig through your trash, have them record the clues and make inferences for each. For example, students might infer that a used bandage means you cut yourself. Your students might conclude that a medicine bottle means someone in your family has been sick, or you need to go to the store to replace it.

Your students will have so much fun as they dig through your trash, they won't even realize they're learning how to infer. However, some students may grow squeamish at the thought of digging through your trash. If this occurs, simply explain to them that you hand-picked the trash, ensuring cleanliness.

Checks

Design blank checks and fill them out as a fictitious character. Carefully consider what your character would spend his money on. For example, make a check out to a veterinarian for $100. Make other checks out to a doctor, a pharmacist and a health food store. After filling out all checks, run copies of each.

Introduce your fictitious character to your class and give each student copies of their checks. Instruct each student to carefully examine each check to figure out something about the character's life. For instance, students might infer that the character has a sick animal based on the vet check. Students might conclude that the checks to the doctor and the pharmacist mean the character experienced illness and had to take medicine to get well. Students might assume the character cares about their health because they shop at a health food store.

When students have made their inferences, ask for some to share. Discuss reasons for inferences, and point out some they may have failed to make.

Comic Strip

Search for comic strips you think your students might enjoy. White out the words from each strip. Divide your class into groups and give each group a comic strip. Provide each group with small sticky notes. Instruct your students to carefully study each comic strip and decide what each word bubble should say. Students will write their inferences on sticky notes and place them in the appropriate spot on the strip.

Afterward, have each group share theirs with the class, first showing the class a blank strip, and then adding their words. Once all groups have shared, provide the class with the original text for each strip and compare them to the new text.

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Inference Activities for Middle School | Synonym

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Inference proves difficult for most middle-school readers. Requiring higher level thinking skills, inferring forces students to search the text for clues, rather than black and white data. After students find clues, they have to sort the information and draw conclusions. Since it's so hard for students to understand, teaching inference requires creative, engaging activities.

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is proud to present:Teacher In-Service March 27, 2013Inference SKills"Inference is a statement about the unknown made on the basis of the known." -Hayakawa, 1939"Inference is a powerful way of thinking and an important 21st century skill for all students to use and develop across the curriculum."Voices from the Middle, Volume 20 Number 1, September 2012Drawing conclusions refers to information that is implied or inferred.

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http://www.quia.com/ba/41785.html

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http://www.proprofs.com/games/jigsaw/the-bouncing-ball-inferences/

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http://www.quia.com/ba/41785.html

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Make the correct inference with the information provided before your enemy sinks your battleship(s)!

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http://www.readingrockets.org/pdfs/inference-science-strategy-guide.pdf

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"What should I do?" This question often arises when one is faced with a story problem. In order to solve a problem, we need to be able to comprehend what a q...

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Inference is the mental process of reaching a conclusion based on specific evidence. In math, inference questions come in the form of word problems or statistical analysis. The students must take the data they have available to them to determine an outcome. Activities for inferences should focus on the process of making an inference and developing strong reasoning skills to support the inferences they have made.

Traffic Jam

Traffic Jam, from the Math Forum website, is a problem involving two groups of people, one moving to the right and the other moving to the left. There is only one open space between the two groups to move. The students must determine how to maneuver the people to the opposite side in the fewest moves possible. This game can be repeated with multiple scenarios such as two people and three spaces and six people with seven spaces. Have the students play multiple games with varying amounts of people, keeping track of the minimum number of moves for each scenario. What can they infer about the number of moves required to complete any of the boards from the patterns that have been created ?

Logical

The Council Bluffs Community School District offers the word problem "Tug of War" which pits grandmas, football players and a dog against one another in tug of war matches. There are a series of match ups that occur, such as five grandmas versus four football players, which end in a draw. After the students read through all the match ups and results, they are given another match to decide who will win. The students must use the information from the previous results to infer who the winner will be and why this result will occur.

Candy

Provide the class with a bag of M&Ms or Skittles that have multiple-colored pieces of candy. Each student should count the number of each color present in the bag. The students will then create a chart listing all the combinations present in the bag. The students must use this information to infer what is the most probable color combination of candies if they were provided another bag of candy. This will provide students a chance to analyze data, such as calculating averages and means to make inferences about a hypothetical bag of candy. There is no correct answer to this question as the color distribution is random.

Hermits

From the Office for Mathematics, Science, and Technology Education, University of Illinois website the problem of infectious hermits works on students' inference skills. An island has six hermits and an infectious disease. One of the hermits is immune. The first hermit gets sick and visits another hermit on the island. The next day the visited hermit visits another hermit on the island. Each hermit gets sick except when the immune hermit is visited, the disease dies out. The students must determine the average number of hermits that get the disease. Change the number of hermits on the island and see if those averages change. What can the students infer if X number of hermits lived on the island?

Stockbyte/Stockbyte/Getty Images

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Math Activities About Inferences | Synonym

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Inference is the mental process of reaching a conclusion based on specific evidence. In math, inference questions come in the form of word problems or statistical analysis. The students must take the data they have available to them to determine an outcome.

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In science, an inference refers to reasonable conclusions or possible hypotheses drawn from a small sampling of data. The adjective "small" can be interpreted as far less than all the possible data that can be collected on a specific subject. Scientists make such conclusions all the time, which may prove correlations, but don't prove cause. In fact most "known" scientific facts, are hypotheses since it would be impossible to fully gather all material on a subject.

The inference can take several forms. A hypothesis or a theory about how something might work or not work is a starting point. One may be made when a person observes something in the known world, and sets out to test whether the theory about it holds up.

A scientist may also draw conclusions based on the results of such testing. These can become theories, suggest correlations, or become interpretations of results. Suggesting correlations or interpreting data are some of the most common inferences. For example, for over a century, people have had drawings of what dinosaurs might have looked like. These drawings are based on the best ideas that researchers had, based on the evidence available. Examining skeletal structure, making decisions about what types of animals dinosaurs were, comparing dinosaur finds to modern animals, and using some guesswork has created an interpretation in the form of drawings, models, and even movies.

As paleontology has advanced, these ideas about dinosaurs have changed dramatically. Ideas that some dinosaurs might have had feathers, be described as warm-blooded, and have had greater intelligence have been advanced as scientists' knowledge and samples of collected dinosaurs increases. With DNA sampling, scientists are even able to determine some relationships between more recent or still living animals and these ancient creatures.

By looking at the history of how dinosaurs have been depicted, it is easy to see that an inference may only be as valuable as the data from which it is made. More data has led to less guessing, and certain dinosaurs, like the brontosaurus, have been proven to never have existed. The more data a researcher can collect on a subject, the more likely a conclusion is to be accurate. All inferences are still guesses, however, even when these guesses are well reasoned out.

For the average person, it is helpful to understand that when science infers, it is not always accurate. For instance, there have been significant amounts of theory and efforts to fund stem cell research in the past few years. Those driven to advocate for this research are basing their argument that it is necessary largely on inference. There is little hard data that stem cells will actually do some of the things people propose they will. There a number of encouraging samples of work that lead many scientists to the conclusion that stem cell research could result in a broad range of cures for diseases and conditions.

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In science, an inference refers to reasonable conclusions or possible hypotheses drawn from a small sampling of data. The adjective "small" can be interpreted as far less than all the possible data that can be collected on a specific subject. Scientists make such conclusions all the time, which may prove correlations, but don't prove cause.

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Denise Rice

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Teaches students the difference between the words Observation and Inference. (updated 8/11)

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Sue Barnes http://havefunteaching.com/worksheets/reading-worksheets/inferences-worksheets/

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"What should I do?" This question often arises when one is faced with a story problem. In order to solve a problem, we need to be able to comprehend what a q...

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Janice Zackon

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Inferences Worksheets | Have Fun Teaching

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Inference Worksheets, Inference Worksheet, Free Inference Worksheets, Inferences Worksheets, Inferences Worksheet, Free Inferences Worksheets, Making Inferences Worksheets, Inference Activities, Inference Printables

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Sue Barnes

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http://www.swcs.us/home/studentlearning/Courses%20of%20Study/PowerStandards/5th%20grade%20resource%20book/5th%20-%20infer/5th%20-%20infer.pdf

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Integrating theatre and English (my two passions) with inferencing!

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dd]]

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Teaches students the difference between the words Observation and Inference. (updated 8/11)

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This is a fun activity I use in class to teach inference. Bring a variety of shoes from home and pull them out one at a time.

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http://www.slideshare.net/cmsdsquires/inference-and-observation-activity-presentation

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Teaches students the difference between the words Observation and Inference. (updated 8/11)

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Erin Walker

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Teaches students the difference between the words Observation and Inference. (updated 8/11)

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http://eduscapes.com/sessions/pilot/pilotinference.htm

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http://www.philtulga.com/Riddles.html

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Carolyn Siemens

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Jaye Groseclose

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http://www.readingrockets.org/strategies/inference

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Check out how Theatre can help in ALL subject areas.

http://www.teq.com/erc-categories/viewdownload/170-ela-middle/2541-using-drama-to-make-inferences

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The most wanted flash games on internet, play free online games! Too much fun for exclusive players, share with your friends!

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http://www.readingrockets.org/pdfs/inference-graphic-organizer.pdf

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http://www.ehow.com/info_8626593_math-activities-inferences.html

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http://www.symbaloo.com/?quickstart=1

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"What should I do?" This question often arises when one is faced with a story problem. In order to solve a problem, we need to be able to comprehend what a q...

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"What should I do?" This question often arises when one is faced with a story problem. In order to solve a problem, we need to be able to comprehend what a q...

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Megan Forbes

http://www.proprofs.com/games/jigsaw/the-bouncing-ball-inferences/

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Katie Goodwyn

http://www.minds-in-bloom.com/2012/02/tips-for-teaching-inference.html

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http://www.minds-in-bloom.com/2012/02/tips-for-teaching-inference.html

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http://www.sharemylesson.com/ResourceDetail.aspx?storyCode=6196873

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Heather Davis http://www.proprofs.com/games/jigsaw/the-bouncing-ball-inferences/

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Corey Cotman

http://edublahg.blogspot.com/2008/09/teach-inference-in_03.html

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Megan Camden

http://www.minds-in-bloom.com/2012/02/tips-for-teaching-inference.html

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http://www.tv411.org/reading/understanding-what-you-read/strategies-better-reading/activity/1/1

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Language Arts

The Question-Answer Relationship strategy helps students understand the different types of questions. By learning that the answers to some questions are "Right There" in the text, that some answers require a reader to "Think and Search," and that some answers can only be answered "On My Own," students recognize that they must first consider the question before developing an answer.
See Question-Answer Relationship strategy >

Into the Book has an interactive activity that helps young children learn about inferring. In the interactive, students try to infer meaning in letters from virtual pen pals. They try to answer two questions: "WHERE is your pen pal?" (inferences about location) and "WHO is your pen pal?" (inferences about personality). Students search for clues in the text, then choose from three possible inferences for each clue.
See virtual pen pal interactive >
See virtual pen pal teacher guide > (click "Online Activity Teacher Guide")

Riddles are one way to practice inferential thinking skills because successful readers make guesses based on what they read and what they already know. The object of this online riddle game is to infer what is being described by the clues you read.
See riddle game >

BrainPop offers several activities for teaching inference, and they offer resources for teachers and parents.
See inference activities >

Because so many stories contain lessons that the main character learns and grows from, it is important for students to not only recognize these transformations but also understand how the story's events affected the characters. This lesson from ReadWriteThink uses a think-aloud procedure to model how to infer character traits and recognize a character's growth across a text. Students also consider the underlying reasons of why the character changed, supporting their ideas and inferences with evidence from the text.
See lesson plan >

Math

The Math Standards from the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) identify standards for PreK-12 students that include developing and evaluating inferences and predictions that are based on data. For young students, the standards specifically state the following:

Pre-K-2 Expectations: In pre-K through grade 2, all students should discuss events related to students' experiences as "likely" or "unlikely."

Grades 3-5 Expectations: In grades 3-5, all students should propose and justify conclusions and predictions that are based on data and design studies to further investigate the conclusions or predictions.

Science

Science teachers spend time helping students develop their observation skills. Inferring and observing are closely related, but they are not identical. Observation is what one sees, inference is an assumption of what one has seen. Observation can be said to be a factual description, and inference is an explanation to the collected data. It's not a guess. If an observation can be termed as a close watch of the world around you through the senses, then inference can be termed as an interpretation of facts that has been observed.

Teachers can start out providing simple observations:

As you're working to develop these skills, encourage your students to incorporate their scientific vocabulary into their statements. "From what I observe on the grass, I infer that..."

Learn more about how to use inference, and other science process skills, to help students understand our water resources.
More on science process skills >

This strategy guide from Seeds of Science introduces an approach for teaching about how scientists use evidence to make inferences. The guide includes an introductory section about how scientists use evidence to make inferences, a general overview of how to use this strategy with many science texts, and a plan for teaching how scientists gather evidence to make inferences.
See teaching inference strategy guide >

This lesson from ReadWriteThinkuses science to engage students in the process of making inferences. First, students work through a series of activities about making inferences. Then they read a booklet of descriptions of a series of mystery objects that are placed under a microscope. Finally, they look through each microscope and use the formula of schema + text clues = inference to make their own inferences about the identity of each mystery object.
See science lesson plan >

Social Studies

In this Teacher Guide from the National Portrait Gallery at the Smithsonian, students use clues in a portrait to infer things about George Washington and his life. They work to identify visual clues the artist used, they compare various portraits of George Washington, and discuss the importance of the different portraits as visual records.
See teacher guide >

Often, inferring is introduced to students by using familiar symbols, activities, and environments from which they automatically draw inferences or make predictions (an inference about the future). For example, suppose you are about to begin a unit on the Great Depression. You might have students view a picture of the exterior of a mansion and then of a soup line. Then, through questioning, students focus on details, making inferences about the people who live in both places, their socioeconomic status, the kinds of food they eat, the kinds of activities they pursue.

Parents can help to build these skills at home. For ideas to share with parents, see our Growing Readers tip sheet, Making Inferences and Drawing Conclusions (in English and Spanish).
See parent tip sheet >

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The Question-Answer Relationship strategy helps students understand the different types of questions. By learning that the answers to some questions are "Right There" in the text, that some answers require a reader to "Think and Search," and that some answers can only be answered "On My Own," students recognize that they must first consider the question before developing an answer.

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http://www.readingrockets.org/strategies/inference/

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http://www.ehow.com/info_8626593_math-activities-inferences.html

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http://havefunteaching.com/worksheets/reading/inferences/inferences-worksheet-7.pdf

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http://www.proprofs.com/games/jigsaw/the-bouncing-ball-inferences/

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Corey Calder

http://www.readingrockets.org/strategies/inference/

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http://www.ehow.com/info_8626593_math-activities-inferences.html

# data[].attributes.body
Melanie Pruett

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"What should I do?" This question often arises when one is faced with a story problem. In order to solve a problem, we need to be able to comprehend what a q...

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http://www.readingrockets.org/strategies/inference/

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http://www.slideshare.net/cmsdsquires/inference-and-observation-activity-presentation

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Christopher Bailey

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Ben "The Mighty" Davis

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http://www.slideshare.net/hannaht126/story-problems

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Teresa Delph

http://www.slideshare.net/hannaht126/story-problems

# data[].attributes.body
Debbie Larkin

# data[].attributes.body
http://www.slideshare.net/hannaht126/story-problems

# data[].attributes.body
Jennifer Ferrell

# data[].attributes.body
http://www.slideshare.net/hannaht126/story-problems

# data[].attributes.body
Jason Gill

# data[].attributes.body
Jessica O'Connor

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Strategies for Better Reading: Activity 1 of 3

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You walk into a room and this is what you see: blood on the floor, an empty birdcage, and a happily purring cat. You put the clues together and conclude that the cat ate the bird. You've just made an inference, or an informed conclusion. When reading, we also use clues to make inferences.

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Language Arts

The Question-Answer Relationship strategy helps students understand the different types of questions. By learning that the answers to some questions are "Right There" in the text, that some answers require a reader to "Think and Search," and that some answers can only be answered "On My Own," students recognize that they must first consider the question before developing an answer.
See Question-Answer Relationship strategy >

Into the Book has an interactive activity that helps young children learn about inferring. In the interactive, students try to infer meaning in letters from virtual pen pals. They try to answer two questions: "WHERE is your pen pal?" (inferences about location) and "WHO is your pen pal?" (inferences about personality). Students search for clues in the text, then choose from three possible inferences for each clue.
See virtual pen pal interactive >
See virtual pen pal teacher guide > (click "Online Activity Teacher Guide")

Riddles are one way to practice inferential thinking skills because successful readers make guesses based on what they read and what they already know. The object of this online riddle game is to infer what is being described by the clues you read.
See riddle game >

BrainPop offers several activities for teaching inference, and they offer resources for teachers and parents.
See inference activities >

Because so many stories contain lessons that the main character learns and grows from, it is important for students to not only recognize these transformations but also understand how the story's events affected the characters. This lesson from ReadWriteThink uses a think-aloud procedure to model how to infer character traits and recognize a character's growth across a text. Students also consider the underlying reasons of why the character changed, supporting their ideas and inferences with evidence from the text.
See lesson plan >

Math

The Math Standards from the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) identify standards for PreK-12 students that include developing and evaluating inferences and predictions that are based on data. For young students, the standards specifically state the following:

Pre-K-2 Expectations: In pre-K through grade 2, all students should discuss events related to students' experiences as "likely" or "unlikely."

Grades 3-5 Expectations: In grades 3-5, all students should propose and justify conclusions and predictions that are based on data and design studies to further investigate the conclusions or predictions.

Science

Science teachers spend time helping students develop their observation skills. Inferring and observing are closely related, but they are not identical. Observation is what one sees, inference is an assumption of what one has seen. Observation can be said to be a factual description, and inference is an explanation to the collected data. It's not a guess. If an observation can be termed as a close watch of the world around you through the senses, then inference can be termed as an interpretation of facts that has been observed.

Teachers can start out providing simple observations:

As you're working to develop these skills, encourage your students to incorporate their scientific vocabulary into their statements. "From what I observe on the grass, I infer that..."

Learn more about how to use inference, and other science process skills, to help students understand our water resources.
More on science process skills >

This strategy guide from Seeds of Science introduces an approach for teaching about how scientists use evidence to make inferences. The guide includes an introductory section about how scientists use evidence to make inferences, a general overview of how to use this strategy with many science texts, and a plan for teaching how scientists gather evidence to make inferences.
See teaching inference strategy guide >

This lesson from ReadWriteThinkuses science to engage students in the process of making inferences. First, students work through a series of activities about making inferences. Then they read a booklet of descriptions of a series of mystery objects that are placed under a microscope. Finally, they look through each microscope and use the formula of schema + text clues = inference to make their own inferences about the identity of each mystery object.
See science lesson plan >

Social Studies

In this Teacher Guide from the National Portrait Gallery at the Smithsonian, students use clues in a portrait to infer things about George Washington and his life. They work to identify visual clues the artist used, they compare various portraits of George Washington, and discuss the importance of the different portraits as visual records.
See teacher guide >

Often, inferring is introduced to students by using familiar symbols, activities, and environments from which they automatically draw inferences or make predictions (an inference about the future). For example, suppose you are about to begin a unit on the Great Depression. You might have students view a picture of the exterior of a mansion and then of a soup line. Then, through questioning, students focus on details, making inferences about the people who live in both places, their socioeconomic status, the kinds of food they eat, the kinds of activities they pursue.

Parents can help to build these skills at home. For ideas to share with parents, see our Growing Readers tip sheet, Making Inferences and Drawing Conclusions (in English and Spanish).
See parent tip sheet >

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The Question-Answer Relationship strategy helps students understand the different types of questions. By learning that the answers to some questions are "Right There" in the text, that some answers require a reader to "Think and Search," and that some answers can only be answered "On My Own," students recognize that they must first consider the question before developing an answer.

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Great for collab kids...

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Debbie Vasco

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Doug Kasselberg

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Strategies for Better Reading: Activity 1 of 3

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You walk into a room and this is what you see: blood on the floor, an empty birdcage, and a happily purring cat. You put the clues together and conclude that the cat ate the bird. You've just made an inference, or an informed conclusion. When reading, we also use clues to make inferences.

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Kume Goranson

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ProProfs Jigsaw Puzzles - Create or play online jigsaw puzzle games.

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http://www.slideshare.net/cmsdsquires/inference-and-observation-activity-presentation