Making Inferences
If a character is crying and holding a broken trophy, what can you infer?
She is upset because her trophy broke.
Many families waste water every day without realizing it. Simple actions—like turning off the faucet while brushing your teeth or fixing a dripping sink—can save gallons of water. Small changes at home make a big difference for the environment.
What is the main idea?
Families can save water by making small changes at home.
What text feature shows the meaning of bold or unknown words?
Glossary
What is an author’s claim?
The author’s main point or what they are trying to prove.
What is media?
Media is any way information is shared, like TV, news, social media, or websites.
You read that the sky is dark, the wind is strong, and people are rushing inside. What can you infer about the weather?
A storm is coming / the weather is dangerous.
Bees are important to our world in more than one way. First, they help plants grow by carrying pollen from flower to flower. Without bees, many plants and crops would not survive. Bees also make honey, which humans use as food and medicine. Their work helps nature and people.
What are TWO main ideas?
Bees help plants grow by spreading pollen.
Bees make honey that people use.
Which text feature helps readers find the exact page where a topic or keyword appears?
Index – It helps readers find the exact page where a specific topic or keyword appears.
If the author claims recess should be longer, what is one reason they might give?
Longer recess helps kids get more exercise / improves focus / gives kids a break.
How can media influence people’s opinions?
Media can shape how people think or feel about a topic.
A student keeps checking the clock and tapping their foot. What might you infer about how they’re feeling?
They are anxious, impatient, or eager for something to end/start.
Plastic pollution has become a serious threat to ocean life. Animals like sea turtles often mistake plastic bags for food and become sick after eating them. Floating pieces of plastic can trap fish and harm coral reefs. As more plastic enters the ocean, the damage to marine habitats continues to grow.
What is the main idea?
Plastic pollution harms ocean animals and environments
What text feature shows important information by using numbers, labels, and sometimes arrows to point to parts of an image?
Labeled Diagram
Why is it important that evidence supports the author’s claim?
Evidence makes the claim believable and supports the author’s point.
Why is it important to check if media sources are trustworthy?
To make sure information is true, accurate, and not misleading.
The author never says the main character is nervous, but they keep biting their nails and avoiding eye contact. What can you infer?
The character is feeling nervous.
Rosa Parks is remembered as a brave leader in the Civil Rights Movement. Her refusal to give up her seat on a bus inspired a citywide boycott that lasted over a year. Parks’ actions encouraged many others to stand up against unfair treatment. Her courage helped spark change across the United States and influenced new laws protecting equal rights.
What are TWO main ideas?
Rosa Parks inspired others to stand up to unfair treatment.
Her actions helped bring major changes to the Civil Rights Movement.
Which text feature gives you the of each section in the text and the page number they begin on?
Table of Contents
A writer claims school uniforms help students focus. What reasoning might support this?
Uniforms reduce distractions in the morning, so students spend more time focusing on learning.
How can images in media change how a message feels?
Images can make a message seem more emotional, dramatic, or persuasive.
A story says a neighborhood is “quiet… except for the slamming doors and raised voices.” What can you infer about what’s really going on?
The neighborhood is not actually quiet; people are arguing.
Volcanoes form when melted rock, called magma, pushes upward through openings in the Earth’s crust. Over time, pressure builds until the volcano erupts, releasing ash, gas, and lava. While volcanoes can create new landforms, they can also be dangerous. Eruptions can destroy homes, cover cities in ash, and force people to evacuate. Volcanoes shape our planet in powerful and sometimes harmful ways.
Identify TWO main ideas.
How volcanoes form.
How volcanoes help and also cause destruction.
A timeline is included in the text. How does it help the reader understand the topic?
It shows events in order and helps readers understand the sequence of important dates.
An author claims pets help kids learn responsibility. Identify a strong piece of evidence that could support this claim.
Kids must feed and care for pets daily, which teaches responsibility.
A news website reports on a new park opening. How might the media shape the community’s reaction?
The media can make people excited, informed, or supportive of the new park; it shapes public reaction.