Making Inferences 1
The scout leader looked at the sky and muttered something under his breath. Then he looked at the map. "Let's get moving," he called to the group of tired boys. "The faster the better."
What do you think the scout leader was feeling?
The scout leader was feeling worried because he thought a storm was coming.
The bus was full of children. Everyone was laughing and talking. Ben scratched a mosquito bite on his leg. It had been a fun week, but he was glad that he would be sleeping in his own bed tonight instead of in a sleeping bag.
Where was the bus coming from?
The bus is coming from summer camp.
"Alex!" called Mrs. Sloan over and over. Other shoppers looked concerned and started looking for the lost child. Then a young woman came around the corner holding Alex's hand. "I found him in the candy section," she said.
Where is Mrs. Sloan?
Mrs. Sloan is at a supermarket/grocery store.
Is this statement a fact, opinion, or generalization?
Golf is a boring sport.
Opinion
"Beavers can knock down whole trees. They chew the wood at the bottom of the tree with their strong teeth. This weakens the tree's base and makes the tree easier to knock over," Mr. McKinney said. Vivian and Oliver followed their science teacher further into the woods. Soon, Mr. McKinney and his students found a beaver's home.
"Wow, little beavers built that big thing?" Vivian asked.
"Hey, look!" Oliver shouted. He pointed to a tree that was chewed up near the bottom. He walked over and put his hand on the tree.
"Watch out!" yelled Mr. McKinney.
What happened next?
The tree that Oliver touched fell down.
Dad and Krystal were finishing up a project in the garage together. "Can we paint the roof red?" asked Krystal. "Sure," said Dad, "Then when the paint dries we can find a place to hang it in the backyard."
What do you think Dad and Krystal are making?
Dad and Krystal are making a birdhouse.
Sasha handed the book to the librarian. The librarian
opened the book and found crayon scribbles on almost every page. "I'm really sorry," said Sasha. "I should have kept the book in my room."
What happened to Sasha's library book?
Sasha's younger sibling scribbled in the library book.
First Lindsay put the dirty clothes that were spread all over the floor into the laundry hamper. Then she put away the game of checkers from yesterday and made her bed.
What is Lindsay doing?
Lindsay is cleaning her room.
Some kids who drink soda have problems with their teeth.
Generalization
Kendrick stopped to look at a map on the library wall.
"That's strange. Look at this old map of our town," Kendrick said to his friend Tim.
Kendrick pointed to the map. "That's your street. That's where my street should be, but there's no street. It's just one big house," Kendrick observed.
"The map says it's called Atlas Place," Tim added.
"I wonder if we can find things from Atlas Place in my backyard!" Kendrick exclaimed.
What do you think Tim and Kendrick will do next?
They will go look for clues about Atlas Place in Kendrick's backyard.
Alex ran all the way home from school. "Mom," he shouted as soon as he opened the door. "Look!" He handed his mother some papers. "You were right, all that studying really did pay off!" he said excitedly.
What was on the papers?
The papers were a test with a good grade.
Cody knew he was in big trouble. He looked glumly at the math test on the desk in front of him. The door opened and Mr. Anders came into the office. "I've called your parents and they are on their way," he said.
Why is Cody in trouble?
Cody is in trouble because he cheated on his math test.
Mr. Martin looked at his watch. Then he took a bus schedule out of his bag and studied it for a moment. A few minutes later, he looked at his watch again and sighed.
Why does Mr. Martin keep looking at his watch?
Mr. Martin looks at his watch because the bus is late.
Is the following statement a valid or invalid generalization?
Some kids don't like ice cream.
valid
Jared was glad it was Friday night. He didn't have any homework. His parents said he could stay up as long as he wanted. Jared yawned and looked around his room. He could draw some comics. Or he could listen to music. Or he could read a book. Jared lay down on his bed. His room was so quiet, and his bed was so comfortable. He closed his eyes for a second.
What do you think Jared did that Friday night?
Jared fell asleep.
It was 8:30 on Thursday night. Emily stared at the large, empty poster board on her bed. Then she looked at the stack of books about Abraham Lincoln on her desk. Emily began to cry.
Why do you think Emily was crying?
Emily had not started a school project that was due the next day.
"Can I play the winner in the next game?" Maya asked. "Sure," Lydia replied. "But you will probably be playing Emma. She has four kings and I only have one."
What game are Lydia and Emma playing?
Lydia and Emma are playing checkers.
Susie Q spent the day making balloon animals for children. When she got home, she washed off her makeup, took off her oversized shoes, and practiced riding her unicycle.
What is Susie Q?
Susie Q is a clown.
Michael Phelps is an American swimmer who has won 28 Olympic medals. He has size 14 feet. Missy Franklin won 4 gold medals in swimming in the 2012 Olympics. She has size 13 feet.
What valid generalization can you make from the facts above?
Example Answer: Big feet may help swimmers win races.
Mitchell started to fall asleep on his straw bed in the barn loft. Being a farmhand was hard work, but he was happy to have a job. Farmer Stacy was the best boss he'd ever had.
He thought about the farm. The chickens were safely in their house. The cows were in the barn. He heard a gate banging in the wind. Uh-oh! Did he leave the gate to the horses' stable open?
What will Mitchell do next?
He will get up to see if the gate is closed.
Splat! "Oh, rats!" thought Katie as she stopped to clean up the mess. "I hope we have another one." She looked in the fridge and pulled out the carton. One left! Breakfast wasn't ruined after all.
What did Katie clean up?
Katie cleaned up a broken egg.
"Ouch!" Lucy had fallen again! She shivered and picked herself back up. Then she spotted her older sister Sarah, gliding backward. She was so graceful. Sarah made everything look so easy.
What is Lucy doing?
Lucy was learning to ice skate.
Julie put on her sweater and went outside. The sun was shining, but the grass was still wet from the recent rain. Julie stopped to look at the bright, red tulips, which were just starting to bloom.
What season is it?
It is spring.
Soccer is played in countries all over the world. Millions of people tune in to watch the World Cup soccer tournament every four years. Soccer is a sport played by people of all ages.
What is a valid generalization you can make based on the facts above?
Example Answer: Many people throughout the world like soccer.
Sarah lay in her sleeping bag, wide awake. It was late, and the campground was silent. Sarah wanted to dip her feet into the calm, glassy water of the pond down the road. But the camp leader told the campers they had to walk with a partner at night. She looked over to see if Emily was still awake.
Emily looked over at her. "I can't sleep either," Emily whispered.
"I know," Sarah whispered back, "but I have an idea."
What do Sarah and Emily do next?
Sarah and Emily leave the tent and go for a walk.