Teaching of Explicit Lesson – Reading – Inference and Visualising

Rain Dance by Cathy Applegate & Dee Huxley

WEEK YEAR LEVEL 5

Goal of the lesson Today we are looking at the Picture Book Rain Dance.
Guiding questions provide curricular coherence We are looking at the reading strategies of Inferring and Visualising
because all work relates to a clear central purpose and Inferring
makes students active participants. Readers take information from a text and add their own ideas to make inferences. When
inferring readers draw conclusions, make predictions and make judgements to create
their interpretations of a text. Making inferences allows students to move beyond the
literal text and make assumptions about what is not precisely stated in the text.
(First Steps Reading resource Book p 117)

Visualising/Creating Images
Good readers continually use all their senses to create images as they read the text. These
images help them to draw conclusions, make predictions, interpret information,
remember details that assist with comprehension.
(First Steps Reading resource Book p 118)
Writers use imagery to create images in our mind.

Relevance of other target skills Rain Dance enables teachers to explore the descriptive language that authors use to
create images in the reader’s minds.

Australian Curriculum Link Year 5

Understand, interpret and experiment with sound devices and imagery, including simile, metaphor
and personification, in narratives, shape poetry, songs, anthems and odes (ACELT1611)

Navigate and read texts for specific purposes applying appropriate text processing strategies, for example
predicting and confirming, monitoring meaning, skimming and scanning (ACELY1702)

Use comprehension strategies to analyse information, integrating and linking ideas from a variety of print and digital
sources (ACELY1703)

Resources Text Rain Dance by Cathy Applegate and Dee Huxley 2000 Scholastic ISBN 1 876289 39 2.

First Steps reading resource book p117 & 118

Cameron, S. Teaching Reading Comprehension Strategies a Practical Classroom Guide.
2012, Pearson, NZ. (Visualising p 87, Inferring p 99)
 Cameron, S. The reading Activity Handbook purposeful reading responses to enrich your
literacy program. 2012, Pearson, NZ p 15

Teaching Reading and Viewing Comprehension Strategies and activities for Years 1-9. QSA
September 2010.
Alison Davis (2011) Building Comprehension Strategies
Visualisation : Graphic Organiser 2 Eleanor Curtain Publishing

Photographs of droughts and floods

NAPLAN 2010 Teaching Strategies - Public Schools NSW

http://www.schools.nsw.edu.au/learning/712assessments/naplan/teachstrategies/yr2010/pdf/lw_voca...

LESSON STEPS
Opening – Explicit Teaching – Whole class Reading with teacher – Rain Dance
Ensure children are familiar with text, illustrations, Today’s lesson is about inferring and visualising in the text, “Rain Dance. ”
impact, drought , infer and visualise Rain Dance is a beautifully illustrated picture book. It is set in the Australian outback. The
story shows us the importance of rain and the impact of drought. The illustrations
I DO support the text to create visual images.
Have a chart with the types of questions that can be used When reading the text use think alouds to support students comprehension.
when inferring close by.
Language used when inferring
Reading between the lines, I think….
Before Reading
I would expect that…. Author and Me
I already know that … so I think… From the title, illustrations, or cover, what might this story be about?
In my experience…
I think the author is really saying… On My Own
My conclusion is… because in the text it says… From the Title Rain Dance, by Cathy Applegate and Dee Huxley , what do I already know
The author’s clues were … that I can connect me to the story or the text?
I think what’s really going on is…
Why would a story be called Rain Dance? Brainstorm ideas list ideas on sticky notes and
I wonder why…
I wonder if…. place on board. Children discuss the reasons for title.
During Reading
Language used when visualising
In my mind I can see
Author & Me
I can imagine What do I think will happen next?
The movie in my head shows How would I describe the mood of the story and why is this important?
The image I see in my head is
I can just taste the Think and Search
I can feel the
I can hear the
What is the Problem and how is it resolved?
I can smell the What roles do the girl, Munro the dog, the mother, the father play in the story
What are the important events?
I
 Right There
Who is the Main character?
What are some words that describe the setting
Where does the story take place?

After Reading
Author’s message
What is the Author’s message?
What is the theme and how is it connected to the world beyond the story?
How can I synthesize the information with what I know from other sources?
How well does the author make his or her argument
How is the author using particular language to influence our beliefs

Think and Search

Find evidence in the text to support an argument

We Do Guided reading Activities

Then follow with 4 group activities. Activity Guided reading with teacher Inferring and visualising
Group rotations Differentiated through 1 Descriptive language imagery
ability groupings. Activity Vocabulary and descriptive phrases illustrate
2
Activity Guided Practice Cause and Effect chart
3
Activity How did the text call on the five senses to create images in the mind.
4

Differentiation Children work in groups at their level to complete tasks at their ability.
Closing of Lesson Recall favourite lines from the text that promote visualisation
Reflection You Do Infer what might happen in the future Think Pair Share to evaluate…..
(No rain on the farm means it is for sale, does the arrival of rain give a different hope for the future?
My conclusion is… because in the text it says/or suggests…
The authors clues were
Group 1 Group 2 Group 3 Group 4
Guided reading with teacher Vocabulary Guided Practice Senses Chart
Guided reading with teacher cicadas, surrounded, whipped, Cause and Effect Chart- Identifying Graphic organizer to show how text
Deconstructing imagery in the crannies, hesitant, collapse, actions and their consequences. can stimulate the five senses. Draw a
text. Imagery is an essential Expressions Locating Key events in a text. picture from the story to match a
component of successful writing. A sigh of relief I think T chart senses chart.
See notes form NAPLAN NAPLAN Skin prickles like goose bumps I think your Because ..
2010 Teaching Strategies - Public Inference evidence from Looks Sounds
Schools NSW Like Like
Visualisation Graphic Organiser 2 the text….
http://www.schools.nsw.edu.au/learning Building Comprehension The farm is Desolate farm.. Tastes
/712assessments/naplan/teachstrategies/ strategies like
for sale dam is a patch
yr2010/pdf/lw_voca...
because of dry cracked
Feels Like
Draw the images you see. Write there has mud Smells
Eg See below for support Like
what you hear. been no surrounded by
Beyond our desolate farm I can see
Alison Davis (2011) Building rain… parched brown
the horizon where a few dark
Comprehension Strategies land..
clouds------------------. It never
Visualisation : Graphic Organiser
comes, and now our dam is a patch
2
of dry cracked mud surrounded by
parched dry land.
The cicadas have been shrilling,----
-------------------. This morning even
they are quiet. The silence-----------
----------------------. It spreads and
suffocates
everything,…………………….

steals into corners cracks, nooks

and crannies

calling, impatiently for rain

like a hot, dry blanket

cruelly taunt us with promises of

rain
Senses Chart Guided reading with teacher Vocabulary Guided Practice
Graphic organizer to show how Guided reading with teacher corrugated iron, suffocates, frenzy, Cause and Effect Chart.
text can stimulate the five senses. Deconstructing imagery in the rhythm, sheeting rain Identifying actions and their
Draw a picture from the story to text. Imagery is an essential paddock consequences
match a senses chart. component of successful writing. Expressions Locating key events in a text
See notes form NAPLAN NAPLAN A world turned grey I think T chart
Looks Sounds 2010 Teaching Strategies - Public Wet hair slaps my cheeks I think your Because ..
Like Like Schools NSW Inference evidence from
http://www.schools.nsw.edu.au/learnin the text….
g/712assessments/naplan/teachstrategi
The farm is Desolate farm..
es/yr2010/pdf/lw_voca...
for sale dam is a patch
Eg See below for support
because of dry cracked
Beyond our desolate farm I can
there has mud
see the horizon where a few dark
been no surrounded by
clouds------------------. It never
rain… parched brown
comes, and now our dam is a
land..
patch of dry cracked mud
surrounded by parched dry land.
The cicadas have been shrilling,--
---------------------. This morning
even they are quiet. The silence---
------------------------------. It
spreads and suffocates
everything,…………………….

steals into corners cracks, nooks

and crannies

calling, impatiently for rain

like a hot, dry blanket

cruelly taunt us with promises of

rain
Guided Practice Senses Chart Guided reading with teacher Vocabulary
Cause and Effect Chart. Graphic organizer to show how Guided reading with teacher crannies, bellowing, desolate,
Identifying actions and their text can stimulate the five senses. Deconstructing imagery in the text. torrent, raucous, flurry
consequences Draw a picture from the story to Imagery is an essential component The silence steals into corners and
Locating key events in a text match a senses chart. of successful writing. See notes form cracks, nooks and crannies. It
I think T chart NAPLAN NAPLAN spreads and suffocates everything
I think your Because .. 2010 Teaching Strategies - Public like a hot dry blanket.
Inference evidence from Schools NSW
the text…. Looks Sounds http://www.schools.nsw.edu.au/learning/7
Like Like 12assessments/naplan/teachstrategies/yr20
The farm is Desolate farm..
10/pdf/lw_voca...
for sale dam is a patch
Feels Like Eg See below for support
because of dry cracked Beyond our desolate farm I can see
there has mud Hears like the horizon where a few dark
been no surrounded by Tastes clouds------------------. It never
rain… parched brown Like
comes, and now our dam is a patch
land..
of dry cracked mud surrounded by
parched dry land.
The cicadas have been shrilling,------
-----------------. This morning even
they are quiet. The silence-------------
--------------------. It spreads and
suffocates everything,…………………….

steals into corners cracks, nooks

and crannies

calling, impatiently for rain

like a hot, dry blanket

cruelly taunt us with promises of

rain
Vocabulary Guided Practice Senses Chart Guided reading with teacher
horizon, ruined, swirling, parched, Cause and Effect Chart. Graphic organizer to show how text Deconstructing imagery in the text.
disappeared, eventually Identifying actions and their can stimulate the five senses. Draw a Imagery is an essential component
Expressions consequences picture from the story to match a of successful writing. See notes form
A few dark clouds cruelly taunt us Locating key events in a text senses chart. NAPLAN NAPLAN
Pegs are flying everywhere I think T chart 2010 Teaching Strategies - Public
I think your Because .. Looks Sounds Schools NSW
Inference evidence from
Like Like http://www.schools.nsw.edu.au/learning/7
Hears Smells 12assessments/naplan/teachstrategies/yr20
the text…. Like Like 10/pdf/lw_voca...
The farm is Desolate farm.. Tastes Eg See below for support
for sale dam is a patch Like
because of dry cracked Beyond our desolate farm I can see
there has mud the horizon where a few dark
been no surrounded by clouds------------------. It never
rain… parched brown comes, and now our dam is a patch
land..
of dry cracked mud surrounded by
parched dry land.
The cicadas have been shrilling,------
-----------------. This morning even
they are quiet. The silence-------------
--------------------. It spreads and
suffocates everything,…………………….

steals into corners cracks, nooks

and crannies

calling, impatiently for rain

like a hot, dry blanket

cruelly taunt us with promises of

rain