Lesson Plan: Reading Comprehension - Skimming, Scanning, and Inference

Objective: Students will be able to demonstrate their understanding of skimming, scanning, and inference by reading and analyzing the text “Oliver Twist” and completing differentiated activities.

Materials: - Copies of the text “Oliver Twist” for each student - Whiteboard or chart paper - Markers - Differentiated activity sheets (see below) - Formative assessment worksheet (see below)

Procedure:

1. Introduction (5 minutes): - Begin the lesson by asking students if they have ever heard of the book “Oliver Twist” or the character Oliver Twist. - Show the book cover or an image of Oliver Twist to generate interest and activate prior knowledge. - Explain that today, students will be reading a short excerpt from “Oliver Twist” and practicing important reading comprehension skills.

2. Pre-Reading Discussion (5 minutes): - Ask students to make predictions about the text based on the title and the image. - Discuss the meaning of the words “skimming,” “scanning,” and “inference.” - Write the definitions of these terms on the whiteboard or chart paper:
   • Skimming: Reading quickly to get a general idea of the text.
   • Scanning: Reading quickly to find specific information in the text.
   • Inference: Making educated guesses or drawing conclusions based on evidence from the text.

3. Reading the Text (10 minutes): - Distribute copies of the text “Oliver Twist” to each student. - Instruct students to read the text silently to themselves. - Encourage students to use skimming and scanning techniques to get a general understanding of the text and find specific details.

4. Whole-Class Discussion (10 minutes): - Lead a discussion about the text, focusing on comprehension and inference. - Ask students to share their initial thoughts and reactions to the text. - Discuss the main events and characters mentioned in the text. - Prompt students to make inferences about Oliver’s situation and the characters he encounters.

5. Differentiated Activities (15 minutes): - Divide students into small groups based on their reading levels or abilities. - Provide each group with a differentiated activity sheet:
   • For lower-level students: Create a skimming activity where they have to identify the main events in the text.
   • For middle-level students: Create a scanning activity where they have to find specific details about Oliver’s journey.
   • For higher-level students: Create an inference activity where they have to make predictions about what might happen next in the story based on the text. - Allow students to work collaboratively in their groups to complete the activity.

6. Group Presentations (10 minutes): - Have each group present their completed activity to the class. - Encourage students to explain their thought processes and reasoning behind their answers. - Facilitate a class discussion to compare and contrast the different approaches and answers.

7. Formative Assessment (10 minutes): - Distribute the formative assessment worksheet to each student. - Instruct students to complete the worksheet independently, demonstrating their understanding of skimming, scanning, and inference. - Collect the worksheets for assessment purposes.

8. Conclusion (5 minutes): - Recap the main points of the lesson, emphasizing the importance of skimming, scanning, and inference in reading comprehension. - Encourage students to continue practicing these skills in their future reading.

Differentiated Activity Sheets:

Lower-Level Activity Sheet: - Create a chart with three columns: Beginning, Middle, and End. - Instruct students to skim the text and write down the main events in each column.

Middle-Level Activity Sheet: - Create a list of questions related to specific details in the text. - Instruct students to scan the text and find the answers to the questions.

Higher-Level Activity Sheet: - Provide a short paragraph prompt related to the text. - Instruct students to make an inference and write a short paragraph explaining their reasoning.

Formative Assessment Worksheet:

1. What is skimming? Provide an example of when you might use skimming while reading.
2. What is scanning? Provide an example of when you might use scanning while reading.
3. What is inference? Provide an example of an inference you made while reading the text “Oliver Twist.”
4. Based on the text, what can you infer about Oliver’s situation and the characters he encounters?
5. How did skimming, scanning, and inference help you understand the text “Oliver Twist”?