Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Inference Lesson 1

To make an inference, or to infer, you have to have background knowledge  - also know as schema (this is what you know - it can be from your life, a movie you saw, an experience you had, a book you read, etc) and EVIDENCE!




Using these two things, you then create an inference about what is going on, try to understand why something is happening, finding the meaning of an unknown word, or even understanding the what the charters are feeling! We use inferencing every day in our life.

For example - My mom comes home from work and has a very grumpy look on her face. The grumpy look and the fact that she is coming home from work is my evidence. My background knowledge is that when mom comes home from work she sometimes has had a rough day. I also know if I have a bad day I don't want to be bothered. My inference is that I shouldn't bother mom because she is in a bad mood.



Art leads us to make inferences because the artist isn't here with us as we observe the picture. We have to use evidence from the picture along with our schema (remember that is our background knowledge) to try and figure out what is going on in the picture.

Look at this picture by Horace Pippin.



What kind of inferences can you make about this picture? What do you think the boy is thinking or feeling? What details in the picture do you notice? Write about this.
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14 comments:

  1. AnonymousMarch 1, 2012 at 9:17 AM

    it looks like the mom is surving the kid dinner because i know i eat dinner and the facts are the stove and the kid sitting at the table thus the woman is surving the kid food.

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  2. alexMarch 1, 2012 at 9:20 AM

    I think the boy is sad or mad but maybe happy, I cant tell because theres a christmas tree in the corner so he might be happy. Also theres and old oven and their wearing old clothes, so i think this was in the older days.It also looks like the house is a log cabin or a normal house, because it looks like it is a log cabin.And there is a paint can on the table or maybe its something different, maybe a pot of soup?

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  3. My-le LuongMarch 1, 2012 at 9:21 AM

    I see the Christmas tree,and when I see the Christmas tree that make me think of Christmas.I think the family in the photo is celebrating Christmas.I also see the boy's face I think he is worried.I don't see any dad so I think the boy is worried of the dad.It is Christmas so it must be snowing!When ever I see Christmas I think it is snowing.I think the mom is worried too because of the mother's face.

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  4. mitchellMarch 1, 2012 at 9:33 AM

    I think they are eating dinner on x-mas eve. I saw that they had a chrismas tree in the corner. There is also presents under the tree. The mom made a special dinner for her son.

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  5. keith.kMarch 1, 2012 at 9:37 AM

    he looks like he is sad i think his dad died because he is not there and it looks very quiet.

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  6. AnonymousMarch 1, 2012 at 9:48 AM

    It looks like this picture took place in earlier times because of the stove.It also looks like it's Christmas time because there's a Christmas tree in the picture.I also think that that the boy is hungry or feeling sad.

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  7. hunterMarch 1, 2012 at 9:49 AM

    i think they are waiting at the table for family on christmas. They have a xmas tree and a big table. They probably have lots of food waiting.I think they are ready to eat (:

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  8. AnonymousMarch 1, 2012 at 10:08 AM

    i think he feels hungry.

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  9. AnonymousMarch 1, 2012 at 10:14 AM

    I think it is close to christmas.Why else would they have a christmas tree up? My family only puts the tree up when it is close to christmas.THe boy doesn't look thrilled,happy,or excited.Most children are over come with joy when christmas is near.

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  10. billy bobMarch 2, 2012 at 9:40 AM

    This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  11. AlanMarch 2, 2012 at 9:42 AM

    I think that it's either after or before christmas, and he looks like he's waiting for his dinner. A maid looks to be serving him his food, and he looks very happy.

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  12. ChelseaMarch 2, 2012 at 10:09 AM

    I think that it is around Christmas time because of the Christmas tree. Also, it looks like the boy isn't too happy and maybe might be mad.I can tell that the woman and possibly the boy are baking something.

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  13. LeeMarch 2, 2012 at 10:16 AM

    Lee- It looks like the kid is not enjoying Christmas or he has a bad day because some kids don't get what they want on Christmas or when they have a bad day they don't feel good

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  14. ChelseaMarch 2, 2012 at 10:17 AM

    It looks like it is Christmas time because of the Christmas tree. Also, the boy doesn't look too happy. I think that the woman and possibly the boy is bakeing something. I can tell that because of the stove and it looks like they are in the kitchen. By the looks it look s like this picture took place in the older times because of the old time looking stove.

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