I want the plan to focus on Making inferences from the poem /explain and justify inferences with evidence from the poem. Create a success criteria for this lesson

Create a repeat resist remember by using post it notes to recall vocabulary from previous lesson on a Picture of the rain forest.

Use the following text: Hot, wet rainforest Spreads a green roof high above the earth, Loud with the swing, swoop and song of life. Bright birds flash, Apes chatter, Plump fruit ripens to slowly tempt the sloth. But what is hidden below that canopy, where the sun cannot pass? A shady world Of strangle-vines scrambling for a shaft of light, Lush leaves searching for a glimmer in the gloom. Haunt of mighty gorilla, poisonous frog, And slithering python. A secret world Where fungi glow upon tree roots, Termites swarm among dead things on the dark forest floor

Create a high engaging introduction and a range of questioning for this reading skills lesson with the key focus of inferring

Go through summarising the poem and then children to highlight where we are talking about below the canopy. Teacher to model above the canopy. Share Anchor Question(s): What do you think life in the rainforest like below the canopy? Which words and phrases make you think this? (Create a I do we do you do model)

Explicitly and refer to these throughout the lesson. Vocabulary: Discuss and explain these in the context of where they are located within the poem. Use Find Read Talk and refer to Lesson 1: Vocabulary sheet. Explore & respond: Read ‘Rainforest’ to the class, use expression to show the contrast in atmosphere between the first part (above the canopy) and the second part (below the canopy). Ask the children what type of poem it is. Explain that it is free verse because it does not rhyme. Fluency: Choral read the fluency extract, using expression and Intonation to show the contrast in atmosphere. Step 2: MODEL Model to Children 5 mins Explicitly Model Strategies & Skills: Refer to the Model Question. Model re-reading the first part of the poem (above the canopy) in order to answer the question. Use Think aloud, to model your thinking. Teacher Talks: It is ‘loud with the swing, swoop and song of life’ which sounds happy and alive. The birds are ‘bright’ which is a positive word and I imagine them to be colourful. The apes ‘chatter’ which makes them sound friendly and happy. The fruit is described as ‘plump’ and it ‘ripens’ and ‘tempt’ makes me think the animals want the fruit because it is so good. Life is bright, bountiful, lively and noisy. Reference the text: Model locating the words and phrases that provide the answer. On an enlarged copy of the text, circle the words that provide evidence (noted above) of what it is like above the canopy. Next, model writing what it makes you think (e.g. makes them sound friendly and happy) in a thought bubble next to that part in the poem. Step 3: PRACTISE Children Practise 8 mins Children Explore & Discuss: Refer to the Anchor Question. Children to examine mine the second part of the poem (from ‘But what is hidden’…) and read through in pairs. Use the Lesson 1: Teacher Model / Children Practise extract. One copy of the text between two encourages collaborative working and discussion. Also place the Anchor Question on the IWB / Flipchart Practise Taught Strategies & Skills: Encourage the children to use Think aloud with their partner as modelled. Children to locate and circle the words and phrases that provide evidence of what it is like below the canopy. If the children are struggling, consider ‘shady world’, ‘strangle-vines scrambling’, ‘gloom’, ‘Haunt’, ‘poisonous’, ‘slithering’, ‘fungi glow’, ‘Termites swarm among dead things’. Step 4 Create use of targeted whole class questions- Questions shouldn't just ask for the correct answer they should require pupils to explain their thinking justifying their reasoning. (Use Bloom's taxonomy to help create questions beyond basic thinking and encourage deeper thinking)

Include AfL points throughout teaching and modelling stage ( tell me What AfL to use, where to use it?) Create an I do we do you do model plenary

Align with White Rose Maths Scheme

Overview

Year group: 4
Class size: 30 pupils
Duration: 45 minutes
Subject: English
Focus: Making inferences from poetry & justifying with evidence

National Curriculum Links (England)

Reading - Comprehension (Year 4)

Retrieve and record information from fiction and non-fiction
Develop positive attitudes to reading, understanding of vocabulary, and discussing texts
Draw inferences such as inferring characters’ feelings, thoughts and motives from their actions
Justify inferences with evidence from the text

Learning Objectives

Pupils will make inferences about life above and below the rainforest canopy from the poem Rainforest.
Pupils will explain and justify their inferences using specific evidence from the text.
Pupils will use subject vocabulary confidently and accurately in context.
Pupils will practise reading aloud with expression and fluency to show understanding of tone and mood.

Success Criteria

I can identify parts of the poem that describe life above and below the canopy.
I can explain what life is like both above and below the canopy using words or phrases from the poem.
I can justify my ideas by referring to the text.
I can use vocabulary from the poem and from previous learning confidently.
I can read aloud fluently and with expression that matches the meaning.

Lesson Breakdown

Time	Activity	Details	AfL
0-5 mins	Starter: Repeat, Resist, Remember Vocabulary	- Use post-it notes with rainforest vocabulary from previous lesson (e.g. canopy, tropical, humid, foliage). - Display image of rainforest, ask pupils to place post-its appropriately (on canopy, animals, plants). - Quick recall quiz: “Who can remind us what ‘canopy’ means?” etc.	Verbal questioning; observing correct placement of post-its; quick thumbs up/down for meaning.
5-10 mins	Intro & Text Exploration	- Present poem Rainforest. - Reading whole poem expressively, contrasting “above” (bright, loud) and “below” (shady, secret). - Discuss poem type: Free verse, no rhyme.	Observing pupils’ attention & engagement, chat prompts.
10-15 mins	Summarise & Highlight	- In pairs, pupils highlight sections describing life below canopy. - Teacher models highlighting life above canopy on enlarged text.	Peer assessment during highlighting; teacher reads aloud to check understanding.
15-20 mins	Model: I Do	- Model think-aloud to answer: “What do you think life below the canopy is like? Which words or phrases from the poem help you decide?” - Circle words: shady world, strangle-vines, gloom, haunt, poisonous, slithering. - Write in thought bubbles with inference: dark, secretive, dangerous.	Teacher notes pupils’ responses during modelling; targeted questioning—who can explain the meaning?
20-30 mins	We Do: Partner Practice	- In pairs, pupils repeat the process on the “below canopy” section. - Use think-aloud, circle vocabulary parts, explain inference. - Encourage collaboration, use evidence from poem.	Monitor paired discussions; prompt pupils needing support; collect some examples shared aloud.
30-35 mins	You Do: Independent Writing	- Pupils write 3-4 sentences justifying an inference about life above or below the canopy using evidence from the poem (e.g., “The poem says... which makes me think ... because ...”).	Use writing checklist; peer mark against success criteria. Teacher checks samples and gives feedback.
35-40 mins	Whole Class Questioning (Blooms)	- Use higher order questioning to deepen thinking:

Why do you think the poet chose words like “slithering” and “poisonous” to describe life below the canopy?
How does the change in mood between the two parts of the poem affect how you feel about the rainforest?
Can you compare the life above and below the canopy? Which do you find more interesting and why?
What might the “secret world” below the canopy tell us about places we cannot easily see in real life? | Use open questioning; think-pair-share responses; cold-calling for explanation and justification. | | 40-43 mins | Choral Reading | - Re-read the fluency extract as a class with expression:
“Hot, wet rainforest
Spreads a green roof high above the earth…”

Emphasise tone differences: bright/lively vs shady/secret. | Listen for expression, pace, intonation. Provide immediate feedback on fluency. | | 43-45 mins | Plenary: I Do, We Do, You Do Recap | - Teacher models a final inference about the poem.
- Class repeats a key phrase and supporting evidence.
- Pupils share one new word or idea they learned today. | Quick round robin answers; exit ticket question on a post-it: “One word from today’s lesson I will remember is...” |

Differentiation

Support: Sentence starters for independent writing ("I think the poem says ... because ...")
Challenge: Pupils create their own inference question for peers using evidence from the poem.
Visual prompts during highlighting and think-aloud.

Resources

Enlarged copy of poem Rainforest (coloured for presentation)
Post-it notes with rainforest vocabulary from previous lesson
Copies of poem extracts for pairs
Vocabulary sheet from Lesson 1 (“Find, Read, Talk”)
Whiteboard/Flipchart for anchor question and model annotations

Assessment for Learning Points (AfL)

Vocabulary recall starter: Verbal questioning and post-it placement to check retention.
Teacher modelling: Observe pupils’ ability to follow inference process and justify with words.
Paired work: Listen to discussions—are children able to explain their thinking clearly?
Independent writing: Use success criteria checklist to evaluate understanding of inference and text evidence.
Questioning: Gauge depth of thinking and clear justification in responses.
Plenary: Exit ticket to confirm individual learning and vocabulary recall.

Cross-Curricular Links

Science: Link to rainforest ecosystem and animal habitats.
PSHE: Discuss feelings about hidden or ‘secret’ places and respect for nature.
White Rose Maths (Reasoning Skills): Justifying answers with reasons parallels maths reasoning; encourage pupils to “prove” their answers verbally and in writing.

Additional Ideas to 'Wow' Teachers

Use classroom tablet or interactive whiteboard to annotate the poem digitally — pupils can come up and highlight or add thought bubbles.
Create a class “rainforest vocabulary” wall by adding today's post-its to a display for ongoing reference.
Record choral reading and play back to class to highlight improvements in expression and fluency.
Encourage pupils to illustrate the “above” and “below” canopy worlds based on their inferences, linking art to reading comprehension.

Appendix

Anchor Question (Displayed Throughout)

What do you think life in the rainforest is like below the canopy? Which words and phrases make you think this?

Model Question for Teacher Think-Aloud (I Do)

What is life like above the canopy?

“The poem says it is ‘loud with the swing, swoop and song of life’ which makes me think it is bright and noisy. The birds are ‘bright’ and ‘flash’ which tells me they are colourful and active. When the fruit ‘ripens’ and ‘tempts the sloth’, it feels like the animals are lively and busy finding food.”

Example Independent Writing Sentence Starters

"I think below the canopy is ... because the poem uses words like ... which suggests ..."
"The phrase ‘strangle-vines scrambling’ makes me imagine that ..."
"The poet’s choice of the word ‘gloom’ tells me that ..."

This detailed, practical plan targets Year 4 curriculum aims precisely, blending reading comprehension, vocabulary recall, inference skills, and expressive reading within a dynamic, scaffolded lesson that promotes critical thinking and textual justification.

Making Inferences Skill

Teaching Instructions