Whales: Impacts and Inference

I want the plan to focus on the following scheme from Steps to Read Year 4 Create a success criteria for this lesson to help children know what to do:

Anchor Questions(s): A) What positive and negative effects have people’s actions had on whales?

B) Can you infer whether whales are treated better now or in the past? Vocabulary Teaching: herd, harpoons, Subject specific: blubber, baleen Focus Comprehension & Strategies: • Confidently retrieve and record information from non-fiction • Read short information texts independently with concentration. • Draw inferences …and justify their inferences with evidence. • Read books which are structured in different ways and for a range of purposes • Identify how texts differ in purpose, structure and layout • Identify how language, structure and presentation contribute to meaning Focus Content Domain(s): 2b retrieve and record information and identify key details from nonfiction. 2d: Make inferences from the text/explain and justify inferences with evidence from the text Step 1: READ Read to Children 12 mins Activate prior knowledge: Show children the pictures from pp.58&59. Ask the children what the images show about the relationship between whales and people. Explain that on this double page, these images are used instead of subheadings to help orientate the reader. Share Anchor Question(s): Explicitly and refer to this throughout the lesson. Vocabulary: Discuss and explain these in the context of where they are located within the text and refer to Lesson 4: Vocabulary sheet. Explore & respond: Read Lesson 4: Teacher Model/Children Practise, pausing after each section to ask children whether it describes a positive or negative effect on whales. Teacher to model using Stress to make it clear whether it is a positive or negative. Teacher read: ‘In other parts of the world, people and dolphins have learned to work together to catch fish.’ ‘…whale had been hunted until they were nearly all gone.’ Fluency: Choral Read - focusing on using Stress as modelled above. Step 2: MODEL Model to Children 5 mins Explicitly Model Strategies & Skills: Refer to the Anchor Questions. Model reading the paragraph, ‘In the far northern…’ Teacher Talks: People eat whale meat and use their bones to make tools and houses. The negative effect on whales is that too many of them will be killed for these uses so they could become endangered. Reference the text: Circle words and phrases to answer part of the Anchor question - negative effects in this case - ‘provide meat’, ‘bones’ and ‘tools’. Also model how to record this onto the Lesson 4: Teacher Model Activity. Step 3: PRACTISE Children Practise 8 mins Children Explore & Discuss: Children to examine the rest of Lesson 4: Teacher Model/Children Practise and read in pairs. One copy of the text between two encourages collaborative working and discussion. Practise Taught Strategies & Skills: Children to circle key words and phrases to continue to answer Anchor question A– see Lesson 4: Children Practise Activity, looking for both negative and positive effects. If the children are struggling, consider ‘dolphins herd the fish toward the fishermen’s nets before they feast on the leftovers.’ ‘whale blubber was made into oil to fuel lamps’, ‘long, flexible strips of baleen were used as bones to stiffen and shape women’s clothes.’ ‘too many whales were killed.’, ‘boats with powerful harpoons were used to catch more and more whales.’, ‘hunted until they were all gone.’ ‘banned most whale hunting.’ ‘people love to spend their time watching whales.’ Step 4: APPLY Children Apply 10 mins Evidence Anchor Question(s): Children to complete the Lesson 4: Children Apply Activity Verbal & Written Responses: As a class, share children’s answers for negative and positive. Refer to Anchor Question B) Ask children to Infer whether they think whales are treated better now or in the past. Encourage children to Reference the text to justify their answer. Feedback on Learning: Use assessment for learning to inform feedback to the children. This may include: • use of the strategies taught i.e. Stress, Find Read Talk, Infer, Reference the text • responses to the Anchor Questions

Before pupils do independent work, give them one strategy they should use before asking you for help with tackling the content of the task, e.g. refer to the example on the board.

Overview

This 45-minute lesson engages Year 4 students in developing reading comprehension skills through non-fiction text related to whales and their interactions with humans, following the Steps to Read scheme (Year 4, Lesson 4). The lesson supports objectives from the National Curriculum for England's English Programme of Study for Year 4, focusing on information retrieval, inference, and understanding text structure.

National Curriculum Links

English – Reading (Year 4)

Retrieve and record information and identify key details from non-fiction texts (Reading Domain 2b)
Make inferences from the text, explaining and justifying with evidence (2d)
Read books structured in different ways for a range of purposes
Identify how language, structure, and presentation contribute to meaning

Spoken Language

Consider and evaluate different viewpoints, attend to and build on others’ ideas (linked to paired work/discussion)

Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, pupils will be able to:

Confidently retrieve key information from a non-fiction text independently.
Make inferences about whales’ treatment over time, justifying points with evidence.
Identify and use domain-specific vocabulary related to whales.
Explain how text features and layout aid comprehension.
Use spoken language skills to discuss and clarify understanding with peers.

Success Criteria

I can:

Find and underline key words or phrases that show positive and negative effects on whales.
Use evidence from the text to answer questions clearly.
Explain whether whales are treated better now or in the past and give reasons.
Use new vocabulary like herd, harpoons, blubber, and baleen correctly.
Read aloud calmly and with expression, showing where the text means something positive or negative.

Resources Needed

Steps to Read Year 4, Lesson 4 text, pages 58-59 (non-fiction extract about whales)
Vocabulary sheet (herd, harpoons, blubber, baleen)
Teacher Model Activity sheet (annotated text extract)
Children Practise Activity sheet (text copies for pairs)
Children Apply Activity sheet (short comprehension and inference tasks)
Whiteboard and markers
Highlighters or coloured pencils
Visuals: Pictures from pages 58 & 59, showing whales and people interactions

Lesson Structure

Step 1: Read & Engage (12 minutes)

Activate prior knowledge & visual literacy

Show children the pictures from pages 58 & 59.
Ask: What do these images tell us about the relationship between people and whales?
Explain images are used for orientation instead of subheadings, teaching layout awareness.

Share Anchor Questions:

A) What positive and negative effects have people’s actions had on whales?
B) Can you infer whether whales are treated better now or in the past?

Vocabulary:

Introduce and explore: herd, harpoons, blubber, baleen.
Discuss vocabulary in context (where it appears in text).

Read the text aloud with choral reading:

Teacher reads Lesson 4 text modelling stress to show positive (e.g., dolphins help fishermen) and negative effects (e.g., hunted nearly to extinction).
Pupils choral read, focusing on using the same stress and expression.

Step 2: Model (5 minutes)

Teacher models reading and annotation:

Reread paragraph: “In the far northern…”
Think aloud: What are the negative effects here? (People eating meat, using bones for tools, risking endangerment.)
Show how to circle key phrases: "provide meat," "bones," "tools."
Model recording evidence on Teacher Model Activity sheet.

Step 3: Practise in Pairs (8 minutes)

Pupils pair up with one text between them.
Task: Read the text together, underline/circle positive and negative effects using keywords and phrases.
Encourage discussion; prompt if stuck using given examples like:
- “dolphins herd the fish toward the fishermen’s nets” (positive)
- “too many whales were killed” (negative)
Use vocabulary actively in discussions.
Teacher circulates, giving support and prompting use of strategies: Stress, Find Read Talk, Infer.

Step 4: Apply & Discuss (10 minutes)

Individual written task: Answer Anchor Question A using evidence (Lesson 4: Children Apply Activity).
Verbal sharing: Collect answers on whiteboard, sorting positives and negatives.
Anchor Question B: Guide children to infer if whales are treated better now or in the past based on their evidence.
Encourage referencing text explicitly to justify opinions.
Model one high-quality example as a class.

Assessment & Feedback

Use observation during paired work and class discussion for formative assessment.
Check written responses for quality of evidence and inference.
Provide immediate oral feedback emphasising successful use of retrieval and inference strategies.
Praise use of vocabulary and oral reasoning.

Classroom Management & Differentiation

Struggling readers: Work with a teaching assistant or be paired with a stronger reader. Simplify by focusing on fewer paragraphs.
Higher attainers: Challenge to identify subtle language features contributing to meaning (e.g., connotations of “banned” vs “hunted”).
Use of ‘one strategy before help’ rule: Pupils encouraged to first re-read, refer to vocabulary sheet, or discuss with partner before seeking teacher support.

Wow Factor & Cross-Curricular Ideas

Drama extension: Role-play a conversation between a whale and a fisherman using vocabulary and opinions from the lesson.
Science tie-in: Brief talk about how whale blubber and baleen function biologically, linking English to Science.
Art integration: Drawing or collage of whales incorporating facts learnt, to deepen engagement and retention.

Reflection for Teachers

Did pupils justify their inferences with clear text evidence?
Were the vocabulary words integrated smoothly into discussion and writing?
Did the use of stress in reading support understanding of positive and negative effects?
What adjustments may be needed for next lesson based on pupil responses?

This lesson plan emphasises purposeful reading, critical thinking, and vocabulary acquisition within a structured yet engaging sequence, firmly rooted in the National Curriculum's expectations for Year 4 English.

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Teaching Instructions