# Teacher Guide & Answer Key — Lesson 1.1: Making Inferences

> Designed so **any facilitator — including a substitute with no ELA background — can teach this lesson.** Play the video, follow the steps, use the answer key below.

## What to say (facilitator script cues)
- **Opening:** "Today we're reading detectives. Detectives use clues. So do good readers."
- **After the video:** "An inference is a smart guess from clues PLUS what you already know. And we always back it up with evidence."
- **During practice:** Every time a student shares, ask: **"What's your evidence?"**

## Answer Key

### Guided Practice (fill-in)
1. proud / happy / excited
2. quiet / careful
3. prior knowledge

### Comprehension Quiz
1. (b) a smart guess from clues and what you know
2. (c) cold
3. (a) evidence from the text

### Annotation passage — likely clue words
"gripped," "tightly," "stared at the floor," "slow, shaky breath" → infer the student feels **nervous / anxious**.

### "The Locked Door" (Student Handout) — sample inferences
- Clue: "dust on the handle" → Inference: the room hasn't been used in a long time.
- Clue: "a single fresh footprint" → Inference: someone was just there.
- Clue: "the key was warm" → Inference: someone held it recently.

## Common Misconceptions
- Inference ≠ wild guess — evidence is required.
- Watch for "over-inferring" beyond what clues support.

## Pacing
Video + mini-lesson (15) · guided + interactive (20) · independent + exit ticket (15).

## Substitute Quick-Start
1. Open the lesson page; press ▶ Play on the video.
2. Have students complete the on-screen quiz and annotation.
3. Distribute the Student Handout; collect the exit ticket.
4. No grading required today — collect work for the regular teacher.