They predict what their teammates will say if they score the winning points. When they smell something good they predict that the lunchroom is serving rolls. Predictions are based on information that people already have. Your students will be able to use information they already have to predict what is likely to happen next in a story.
Predictions Lesson Plan Objectives:
- Students will use prior knowledge to guess what someone else is about to do.
- Students will make predictions about what is likely to happen in a story.
- Students will revise predictions when they get new evidence.
- Students will write and trade stories to make predictions.
Materials
A story or trade book, preferably one that students haven’t read
- paper
- pencils
- chart paper or dry erase board
- markers
Using Prior Knowledge to Make Predictions
Hold up a glass of water and a bottle of food coloring. Ask the students what will happen if you put a drop of blue coloring in the glass. When someone guesses that the water will turn blue, tell the class that the student guessed, or made a prediction. His guess was based on something that he already knew.
Pick up a book, and without letting students see the cover explain that predictions are guesses about what will happen next in an action or book or other reading material. Show the cover and ask them to look at it and guess what the book is about. Ask each child who guesses why they made that prediction.
Begin reading the story, stopping at the end of the first page to ask what students think will happen next. Ask them to tell why they gave that answer.
Continue reading, stopping at the end of pages or chapters to ask the students to make predictions and tell what they based their predictions on. At the end of the story, discuss the children’s predictions. Ask if they changed their predictions after they got more evidence. Let them take turns telling which predictions were correct and how they knew.
Tell them that they can make predictions about what they are reading by using clues like the name of the book, pictures, the author, the kind of book they are reading, and what they already know.
Making Predictions from Student Writing
Form random groups of four. Ask groups to work together to write a story titled “The Day I Had to Be the Teacher.” When the groups have finished, ask one group to share and let the other students make predictions about what will happen in the story. Continue until all groups have shared.
Assessment
Teacher observation of students’ participation in class and group activities, noting students’ ability to make predictions, give a basis for predictions, and revise predictions as needed.
The ability to make predictions, justify them, and revise them when new evidence appears is a skill that students need to succeed in all subjects that require reading and writing. Reading aloud to students and asking for predictions backed up by evidence and revisions when needed helps them become strong readers and writers.
