Learning about Making Predictions

Caitlin Vandeveer
3rd Grade, Library Class

Common Core Standards:

RL.3.1 Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the
basis for the answers.

Lesson Summary:

Students will learn how to (or become aware of how they) use predictions to enhance their reading experience.

In the first lesson, I will explain how predicting is the process of using what we know to formulate what is not
yet revealed. I will read the class a few riddles to warm up. Then I will have the class play a “detective game”
which will just be a scavenger hunt of clues (as QR codes) hidden around the classroom. We will have a class
discussion about how the games and riddles related to making predictions, and students will give examples of
predictions they’ve made from popular books or movies. I’ll read the first half of a story, after which students
will post predictions up on a board. The class will end with a worksheet.

The second lesson will begin with reviewing the story and predictions from the day before, and then finishing
the reading. We will take a look at the evidence that led to the outcome and see if any of our predictions were
accurate. After this, we will play a game of charades, which utilizes the students observational and guessing
skills in a similar way as predictions. The students will finish yesterday’s handout if they haven’t yet, and they
will partner up for the second handout. Remaining class time can be spent with an online detective game, or
the student can opt to read independently and put their predicting power into practice.

Estimated Duration:

The class will be two 50-minute class periods.

Class 1:
10 min: introduction and riddles

15 min: detective game scavenger for QR codes

10 min: class discussion summarizing how it relates. Students will give examples of times they may have made
predictions when reading a book or watching a movie, and the evidence that led them to those predictions.

10 min: I will read the first half of a short story. Students will make predictions on their tablet that will show
up on the smartboard
5 min: Students can do a handout matching scenarios and predictions if they have time after their prediction

Class 2:

15 minutes: After reviewing the previous days predictions, I will finish the story. We will see how our
predictions lined up or not, and look back in the text for evidence that foreshadowed the outcome

15 minutes: We will play a game of charades (utilizes observation-based guessing, prediction-making skills)

5-10 min: we will begin with a second handout of scenarios (students can start or complete the one from the
previous day as well)

10-15 min: the class can choose to read independently or play online game

Commentary: My approach is to keep the student’s interest by incorporating fun activities, and not doing a
single one for too long. I believe that the guessing, ‘detective-like’ aspect of predicting makes it an appealing
and fun subject for a lesson. The students should be excited to play the games each day. Starting a story that
the students won’t know the ending to right away gives it a chance to percolate in their minds, and is intended
to keep them intrigued. If students are demonstrating challenging behaviors I can address it by having them do
something else separately, or by making the expectations and consequences clear from the beginning. I can
have an Agenda spelled out on the board so the students who like to know what to expect can have that
information. I also can have a behavior-reward system in place so that proper behavior is recognized.

Instructional Procedures:

10 min: I will define what predictions are and how we use them. I will start with riddles to engage the class,
and show how we make assumptions based off the information provided, similar to how we use the context in
books to predict what will happen next.

15 min: Students will be divided into groups. They will have a beginning clue on their tablet that will lead
them to the next one, and on and on, around the classroom. The clues in the class will be QR codes that they
will scan.

10 min: class discussion summarizing how it relates. Students will give examples of times they may have made
predictions when reading a book or watching a movie, and the evidence that led them to those predictions.

10 min: I will read the first half of a short story. Students will make predictions on their tablets that will show
up on the smart board.

5 min: Students can do a handout matching scenarios and predictions if they have time after their prediction
Day 2:

15 minutes: After reviewing the previous days predictions, I will finish the story. We will see how our
predictions lined up or not, and look back in the text for evidence that foreshadowed the outcome

15 minutes: We will play a game of charades (utilizes observation-based guessing, prediction-making skills).
Each student will have an opportunity, and we will have a timer to keep things moving along.

5-10 min: We will begin with a second handout of scenarios (students can start or complete the one from the
previous day as well). The second handout, rather than matching, is an empty box where students right in their
predictions to the scenarios described. The last one is open for them to make up their own scenario. They will
trade with a partner to fill in the prediction.

10-15 min: the class can choose to read independently or play online game on the computers. The online game
can be found here: https://wosu.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/psu11la.reading.brrdet/blue-ribbon-readers-the-
detectives-notebook-game/

Pre-Assessment:
The ability of the students to complete the Day 1 activities will show me how they are doing with the concept
of predictions.

Scoring Guidelines:
If a student participates in the class discussion about predictions they have made, that will show me
they understand the concept. The predictions the students make based on the reading will also reveal
their comprehension. The worksheet will show their understanding, as well.

Post-Assessment:
Participation in the Day 2 activities will show how they have mastered making predictions.

Scoring Guidelines:
Discussion of the result of the story will show how comfortable the student is with the concept. The
worksheets can be graded once turned in. If a logical prediction follows the scenarios in the handout,
then the student shows they’ve mastered the lesson.

Differentiated Instructional Support

Describe how instruction can be differentiated (changed or altered) to meet the needs of gifted or accelerated
students: The students who understand well may finish the worksheets sooner, and these are handed out in a
way that they wouldn’t have to wait for their classmates to finish, but could move on to the next activity. If
they desired to put their ‘predicting power’ to practice by reading independently, they have that option (once
the class activities are finished).

Discuss additional activities you could do to meet the needs of students who might be struggling with the
material: If students are struggling, they can partner up for the second worksheet a bit sooner to get ideas of
how to answer the scenario questions. It’s a pretty straightforward concept, so if the student had questions I
should be able to help them come to an understanding.

Extension
https://www.quia.com/rr/828922.html This is a multiple choice game with given scenarios and students pick
the predictions that make the most sense, similar to the handout, just additional and more interactive practice.

Homework Options and Home Connections

Rather than assigning homework, I would encourage that students choose a small chapter book and make a list
of predictions while they read, for each chapter. For the following chapter, see which predictions were
addressed, and cross those out, and make new predictions for that chapter – and so on. Or perhaps to watch a
movie with their family that they haven’t seen, and have their parents pause it so they can talk about
predictions.

Interdisciplinary Connections
Prediction-making is a critical thinking skill that can actually be used for math. It’s similar to deductive
reasoning. Students can apply the thinking they use when they make predictions to solve math problems,
because math is all about calculating a result based on limited information, just like predicting. So students
doing “story problems” for math may feel more comfortable doing it because they’ve learned to hone in on the
skills of accounting for information in language arts. For example, Jan has twice the number of cookies as
Kent. Kent has 2 more than Aaron. Aaron has 2 cookies. The students can focus on that chain of events and
come up with a conclusion. Predicting could be considered a looser form of solving.
The second content area would be history because students reflect on what has happened versus what’s going
to happen, and history is all about learning from the past to be prepared to make a better future. The student
could apply the prediction skill in their history lessons to think deeper about the context of the time they are
learning about and the direction it is headed; what events would have to occur to lead to the present time; and
what events may occur from here on out.
It can also be used in science to make inferences based on observation and data.

Materials and Resources:

For teachers Smartboard

 For students QR code -reading device (tablet), computer

Key Vocabulary
Foreshadowing, observation, evidence, prediction

Additional Notes