Making predictions is an important skill for students to develop and can lead to increased comprehension and engagement with reading materials. Predicting also helps to improve critical thinking and problem-solving abilities. There are many activities that teachers can use to teach students how to make effective predictions.
1. Picture Prompts
Using a picture as a prompt, students can make predictions about what is happening in the picture. This activity can be done in groups or individually. Students can share their predictions and support their reasoning with the details they see in the picture.
2. Read Alouds
During read alouds, teachers can pause at strategic times and ask students to predict what might happen next. This can be done through think-pair-share or whole class discussion. Students can also draw or write their predictions in a notebook.
3. Mystery Bag
Fill a bag with objects and ask students to predict what they think is inside. Students can use descriptive words and details to support their predictions. After predictions are made, reveal the actual contents of the bag and discuss how accurate the predictions were.
4. Character Studies
Students can make predictions about a character’s behavior or actions based on the information provided in a story. As a class, discussion prompts and guiding questions can be provided to help students make predictions.
5. Text Features
Text features like headings, subheadings, and pictures provide valuable clues that students can use to make predictions about the content of a text. Teachers can model how to use these features to make predictions and then guide students to do the same.
6. Sequencing
Students can use sequencing activities to make predictions about story events. Teachers can provide a series of events or pictures and ask students to sequence them in order. From this, students can predict what they think will happen next.
7. Story Starters
Write a story starter and ask students to complete the story by making predictions about what happens next. This activity can be done individually or as a group. Students can then share their predictions and reasoning for why they predicted the story would continue in that way.
Overall, making predictions is a critical skill for students to develop. By using these activities, teachers can create engaging and interactive opportunities for students to practice making predictions. These activities not only support the development of this skill but also improve comprehension, critical thinking, and problem-solving abilities.
