Internet Academy Resources

Predicting

Predicting makes reading a book even more exciting. After predicting what you think might happen, you will be eager to see how your predictions are similar to and different from the story written by the author. Let’s find out about prediction!

What is Predicting?

It is like a GUESS about what is going to happen in the story. Except it’s better than a guess because you get to use your brain and your past experience. Predicting is SMART guessing!

How will making predictions help me in my reading?

Predicting makes you an important part of the story. It draws you into the story to see what will happen and that makes your brain very active while you read. It also helps you understand the story because you have used what you already know (your prior knowledge) to make predictions.

Here’s how:

1. Gather these materials: paper, pencil/pen/markers, and of course, have your computer handy.
2. Choose a book, chapter from a book, or article you need to read for one of your classes.
3. Now, look at the title, any pictures, and any captions.
4. Brainstorm ideas about what the story might be about.
   • What does the title tell you?
   • Where does the story take place?
   • Who are the characters?
   • Is it in the future, the past, or the present?
   • It is a real story, or something like a fairy-tale or fantasy?
   • Can you tell how the characters are feeling? (happy, sad, scared, confused, strong, excited, etc.)
   • What do you think will happen in this story?
5. There’s one more place to check. Read the first paragraph.
6. Does the first paragraph change your prediction?
7. Using the beginning of the story, and all the clues you found in the picture and the title, write up a prediction for the story.

Here is an example of how you might start your prediction writing:

The title of the story I am going to read is: __________. It was written by _________. From the title of the story, I predict that ___________ because ______________.

The picture that goes with the story made me think about what might happen. I thought that __________because ______________.

When I read the first paragraph, I figured out more about the story. I think what’s going to happen is _______because ___________.

• Now the best part! Read the story and see how the author told the story.
• Did you know that you can use this skill in your independent reading too? Give it a try.