In today’s post I’m sharing a lesson and free printable that will show you how to teach predicting with picture books.
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Have you been following along with the blog series I’m doing with This Reading Mama? We’re sharing specific ways to teach reading comprehension strategies with picture books.
Today I’m sharing a lesson about predicting.
How to teach predicting with picture books
Step 1
Choose a picture book that lends itself well to predicting. Here are a few favorites:
- Duck on a Bike, by David Shannon
- Chester’s Way, by Kevin Henkes
- Doctor DeSoto, by William Steig
- Ruby the Copycat, by Peggy Rathmann
- Hungry Hen, by Richard Waring
- Enemy Pie, by Derek Munson
Step 2
Read through the book and use sticky notes to note places to stop and predict.
I added five sticky notes to our book, Enemy Pie, by Derek Munson. Each time I chose a spot that lends itself naturally to a “what do you think will happen next?” moment. I also chose places in which my son could use what he already knew as he predicted what would happen next.
In other words, I wanted to give him places where they could make educated predictions – not a shot in the dark.
Step 3
Read the book to your learners. Stop at each sticky note to ask what will happen next.
Step 4
After your learners offer a prediction, write it on a sticky note. Then place it on the printable in the left column.
After the opening page, we get a clue that the narrator’s summer isn’t off to a great start. Why might that be? What will happen to make it a not-so-great summer? Using the title, Enemy Pie, as a clue, we predicted that he would make an enemy.
Step 5
Keep reading. If a prediction is confirmed, move the sticky note to the right side of the printable.
Right away on the next page, we learned that our prediction was correct. We moved it to the right side of the page.
Step 6
If the prediction is proven untrue, leave it where it is.
When I began this activity with my Six (who is just finishing up kindergarten), he groaned. He loves to be read to, but doesn’t appreciate it when I insert a learning activity.
However, after the first sticky note, he was hooked! Reading on to find out if our predictions were correct kept him thoroughly engaged. He also worked hard to make an educated prediction – because he wanted to see those sticky notes move to the right side!
When to use the printable
- Use the printable when teaching one-on-one or in small groups. Simply put it on a clipboard and hold it up so your learners can see it.
- If you’re teaching the whole class, write your own version of the chart on chart paper or on a large screen or board.
- Eventually, after much teacher modeling and guided practice, have your learners use the printable on their own during independent reading.
More tips for teaching predicting
- Explain that making predictions is like being a detective. Predictions aren’t wild guesses; readers use clues in the text as they make their predictions.
- Make a list of stems on a chart for students who need help getting started:
- I think …
- I wonder …
- I bet …
- I suppose …
- I’m guessing …
- I think the character will _____ because …
- Since _____ happened, I think that _______ will happen.
Get your free sticky note predictions!
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Paula
I wanted to thank you for all of the wonderful learning games and ideas you share. My 6 just completed kindergarten and she just barely passed. She started the year only knowing the letter o and to count to 10 and she made slow work of learning and understanding letters and their sounds. Her teacher actually told me she was being retained. However throughout the year her and I worked very hard together doing extra work and playing lots of your games. The LAST day of school they called and said they decided to pass her. I honestly don’t think it would have been possible if I hadn’t found your site with all its incredible learning ideas and games. Keep doing the great work! I’m very excited about the recent posts with teaching predicting through picture books now that my daughter is reading the next step step is comprehension understand what either I read or she reads to herself! Once again thank you so much for sharing all your wonderful educational tools!
Anna G
This is wonderful to hear, Paula! I love how proactive you’ve been in working with your daughter. I’m so glad she’s doing so well!
Sylvia Cartwright
I am a retired SEN teacher specialising in Dyslexia. I am tying to teach my 6 year old granddaughter to read English as she is taught through the medium of Welsh. I am very impressed with your phonic worksheets and books. Leah’s short term visual and auditory memories are very weak so I am always looking for different ways of repetition to make the lessons interesting. So thank you so much for the printables I have used so far.
Anna G
You’re very welcome, Sylvia!