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Making a prediction means guessing what will happen next in a reading. However,
predictions are much more than just random guesses. To make a prediction, you will
need to recall facts, make inferences, and draw conclusions. Practicing these skills—as
you make predictions—will help you more fully understand what you read.
Thinking Ahead:
Another term for making predictions is guessing or thinking ahead.
Thinking ahead and guessing are different ways of saying “make a
prediction.” Making predictions will give you ideas to think about as
you read. The reading will confirm some of your predictions (tell you
that you’re right) and will correct some of your mistaken predictions.
background knowledge.
Based on this evidence, what do you think the book will be about? What evidence did you use
to make this prediction?
Step 3: Find Evidence
Here’s an example of a prediction you might make before opening the book. This prediction is
based on the title and the bear’s scary shadow in the illustration.
Prediction: A little mouse has to give a red strawberry to a big, hungry bear.
Evidence: The title and the bear’s scary shadow.
Step 4: Read the material
After making predictions, it’s time to read the material. As you read, you will gather
information about your original ideas. When you finish reading, you will use that information
to confirm or correct your predictions. If the information you found in the reading is the same
as your prediction, your prediction is confirmed. If you need to make changes to your
Read
Gather Information
Confirm or Correct Predictions
Step 5: Confirm or Correct
Example
If you read this book, you would learn that the story is actually about the way the little mouse
keeps the strawberry safe from the bear. So, by reading the book, you could adjust your
prediction to make it more accurate.
Prediction:
Evidence:
The title and the bear’s scary shadow.
Correction:
A little mouse saves a strawberry from the big, hungry bear.
Step 5: Confirm or Correct
Making predictions is important at the beginning and in the middle of a reading. In the middle
of this book, we learn that there is only one way to keep a red, ripe strawberry safe from the big,
hungry bear. Use your background knowledge (what you already know) to make a prediction:
1. Preview
2. Make a Prediction
3. Find Evidence
4. Read the Material (complete the assignments)
5. Confirm or Correct
Practice Activity
Use this lesson to practice making predictions. Look at Lesson 4 in GS 120L in I-Learn to
preview the lesson title, subtitles, bold words, and illustrations (if any) of the assignments
posted. Guess what the unit will be about. Find evidence that helped you make your prediction.
Step 1: Preview
Step 2: Make a Prediction
Step 3: Find Evidence
for information that will help you to confirm or correct your prediction.
Step 5. Confirm or Correct (only after you have completed all of Lesson 4)
Review: Making Predictions
Remember, making predictions is important before and during reading. Making predictions
will help you understand and remember more than if you read without making predictions.
1. Preview
2. Make a prediction
3. Find Evidence
4. Read the material
5. Confirm or Correct