Making Predictions About a Story

Making predictions about a story. A prediction is the best guess about the future. Making predictions will help you better understand what you've read. Let's practise making predictions about Ari and Zayd! Before reading a text, look at its title, any pictures and other text features. Here we have the title, 'Camping Disaster', and an illustration showing a tent set up with lightning and storm clouds in the background. So far we can predict that Ari and Zayd are camping and something goes wrong. A good prediction should match what you already know about the story. To make good predictions, pay attention to these clues: how the characters and events are described, how they think and feel, what they say and do, what the author or narrator says will happen and what the story is about. When you make predictions, you will not always be right so use that information to make, correct, or confirm your predictions as you read. Ari and Zayd just set up their campsite. Just as they were starting to cook, a gust of wind burst through the camp. Dark clouds covered the moon, and lightning cracked through the sky. "This way, Ari, quickly! We can't be out here while there's lightning!" Zayd exclaimed. What do you predict will happen next? Will Ari and Zayd stay put, go to find shelter, or sleep in the tent? Since the events in this story are: wind blowing, dark clouds forming and lightning happening, and because Zayd asks Ari to follow him quickly, we can predict that they will go to find shelter. Let's make another prediction. Here, we don't have a title but there is an illustration of a narwhal and Zayd and Ari on a boat. So far, we can predict that Ari and Zayd might see the narwhal from their boat, but let's read to make a better prediction that includes more detail. Ari and Zayd are exploring. Ari turned when they heard a splash in the water, and their heart fluttered. "Zayd look! A narwhal! It's coming closer!" Ari chortled. "I hope it doesn't get too close; that horn looks sharp," Zayd thought. What do you predict will happen next? Will they see dolphins, jump in the water, or will the narwhal poke a hole in the boat? Since the story doesn't say anything about dolphins, this is not a good prediction. It is possible that they may jump in the water, but Ari says the narwhal is coming straight towards them, and Zayd thought about how sharp its horn looks so the narwhal poking a hole in their boat is the best prediction. Before we see what Zayd and Ari do about their sinking boat, let's summarise! Remember, a prediction is the best guess about the future. Making predictions will help you better understand what you've read. Before reading a text, look at its title, any pictures and other text features. Use clues such as characters and events, thoughts and feelings, dialogue and actions, author's descriptions and the story topic to make predictions! Your prediction won't always be correct, so use that information to make, correct, or confirm your predictions as you read. "Ari, what do we do, I can't swim!" "Um, Zayd, the beach is right there."