Prediction Activities

Making predictions does not come naturally to all of us but it is a necessary step to becoming a good and successful reader. To be able to predict means being able to use cause and effect and cognitive thinking skills.

When I was teaching middle school I would incorporate predictions into every reading log and students would predict at the end of each chapter or reading session, even if it was as simple as “the girl will go into the house”.

Another activity you can do is make predictions on what will happen in the story based just upon the title. This best works with an entire class.

The final activity that I loved to use is to make predictions as we were reading as an entire class. I would make a t-chart on the board for the class with predictions on the left and evidence on the right. Before we began reading I would ask students what their predictions for the chapter were. As we were reading students would add evidence that proved their predictions came true or evidence their predictions were disproved.

In sum, predictions work well to make students think about what they are reading. Active thinking and active reading make active learners.