Making Predictions in My Father's Dragon

During this read-aloud, students are going to have many predictions or inferences, on what they think is going to happen next. A great idea for a storyboard is to have students illustrate their predictions. Plan on specific stopping points while reading, and have your students predict what will happen. They will illustrate their prediction in a storyboard cell and use evidence from the text or prior knowledge to back up their prediction.

The main focus for the storyboard example below was to predict what Elmer will use from his knapsack. The story lists exactly what Elmer brought with him on his trip:

• gum
• toothbrush and toothpaste
• a comb / hairbrush
• 6 magnifying glasses
• 2 dozen pink lollipops
• rubber bands
• jackknife
• hair ribbons
• grain sack with the word cranberry

Using this knowledge, and the narrative about the specific animal, one can predict what they think he will use and how he will use it to escape.

What do you predict Elmer will use from his bag to help him escape from the animal?

Rhino

When Elmer meets the Rhino for the first time, the Rhino is weeping because his tusk is now yellow instead of white

"When I was a young rhinoceros, my tusk was pearly white, but it has turned a nasty yellow-gray in my old age, and I find it very ugly.”

Prediction

I know Elmer packed a tooth brush and paste, I think he is going to give it to the Rhino to help him clean his tusk.

Lion

Elmer runs into a lion who is yelling and angry because he has blackberry twigs stuck in his hair.

"A lion was prancing about clawing at his mane, which was snarled and full of blackberry twigs.”

Prediction

I think Elmer will use the brush or the comb to help the lion brush his mane.