Making Predictions Activity: My Father's Dragon

My Father's Dragon Predictions

Activity Overview

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.

Lesson Plan Reference

Grade Level 2-3

Difficulty Level 3 (Developing to Mastery)

Type of Assignment Individual or Partner

Common Core Standards

[ELA-Literacy/RL/2/1] Ask and answer such questions as who, what, where, when, why, and how to demonstrate understanding of key details in a text.
[ELA-Literacy/RL/3/1] Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers.

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Rubric

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Make a Prediction

Create a storyboard that shows a prediction of what might happen later in the story. Be sure to carefully consider context and character traits.

	Advanced	Proficient	Emerging
Prediction	Student made a very reasonable prediction based on known context and inferencing.	Student made a prediction, but it lacks strong connection to known context.	Student made a prediction based on nothing in particular.
Creativity	The student demonstrated high levels of creativity. The student clearly made references back to the text using humor, wit, or other artistic means.	The student used some creativity throughout their storyboard. The student included subtle originality that showed understanding.	The student did not use much creativity.
English Conventions	There are no errors in spelling, grammar, or mechanics throughout the storyboard. All writing portions reflect careful proofreading.	There are a few errors in spelling, grammar, and mechanics throughout the storyboard. All writing portions show some proofreading.	There are several errors in spelling, grammar, and mechanics throughout the storyboard. Most writing portions do not reflect proofreading.