Making predictions in reading is more than just taking a wild guess! It is about using the clues the author gives us and our prior knowledge to form a well-educated guess – which is the part that our students usually stumble with. Use these prediction task cards to practice extracting the relevant information from the text and pulling the correct prior knowledge to form a plausible prediction!

Print out the resource on cardstock and cut out the task cards along the dotted lines. Store in a resealable bag to be used over and over, year after year! A student recording sheet is also included in the download.

Ways to Use These Task Cards in the Classroom:

• Use this resource as a reading center activity by punching a hole in the corner of each task card and placing them on a binder ring. This helps to keep the cards together and there is just something about flipping to the next card when it is on a ring. Students love it!
• Why not have a whole-class scavenger hunt in your classroom? Print off 2 copies of the task cards and cut them out. Hide the 20 task cards around the room when your students are out of the room. Hand each student a recording sheet and set them loose! As soon as they find a card, they answer it on their recording sheet, leave it in the same spot they found it, and then set off to find the others. NOTE: You may want to make a rule of only 1 student at a card at one time. If not, things could get a little crazy! 🤪
• Looking for a more interactive way to use this resource? Why not hang them up around the room and have your students complete a gallery walk. Pair students up and hand each group a recording sheet. Assign a task card to each group and have them rotate around until they have completed each one. Another way to play is to ditch the recording sheet and have them walk around with sticky notes leaving behind their predictions. If they agree with a prediction made by a group in front of them, they can leave behind a sticky note providing evidence from the text or prior knowledge that supports the prediction.
• Why not use this resource with your guided small groups? Choose a task card to read out loud to your students. Then, discuss the content together and have them answer the following 3 questions:
  • What do you predict will happen next in the text?
  • What information from the text helped you make this prediction?
  • How did your prior knowledge help you make this prediction?

This resource was created by Jennifer Hall, a teacher in North Carolina and a Teach Starter Collaborator.