Before Reading
Gather Information
Read the Prereading page carefully. Preview the selection by examining the title and any artwork in the selection. Using the information you have gathered, make one or more preliminary predictions about the selection.
During Reading
Make Predictions
1. Listen as your teacher reads the first three paragraphs. Did anything in the opening paragraphs fit your previous prediction? Did anything make you change your ideas? What do you think will happen next? Write down your new predictions in your notebook.
2. Read the rest of the story on your own. Stop occasionally to assess your predictions, make new predictions, and write them in your notebook.
Fix-Up Idea: Unlock Difficult Words
If you are struggling with the vocabulary in the selection, read through the story once trying to get the main ideas without worrying about the meaning of every word. Then go back and reread. Write words you do not know in your notebook. Use context clues to help you figure out the meaning. If that doesn't work, try to use word parts, like prefixes and word roots, to help you figure out the meaning. Use a dictionary if you are still unsure of the meaning. Write the definition in your word study notebook.
After Reading
Analyze and Verify Predictions
Go through your list of predictions. Put a star next to every prediction that you were right about. Put a check next to every prediction where you changed your ideas from a previous prediction. Share your predictions with a partner. Talk about what clues in the story led you to make the predictions.