Context/sentence clues can help readers figure out the meaning of a word or words they don’t know in a story. These clues can help bring meaning to the entire passage and enable students to make predictions about what might happen next. Predicting is a very important strategy. When we ask students to “Think about the story,” or share what “This reminds me of,” we are also asking them to make predictions before they read and as they read. As teachers and students navigate the journey into the Common Core curriculum, this activity will help students make meaning and provide the necessary text evidence.

Activity: Newspaper Cover-Up

Students can use book covers to help predict what might happen in a story.

1. Using paper clips, cover the front of a Big Book with newspaper.

2. Explain to them the importance of looking at a cover as a way to help predict what a story might be about.

3. Tear off small pieces of the newspaper one at a time, pausing after each tear to invite students to predict what they think the story will be about.

This activity helps students “put the pieces together” by making predictions based on each new tear as well as what previous tears revealed.

Find more strategies to reinforce and support students' reading comprehension in The Apron Ladies' books Become a Good Reader: Six Simple Steps and Ready-to-Go Comprehension: Easy Activities for Early Readers.