Prediction Using On-Line Stories!

Designed by:  Ashley Norton,  Rosewood Elementary

Grade Level: 4     Subject: Language Arts

1) Core Curriculum Objective: Make, confirm, and revise predictions based upon analysis of title, pictures, subtitles and other available information.  (4-CM-3)

2) Focus Question:  How do you analyze a story's title, pictures, and other available information to predict what the story will be about?

3) Overview:  Students will work with a partner to choose an on-line story.  The students will look at the story's title, pictures, and other available information to predict what the story is going to be about.  Students will discuss and write their responses to the following questions on a chart:  (1) What do I think the story will be about?  
(2) What clues do I observe to help me know this?   Next, students will read the on-line story and answer the following question on a chart:  How was my prediction similar/different from the actual story?  Students will be given the opportunity to revise their predictions before presenting the information to their classmates.  Students and teachers will use a checklist to peer evaluate each group's assignment. 

4) Resources:

Computer with internet access

LC Projector

Overhead Screen

Pencils

Copies of the culminating assessment for each student

Some suggested sites include:

http://www.afroam.org/children/myths/myths.html

http://www.acs.ucalgary.ca/~dkbrown/stories.html

http://ipl.org/cgi-bin/youth/youth.out.pl?sub=rzn0000

5) Culminating Assessment:

Each student will be given a copy of the culminating assessment to guide them in completing this assignment.  The student should respond to the assignment directly on this chart. The student pairs will be peer evaluated and teacher evaluated using a checklist during an in-class oral presentation.

Partner #1___________________________________

Partner #2___________________________________

Website: _________________________________________________________

Title of  the on-line story:____________________________________________________

Revised Prediction of the Story:

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

Checklist for Peer and Teacher Evaluations During the Oral Presentation:

Listen carefully to the presentation.  Respond to the following questions by placing a checkmark in the appropriate place.  You may write any comments on the back of this page.

1. Did the students accurately predict the plot of the on-line story?

_______ Yes               ________No

2. Did the students provide reasons explaining how they arrived at their prediction?

________ Yes     ________ No

3. Did their predictions make sense according to the title, pictures, and other appropriate information given for this story?

________ Yes     ________ No

4. Did the students revise their predictions after they read the story?

________ Yes     ________ No

5. Did the revision make sense according to the information in the story?

________ Yes     ________ No

Look back at questions above.  Count the number of "Yes" checkmarks and write the number here. _____

Now, look at the categories below.  This group receives the following rating: ________________________

5 checkmarks =             Excellent

4 checkmarks =             Good

3 checkmarks =             Fair

2 or less checkmarks = Needs Improvement

At the end of the group presentations, please give this rubric to the correct group members. 

Note to teachers:  If a group receives needs improvement ratings, the students should have the opportunity to revise the assignment.

6) Instructional Activities:

This assignment is expected to take two 60 minute class periods.

Activity 1:

NOTE:  The computer and LC Projector should be set up prior to this lesson.

Students should be divided up into pairs according to reading interests and ability levels.  Each student should receive a copy of the culminating assessment.  The teacher should explain the assignment and go over the culminating assessment with the class.  Students should understand they are to record their answers on the chart provided with the culminating assessment.  The teacher should type in an internet site and demonstrate how to find an on-line story.  For example if the teacher types in http://www.afroam.org/children/myths/myths/html the teacher can click on one of sixteen stories that will be displayed on the screen.  The teacher should model how the students should look at the story's title, pictures and any other available information linked to the story.  Using this information, the teacher should show the students how to answer the first two questions on the chart (provided as part of the culminating assessment) in complete sentences.  Then, the teacher should explain that the students are to read the story and complete the third column of the chart and a revision of their predictions if necessary.  If there are not any questions, the students should search through electronic book websites to find a story  they are interested in reading.  The teacher may need to assist with this portion of the assignment.

Students should decide on their story and write the title and website on the assessment sheet.  At this point, the students should NOT read the story, they should be looking at the title of the story, the illustrations, and any additional information associated with the story.  The students should begin to predict what will happen in the story and discuss it with their partner.  Each group should record their predictions on the first column of the chart.  Then, they should decide what helped them develop their predictions and record these clues on the second column of the chart.  The teacher should assist with this portion as needed.

Next, the groups should begin reading their story.  Students should note any similarities or differences on the third column of the chart.  This will help the students when they revise their predictions.  Once the students have finished reading their stories, they should discuss the similarities and differences of the story to their predictions.  The students should revise their predictions, if necessary, and write the revision on the lines provided.  The teacher may need to assist with this portion of the assignment.

Activity 2:

The student groups will give their presentations to the class.  Every student and the teacher will be provided one copy of the grading checklist for each group presenting (for example, if there are 10 groups presenting, each student should receive 10 copies of the checklist).  The teacher should explain  how to use the checklist to the class and what is expected during each presentation. If there are not any questions, the presentations should begin. The students should use the computer and LC Projector to display their story for the class to see.  They should discuss their charts and explain their thought processes to the class for understanding and assessment purposes.  Students listening to the presentations should complete their checklists at this time and hand it to the appropriate group after the presentations have been completed.  Students who receive a "Needs Improvement" rating should be given additional time to revise their assignment.

Extension Activities:

Students can research more about the author, setting, or genre of the story.  For example, if the students chose a fable from Africa, they may want to find out more about the part of Africa the story originates from or they may want to research more about other fables.

Students can also conduct web searches to find other on-line stories.  Some authors have websites that include personal information, bookmarks the students can download and print out, and lists of other books they have written.