About this activity
Ten story moments frozen just before something happens: the little pig sees the wolf at the door; Goldilocks hears the bears coming up the stairs; the boy's balloon string slips out of his hand; there is one cookie left and two children; the tower of blocks is leaning far to one side; the dog sees a squirrel and the leash is loose. Prediction is inference pointed forward, and these give it a story context.
How to use it in a session
Ask why after every prediction. The balloon will fly away is the answer; because the string slipped is the reasoning, and only the reasoning transfers to a story the child has not heard. The one-cookie-two-children card is the most interesting, because it has a social outcome rather than a physical one and several plausible answers. Eight minutes covers the ten.
What to listen for
Listen for predictions grounded in the evidence rather than in the child's wishes. A child who says the pig will win, on the wolf card, may be predicting from the story they know rather than the moment described — which is a legitimate strategy and a different one. Notice whether they can offer a second possibility, which is a more advanced move than a single confident answer.
Carrying it home
Pausing a story just before something happens takes two seconds and works with any book. Asking what comes next, and then reading on to check, is a routine children enjoy.
Questions
- What ages is this for?
- Kindergarten through third grade, for early narrative comprehension.
- Do I need to sign in?
- No, all ten items play free in the browser.
- How is prediction different from inference?
- Prediction points forward from what is happening; inference works out something unstated about now or the past. Prediction is usually easier, which makes it a good starting point.