Predict/Confirm Guide

The Predict/Confirm Guide is one of my go-to forms!  Not only because it can be used in ANY content area, but it can be used in several ways.  The students will make predictions, read with a purpose, and provide evidence from the text.  So often our textbooks are above our students’ independent reading level.  This guide is usable by a range of student abilities, and helps break down reading selections into digestible portions.

Create a guide by creating a tri-foldable or document with a 3 column table inserted.  Just keep in mind that the center column is narrow, with more writing space in column 1 and 3.

In the first column, the teacher creates a few short statements – some true and some incorrect.  The students then predict True/False.  Either during or after reading the selection, the students provide confirmation by identifying if the original statement was true.  If so, students provide the page # of the proof.  If not true, the students use the “confirm” space to revise the statement so it reads true. 

Another version of this form asks students to record their prediction to your verbal prompt in the first column.  I often have them predict in pen.  I rename the narrow column in the center “Right or Revise?”.  After reading, the students decide if their prediction was right or in need of revision.  The last “Confirm” column remains the same, however - whether the prediction was right or needs revision, the students provide the proof from the text/selection.

You can see the versatility!  I have used this with Reading, Language Arts, Science, Social Studies, and Math lessons.  You can prompt vocabulary words, rules, theory, main ideas, and even answers (to which the students predict the question).  The only design habit is to keep our statements (therefore, student search for evidence) focused on essential content of the text/selection.