Students should predict what they think will happen and point to information in the story that supports their predictions. They can look for clues left by the author to help them make predictions, such as the story title or article headline, chapter headings, subtitles, illustrations or the book’s cover. Predictions can be made based on foreshadowing or questions asked by the author or when a character is about to do something. Students can change their predictions to align with new information they encounter.
When early readers tackle a story or passage, they should visualize (make a picture in their heads) what is happening. They could draw a picture of what they think the characters or the story’s setting look like, or include relevant information in a graphic organizer.
Beginning readers should ask and answer questions about the reading material, such as who is telling the story, what causes different events in the story, why the characters act or think like they do, and where the story peaks or climaxes. Questions can also be about confusing or unfamiliar words, or anything that needs clarification.
Students should be able to summarize and tell the story in their own words, focusing on meaning and morals, not small details. The summary could include the mood and tone of the story, theme, and internal or external conflicts. Students need to identify symbols used within the reading passage.
Beginning readers should think in terms of similarities and opposites as they bring own experiences to what they read. They should make connections to the real world, other stories they have read, and movies or television shows they have seen.