Making Predictions

Sarah looked on as her father guided the mules across the river. He looked tense, but the mules calmly pulled the wagon through the neck-high water. Afterward, Sarah asked, "Why were you so tense, Father? The team did so well."

Her father replied, "The mules stayed calm because they've crossed many rivers before, my child, but, that was my first time leading a team".

• Sarah will be asked to lead the team at the next river crossing.

• Sarah's father will be less tense at the next crossing.

• The oxen will panic at the next river crossing.

Towns were vital to pioneers as they journeyed West because they needed to purchase supplies. A trip into town could also be entertaining, so some pioneers wanted to extend their stay. Others, however, wanted to get back on the road West as quickly as possible. These conflicting desires caused arguments among the many travelers.

What prediction can you make about future trips of these pioneers.

• To avoid arguments, pioneers will not stop at towns.

• To avoid disagreements, pioneers will buy more supplies in order to make fewer stops in towns.

• Towns will stop providing supplies for pioneers.

Janeen peered at Mark as he climbed recklessly up the big tree in Grandma's backyard. He was so high, it made her dizzy just looking up at her crazy cousin. Janeen had never done well with heights and ignored Mark's pleas for her to join him. "It's perfectly safe, you big sissy," he finally taunted. Just then the limb he had landed on snapped, causing him to lose his footing and nearly fall.

What prediction can you make based on this passage?

• Janeen will climb the tree to help rescue Mark.

• Mark will continue to climb.

• Mark will come down carefully and stop taunting his cousin.

Jamal was bored and headed up to his room early. Knowing the weather report had called for a chance of snow, he played his Game Boy and chatted with friends on social media instead of doing his homework and studying for his big math test. A while later Mrs. Brown was waking her son. "Jamal, you have a two-hour delay, so I let you sleep in this morning. Get ready. You have just enough time to eat breakfast and catch the bus."

"What?" Jamal sat upright and exclaimed. "School! Today?"

What prediction can you make based on this passage?

• Mrs. Brown will be angry with Jamal.

• Jamal will face the math test unprepared.

• Jamal will fall asleep again and miss the bus.

Even though she was very conscientious, Kaylin was tired of having homework every single evening in her advanced classes. Since it was all due at the end of the week, she decided to do a little experiment and wait to do all of her work on Thursday nights. Working several hours all at once on Thursdays would give her four free nights during the week. When Thursday arrived, Kaylin sat down at her desk to begin her homework but heard the TV in the next room announce her favorite movie. She headed in with her mom and watched the entire two-hour movie which ended at 11:00 P.M.

What prediction can you make based on this passage?

• Kaylin will have to pull an all-nighter to get her work done.

• Kaylin will find her experiment worked out well.

• Kaylin sailed through the work in a few minutes.

Mr. Adams took attendance as usual in P.E. Then he announced that the class would be playing flag football again. Maddie gave Donita a high five. Yesterday, Maddie scored a record number of points. The captains stood at the front to select their teammates. Maddie could hardly wait to play.

What prediction can you make based on this passage?

• Maddie would be picked last for a team.

• Mr. Adams will pick the teams for flag football.

• Maddie would be picked first for a team.

Mrs. Little's first graders were having a problem during recess each day. Some of the students would stay on the swings too long and refuse to take turns. The teacher got frustrated and demanded, "Students, create a plan for sharing the swings equally, or no one will swing during the next recess." The students thought Mrs. Little was just joking and continued playing.

What prediction can you make based on this passage?

• Mrs. Little will keep her word at the next recess, and no one will swing.

• Students will play and swing as usual at the next recess.

• Students will come up with a plan to play nicely with each other.