Description of literacy strategy "Predict-O-Gram" for CSL 570.

1. Teaching Tools:
Predict-O-Gram
Emily Lohse

2. What is it?
 Predict-O-Grams are graphic organizers in which students
sort vocabulary words into categories.
 Students sort words based on their predictions of how the
words will be used in the text.
 Predict-O-Grams are used as a pre-reading strategy to get
students thinking about what they will read and potentially
activate prior knowledge.
 In the traditional Predict-O-Grams, the categories are
based plot elements such as character, setting, resolution,
etc.

3. Sample Predict-O-Gram

4. Adapting for Content Areas
 The strategy seems naturally suited for a literary work
with a plot, but can be adapted to suit content-area
texts.
 The vocabulary words can be taken from an
informational text rather than a literary piece.
 The categories can be changed to fit the content area
topic you are teaching.

5. Science Predict-O-Gram: Biomes

6. Why Use Predict-O-Grams?
 Familiarizes students with domain-specific vocabulary.
 Allows students to preview the words they will encounter in
the text.
 Gives students practice saying the words aloud.
 Encourages critical thinking – predictions based on
knowledge of root words, structures, prior knowledge, etc.
 Engages students in conversation and thought about topic.
 Checking predictions requires close reading, use of context
cues, and reflection.

7. Implementation
1. Teacher prepares by choosing a content-based article
and identifying words/concepts that students are
unfamiliar with or may find challenging.
2. Teacher creates graphic organizer and category
labels.
3. Teacher introduces the topic the students will be
reading about, as well as the article title and author.
4. Teacher introduces the new words/concepts by saying
them aloud and having students repeat chorally.
Teacher then models how students can make
predictions about the words based on root, structure,
morphemes, or prior knowledge.

8. Implementation
5. Students are put into small, heterogeneous groups
and given their Predict-O-Gram graphic organizers.
6. In groups, students discuss their ideas about the
words and make predictions to sort them into
categories.
7. As a whole group, students share their predictions.
The teacher can create a class Predict-O-Gram on the
SmartBoard reflecting student ideas.
8. The teacher reads the article aloud, while students
follow along and highlight the vocabulary words as
they encounter them.

9. Implementation
9. After the article has been read in completion, the
teacher and students return to the highlighted words
and re-read those sentences.
10.As a class, students discuss the meanings of the new
words based on their context cues, and adjust their
Predict-O-Grams as necessary.
11.To take it a step further, students can later use a
dictionary to find the true definitions of the words, and
discuss how the real definitions compared to their
guesses from the context.

10. Bibliography
 Blow, M. (2010, November 9). Predictograms Improve
Reading Comprehension | Scholastic.com. Retrieved
January 8, 2016, from
http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/classroom-
solutions/2010/11/using-context-clues-create-
independent-readers
 Predict-O-Gram. (n.d.). Retrieved January 8, 2016,
from http://www.redesignu.org/design-lab/learning-
activities/predict-o-gram