Mini-Lesson

Making Predictions

Mini-Lesson: Grades 4-6

Objective: Students will activate prior knowledge to make predictions about what information will be included in a story.

1. Before reading the timeforkids.com news story, Let the Sun Shine!, tell students that it is about the U.S. Department of Energy's 2009 Solar Decathlon. Ask students to explain what a decathlon is. If they're unsure, explain that a decathlon is an athletic competition with 10 separate events. Tell students that one way to remember this is to think of the word decade, which means "10 years."

2. Now that students know what a decathlon is, ask students what events might be part of a solar decathlon. Tell students that in this case, the competition isn't about sports. It's about solar energy. The challenge for teams in the solar decathlon was to use solar energy instead of electricity to power a home.

3. Ask: What are some things in your home that run on electricity? (Examples include television, refrigerator, computers and air conditioners.) What activities do you do at home that require electricity? (Examples include watching a movie on TV or DVD, cooking on an electric stove and vacuuming.) Make a list of students' responses. Tell students to look for these examples and others as they read the story. Explain that by making predictions about what information might be included in a story can helps us to become stronger readers.

Extend Learning: Have students read a pie chart about energy use in the average American home. Use the worksheet Energy in the House