Making PredictionsActivities & Teaching Strategies
Active prediction tasks let children practice linking observations to outcomes, building the reasoning skills they need for all future science. Hands-on experiments show them that predictions are not guesses but reasoned ideas based on what they already know.
Learning Objectives
- 1Formulate a prediction about the outcome of a simple science investigation.
- 2Justify a prediction using prior knowledge or initial observations.
- 3Compare a prediction with the actual results of a simple test.
- 4Identify reasons why a prediction was correct or incorrect.
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Pairs: Sink or Float Challenge
Pairs select classroom objects and predict if each sinks or floats, recording on a T-chart with reasons. They test in a shared water tray, observe results, and note matches or surprises. Pairs share one key learning with the class.
Prepare & details
Explain what a prediction is in science.
Facilitation Tip: During Sink or Float Challenge, hand each pair a small whiteboard so they must write one prediction and one reason before touching any water.
Setup: Standard classroom seating; students turn to a neighbor
Materials: Discussion prompt (projected or printed), Optional: recording sheet for pairs
Small Groups: Ramp Car Predictions
Groups predict which toy car rolls farthest down a ramp, based on size or wheels. They test three cars, measure distances with a ruler, and adjust predictions for a second ramp height. Groups compare results on a class board.
Prepare & details
Make a prediction about the outcome of a simple test.
Facilitation Tip: For Ramp Car Predictions, give each small group a ramp angle card (10°, 20°, 30°) they must use to set their ramp before predicting which car will roll fastest.
Setup: Standard classroom seating; students turn to a neighbor
Materials: Discussion prompt (projected or printed), Optional: recording sheet for pairs
Whole Class: Ice Melt Timer
As a class, predict and time how long ice cubes take to melt in sun versus shade spots. Children vote on predictions first, then track with timers and charts. Discuss factors like warmth at the end.
Prepare & details
Justify why your prediction might be correct or incorrect.
Facilitation Tip: In Ice Melt Timer, ask each child to sketch their prediction of the ice shape on a class poster before the timer starts.
Setup: Standard classroom seating; students turn to a neighbor
Materials: Discussion prompt (projected or printed), Optional: recording sheet for pairs
Individual: Shadow Length Guess
Each child predicts if a toy's shadow grows or shrinks as a torch moves closer or farther. They test at their desk, draw before-and-after shadows, and write a one-sentence reason for the change.
Prepare & details
Explain what a prediction is in science.
Facilitation Tip: During Shadow Length Guess, have students trace their partner’s shadow with chalk to make their prediction visible and measurable.
Setup: Standard classroom seating; students turn to a neighbor
Materials: Discussion prompt (projected or printed), Optional: recording sheet for pairs
Teaching This Topic
Teachers guide children to make predictions first, test next, then reflect on the match or mismatch. Avoid correcting too quickly; instead, ask, 'What did you see that made you think that way?' Keep the focus on evidence rather than correctness. Research shows this cycle builds stronger scientific habits than isolated fact memorization.
What to Expect
Children will explain their predictions using observations or prior experience, listen to others’ reasons, and revise ideas after testing. They will value both right and wrong predictions as steps toward better understanding.
These activities are a starting point. A full mission is the experience.
- Complete facilitation script with teacher dialogue
- Printable student materials, ready for class
- Differentiation strategies for every learner
Watch Out for These Misconceptions
Common MisconceptionDuring Sink or Float Challenge, watch for children who pick objects randomly without reasons.
What to Teach Instead
Ask each pair to hold up their written prediction and reason before testing. If a reason is missing, prompt with, 'What have you seen before that makes you think that?'
Common MisconceptionDuring Ice Melt Timer, watch for children who believe all ice melts at the same speed.
What to Teach Instead
After the test, have groups compare their posters to see whose ice melted fastest and whose took longest, then ask, 'What else could change the melting time?'
Common MisconceptionDuring Shadow Length Guess, watch for children who think shadows stay the same size all day.
What to Teach Instead
Before testing, ask, 'What happens to the sun’s position from morning to afternoon?' Have students mark their predictions on the poster with arrows showing expected changes.
Assessment Ideas
After Sink or Float Challenge, hold up a stone and a leaf. Ask: 'Which one will sink? Why?' Record their predictions and reasons on a class chart.
During Ramp Car Predictions, give each student a card with the ramp angle they tested. Ask them to write their prediction and one reason, then collect the cards to see how they used the angle in their thinking.
After Ice Melt Timer, ask: 'Was your prediction correct?' Then prompt: 'Tell your partner what you saw that made your prediction right or wrong. What did you learn from the result?'
Extensions & Scaffolding
- Challenge pairs to find two new classroom objects that will float, then test them.
- Scaffolding: Provide picture cards of objects with words to help reluctant writers explain their reasons.
- Deeper: Groups predict and test how adding weight changes ramp speed, then present findings to the class.
Key Vocabulary
| Prediction | A statement about what you think will happen in a science investigation before you start it. It is an educated guess. |
| Observation | Noticing and describing something using your senses or simple tools. This can help you make a prediction. |
| Reason | An explanation for why you made a particular prediction. It tells why you think something will happen. |
| Result | What actually happens during a science investigation. This is what you see or measure after you do the test. |
Suggested Methodologies
Planning templates for Science
5E Model
The 5E Model structures lessons through five phases (Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, and Evaluate), guiding students from curiosity to deep understanding through inquiry-based learning.
Unit PlannerThematic Unit
Organize a multi-week unit around a central theme or essential question that cuts across topics, texts, and disciplines, helping students see connections and build deeper understanding.
RubricSingle-Point Rubric
Build a single-point rubric that defines only the "meets standard" level, leaving space for teachers to document what exceeded and what fell short. Simple to create, easy for students to understand.
More in Working Scientifically
Asking Scientific Questions
Learning how to turn a curious thought into a scientific question that can be investigated.
2 methodologies
Conducting Simple Tests
Performing hands-on investigations safely and carefully, making observations.
2 methodologies
Recording Discoveries with Drawings
Using drawings and labelled diagrams to share what has been learned from observations.
2 methodologies
Recording Discoveries with Charts and Tables
Using simple charts and tables to organise and present findings from investigations.
2 methodologies
Communicating Findings
Discussing and sharing observations and findings with others.
2 methodologies
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