Kaitlyn Henaghan
TITLE
Chapter 16 Prediction A Thousand Splendid Suns
TIME
50 minutes
THEORY INTO PRACTICE BACKGROUND
The “interrupted reading” strategy that I am incorporating in this lesson is
useful because students can stop and discuss the predictions of each portion of the
chapter before moving on (Burke, 233). This also gives the students the chance to
discuss any confusing events or ideas that are discussed up until this point. This is
very beneficial for ELL students, but I also chose this activity because supports that
are positive for ELL students are often helpful for all students because many
cognitive aspects for reading are similar in English (NCTE). This lesson is an
example of completely cooperative learning: the students are doing equal shares of
the reading, helping each other on predictions, and build on each other’s ideas
(Weinstein, 269).
Prior to this lesson, the students will have already read up to Chapter 16, and
they can use this information to help make their predictions for what is going to
happen next. They will also have practiced making predictions in other units, and
can recall this information for when they are making predictions about A Thousand
Splendid Suns. This lesson is linked to future lesson because the students began Part
2 of the novel, and this is a beginning point to get them thinking about what is going
to come for the rest of the book. This skill is going to be useful in a future lesson
when a student has to make predictions about what they think happened after the
story ends.
OBJECTIVES
Student will be able to…
 Demonstrate comprehension of what they have read so far (Part 1).
 Practice out loud reading skills in pairs, as well as practicing etiquette.
 Practice prediction-making skills and use evidence from text to support
predictions.
 Articulate predictions and ideas out loud, both within partnered reading and
in group discussion.
MATERIALS
Wordle link:
http://www.wordle.net/show/wrdl/6157237/A_Thousand_Splendid_Suns_Pt_2
Pen and Paper (provided by students)
Prediction Worksheet
Copy of A Thousand Splendid Suns
PREPARATION
Create Wordle using summary of Chapter 16. Make sure that Wordle is pulled up on
laptop and that laptop is connected to overhead projector. Make sure the Prediction
Chart worksheet is ready to be handed out to each student. The notebook paper is
for the students to make any additional notes while they view the Wordle or read
the chapter and is provided by the students.
PROCEDURE
OPENING:
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Bell ringer: Write a brief, 2 paragraph summary about what has happened
thus far in A Thousand Splendid Suns. This will be collected as a reading check
to make sure students are doing assigned homework (10 minutes)
Show Chapter 16 Wordle to class. Have class fill out box 1 on prediction chart
about what they think is going to happen in Part 2 (Chapter 16 is the first
chapter of Part 2). (3 minutes)
Discuss predictions with class. (6 minutes)
BODY:
 Read Chapter 16 quietly in pairs. At each page break in the chapter (there
are there are two, three including the end of the chapter), the students
should individually make predictions as to what they think is going to
happen next and what evidence is causing them to make this prediction. The
pair should then discuss the predictions each of them wrote before moving
on to the next reading section. At the end of Chapter 16, the students will
make a prediction about what they think is going to happen next in the book
(25 minutes).
CLOSING:

The class will come together in a group discussion and volunteer to explain
what they think is going to happen and why (6 minutes).
DISCUSSION IDEAS
 How is this section already connected or similar to Part 1? Different?
 How was Mariam from Part 1 similar to Edna from The Awakening?
 What role do the different men in A Thousand Splendid Suns play so far?
LANGUAGES ACCOMMODATIONS
Sharing the Wordle at the beginning of the class and having the students
make predictions as a class is useful for the ELL students to understand the task that
is being asked of them. Wordle is also a visually appealing unit of technology: it
takes the words from a text provided and makes the words that show up the most
frequently biggest. This will help the ELL students recognize the relativity of how
important certain words are in comparison to others.
The “interrupted reading” technique benefits the ELL students (Burke, 234).
They are able to practice reading out loud, but in a more intimate setting so they
may feel more comfortable. This strategy also gives the ELL students time to ask
questions in case they are having trouble understanding some of the words or
interpretations. ESL students often take metaphors literally, so I would pair them
with a student in the class that is willing to help them make the appropriate
connection. The ELL students should only read out loud as much as they feel
comfortable.
SPECIAL EDUCATION ACCOMMODATIONS
Working in a completely cooperative group will be beneficial for the students
with disabilities in my classroom because they will be able to better stay on task. In
a one-on-one interaction, there is less opportunity for distraction. I will continue to
walk around the classroom throughout the assignment so that students remember
to work quietly: this will also eliminate a distraction that the students with
disabilities may typically encounter.
The worksheet for the assignment is considered a “guided worksheet”. It has
very specific, but simple instructions on top. There are also specific titled rows and
columns, which will help the student organize their information better. Students
with disabilities also benefit from written instructions because they have something
to be continuously referring to as they complete the assignment. The students with
special needs should only read out loud as much as they feel comfortable.
ASSESSMENT
Bell ringer will be collected just as a formative check to see if students are doing
reading. They either get a point, or they do not.
The students will then be assessed based on the worksheet they are going to turn in
for the lesson. I am going to be grading them based on their ability to come up with
predictions as well as their ability to use evidence to support their claims.


Student provides reasonable predictions for every box=4 points
Student provides acceptable evidence for each prediction=4 points
TOTAL POINTS: 8 8=A 7=B 6=C 5=D <5=F
Essentially, they will earn one point for each box, provided that the information in
the box is relevant and thoughtful.
EXTENSION IDEAS
 At the end of each chapter, the students can make brief predictions about
what they think is going to happen next in the novel.
 When they are finished with all reading assignments for the unit, the
students can write a short story about what they think happened after the
book’s conclusion.
 Students can create a PSA about the events that are occurring in the Middle
East to help raise awareness to people living in the United States.
SOURCE OF ACTIVITY
I would like to thank a teacher I worked with at a local public school for inspiring
this idea. She used partner reading and predictions an incredible amount in her
classroom, and I thought it was very effective and helped the students build
relationships with one another. I would also like to thank a fellow classmate: I
observed her teach a lesson about predictions and she emphasized how important it
was to pause and give students time to make predictions throughout the reading. I
would also like to thank my Curriculum and Instruction professors for providing me
with helpful strategies for accommodating the diverse needs of instruction and
introducing me to different facets of differentiated instruction.
RESOURCES AND REFERENCES
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Burke, Jim. The English Teacher's Companion. 3rd. Portsmouth: Heinemann,
2008. Print.
Henaghan, Kaitlyn. “A Thousand Splendid Suns Part 2”
http://www.wordle.net/show/wrdl/6157237/A_Thousand_Splendid_Suns_
Pt_2 Online. December 17, 2012.
Hosseini, Khaled. A Thousand Splendid Suns. New York: Riverhead, 2007.
Print.
National Council of Teachers of English “English Language Learners”. The
Council Chronicle. 2008. Online
Weinstein, Carol Simon. Middle and Secondary Classroom Management:
Lessons from Research and Practice. 4th Ed. Boston: McGrawHill, 2007. Print.
ILLINOIS STATE ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS GOALS
My standard is Learning Environment.
My Knowledge Indicator is “4C) understands how to help students work
cooperatively and productively in groups”. This is evident in my lesson because I am
having my students work in pairs in order to have them build their predictions off of
each other. I also want them to read out loud together because they can help each
other out if one of them does not know a word’s pronunciation or meaning.
Throughout the lesson, I will walk around the classroom to ensure that all students
are working respectfully and talking quietly so they do not disturb the class.
My Performance Indicator is “4J) creates clear expectations and procedures for
communication and behavior and a physical setting conducive to achieving
classroom goals”. This is applicable to my lesson because I am going to make sure
that my students understand the directions that are expected of them before they
begin the assignment. I am also going to reiterate the fact that I expect them to stay
on task while in their groups and work cooperatively with their seat partners.
COMMON CORE ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS STANDARDS
 “CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.9-10.1 Initiate and participate effectively in a range of
collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with
diverse partners on grades 9–10 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’
ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.” This is present in
my lesson because my students are going to be working in one on one
groups, which is going to help them practice their out loud reading skills and
their ability to have a discussion about what they think is going to happen
next in the text. After hearing what the other has to say, a student may
reconsider their prediction and feel that their partner may be on the right
track. It will require discussion as well as building off of each other’s ideas.

“ CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.9-10.1 Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to
support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn
from the text.” This is relevant to my lesson because not only do the students
have to make predictions based on what they have read, but they need to
support it with evidence pulled directly from the novel.
PREDICTION WORKSHEET
NAME:
INSTRUCTIONS: The first column indicated the points in Chapter 16 that you
are required to stop in make a prediction. The middle column is for your
prediction, and the box on the far right is the evidence that lead you to make
this claim. You will partner-read and work on your predictions with your seat
partners, but you each will need to fill out your own worksheet.
PREDICTIONS
WORDLE
PREDICTION
BREAK 1
BREAK 2
END OF
CHAPTER
EVIDENCE