Interactive read alouds are rich with learning opportunities (besides just enjoying a good story). First, students get to hear great literature read in a fluent and engaging way, which builds not only reading skills, but writing as well.  Next, the interactive portion allows a space for stopping to discuss and process the story's events, characters, style of writing, etc., which aids in building comprehension skills. Lastly, the discussion allows students to hear different perspectives about a text and practice speaking and listening skills. 

In this class, we will focus on making predictions by identifying what a prediction is and how we make them. Then we will dive into the classic book, Strega Nona by Tomie dePaola, which centers around beloved and magical Strega Nona, her somewhat inattentive  assistant, Big Anthony, and the trouble he gets into. Will Strega Nona save the day? As the story is read with voices and the pages are presented on slides to help with engagement, we will stop periodically to practice making predictions about what will happen next. Students will be prompted to provide details about why they are making their predictions. What details from the story or background knowledge supports their predictions. Just before the story ends, students will make one last written prediction in their "story crystal ball"  - a worksheet that they will record a prediction and may choose to illustrate, as well. Participants will share out their last predictions and then we will finish the story to see if their predictions were accurate.