Mentor Monday: Making Predictions {Linky Party}

Today we have ANOTHER "snow" day. In Texas. In March. 4 days before SPRING break. As in spring...you know, flowers blooming, sunshine and a few thunderstorms? Oh well, at least it gave me time to write a new post! 

I'm linking up with The Reading Tutor/OG for her weekly Mentor Text linky party. Let me just say, I LOVE finding new mentor texts. I don't know how people teach without using mentor texts. Almost all of my time on Pinterest is spent sifting through page after page of suggested mentor texts, checking to see if I own it, if my school library has it, or how much it costs on Amazon. So, I am excited to link up and see what everyone else suggests! 

Alright, so on to today's Mentor Monday topic: Making Predictions. In 5th grade (in Texas), this skill best pairs with our TEKS that focuses on foreshadowing (5.6A). Our students have (hopefully!) been taught to make predictions before reading a text since they were in kindergarten and that has progressed to making predictions during reading. By the time these little darlings make it to 5th grade, I am hoping their predictions have a little more evidence from the text to support them...as in, certain words or things the narrator or characters say that foreshadow future events. 

One fabulous picture book for this is: 

Here is the summary from GoodReads: 
Glenda and Horace Pork-Fowler are a goose and a hog of large proportions, with appetites to match. So naturally, when they receive an invitation for a weekend of free gourmet food at Eatum Hall, Dr. Hunter's new inn, they don't hesitate to pack their bags. It's a bit curious that there's no one to greet them at the gloomy inn, and their absent owner does have an odd fondness for artwork depicting wolves. Still, the unfailingly cheerful couple are more than content to eat their way from feast to feast, disappointed only to learn that they'll miss the pie-eating festival on the day they leave. Or will they?

With graphic artwork that pops off the page, this tongue-in-cheek tale will delight readers of all ages, from fans of Wallace and Gromit and Berkeley Breathed to children who will love discovering the illustrator's many sight gags — and being in on the joke.

I love to read it and hear my kids making their own predictions or talking to the characters, warning them of what [might] be coming. Since my kids are upper elementary, they have more experience with making predictions so they don't need as much prompting. BUT, after they have made their predictions, we talk about the text clues that can be used to understand what events are being foreshadowed. (See? I told you these skills work hand in hand!) 

Anyway, check it out. I can't wait to see the rest of the suggested mentor texts! (I had this fabulous idea-to keep one of my overly active reading groups busy allow one of my reading groups to compile a "Books Mrs. A Must Use" list of picture books for teaching specific skills. Yes, cheap labor for making my own mentor text list...I've got no shame.) Hopefully I can use some of these books that my students have suggested on future Mentor Monday posts! 
Have a fabulous week!! It's almost Spring Break :) 

Now, I know you are thinking, "Where is the snow?You cancelled for THAT?! We'll, I'm wondering too. But I promise that last night when they cancelled school, roads were all iced over and bridges were just plain ridiculous. And yes, Texans are wimps in cold weather. Talk to us when we hit the triple digits later on this year. :)