Picture walk predictions: a 20-minute preschool read-aloud activity
What it is: a read-aloud routine for preschool where students look through the pictures of a new book before you read it, guess what will happen and then check their guesses as you read. It builds comprehension and book talk.
Time: about 20 minutes. Grade: Pre-K (ages 4 to 5).
Materials: a picture book the class has not heard before, chart paper and a marker.
- Show the cover and read the title. Ask: "Who do you think this story is about?"
- Turn through 4 or 5 pages without reading the words. Ask: "What is happening here? How does the character feel?"
- Stop before the end. Ask: "What do you think will happen?" Write 3 or 4 guesses with a student's first name next to each.
- Now read the whole book aloud from the start.
- Go back to the chart. Read each guess and ask: "Did that happen? What really happened?"
- Say that good readers guess and then check, and that a guess that did not happen is still good thinking.
Differentiation: students who need support can point to a picture to answer. Students who are ready can say why they made their guess: "I think so because...". English learners can answer in a word or a gesture.
Quick check: the next day, show one page from the middle and ask two students what happened right after it.
For more ideas at this grade, browse the other free activities on the Hub.
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About this resource
- Shared by
- @UpOnlyLearning · Curriculum team
- Posted
- Oct 30, 2026
- Type
- Lesson plan
- Grade
- Grades K–2
- Subject
- Reading
- Language
- English
- License
- Free for classroom, co-op and tutoring use. Please don't resell.