1. Predicting Outcomes Using Jack London’s “To Build A Fire”
by Donna Dea Weaver
Hazelwood Central High School
Hazelwood School District

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3. Instructor’s Page
This strategy is called “Probable Passages” and is adapted from a strategy presented by Karen Wood in The Reading Teacher, February 1984 issue. The strategy covers the Communication Arts Grade ll, MAP Test objectives to analyze texts and to predict outcomes.
The term “story grammar” refers to the structure of the narrative which includes: setting, conflict, theme, characters,resolution, rising action, and falling action.

4. Instructor’s Page Pre reading Stage:
Students read a list of key terms or phrases.
Students are to use the words or phrases to mentally construct a story line and “slot” the words into categories or “story grammars”. Students may add words which logically would correlate with their predictions.
Then, students complete a passage frame summary of the story using the words they slotted into the story frame. Again, they may add words which would be logical to complete the story prediction.

5. Instructor’s Page Reading Stage: Students read or listen to the story.
Post Reading Stage:
Students compare their story prediction with the original for similarities and differences. Note how a individual’s background experiences will create different perspectives and stories.
This would be a great time to use a Venn diagram to note similarities and differences.

6. Instructor’s Page Extension Exercises:
Students can work in cooperative learning groups or in pairs to construct their predictions and story frame summary. They can then share with the class the similarities and differences between the original story and their prediction through a Venn diagram.
After students learn how to slot words into story grammar categories and to write summary predictions, they can work in cooperative learning groups or pairs to construct their own “Probable Passage” from various short stories to share with the class.

7. On the next slide is a list of categories that are story elements.
Copy the list in your journal leaving three blank lines for each category so you can fill in the blanks later.

8. Characters:
Setting:
Conflict:
Event #1:
Event #2:
Event #3:
Theme:
Resolution:

9. Before reading the short story “To Build A Fire’ by Jack London, read the following list of words and phrases.
Slot the words into the appropriate category on the list you just copied in your journal. Some words may fit into more than one category. What words do you predict would correctly summarize the story elements of “To Build A Fire”?

10. It grew like an avalanche, and it descended
It grew like an avalanche, and it descended and the fire was blotted out!
Day had broken cold and gray. . .
Then the man drowsed off into what seemed the most comfortable sleep he had ever known
. . . the man turned aside from the main Yukon trail . . .

11. The dog had learned fire, and it wanted fire. .
His wet feet froze the faster, and his exposed fingers numbed. . . The whole bunch (of matches) fell into the snow
At a place where there were no signs, where the soft, unbroken snow seemed to advertise solidity beneath, the man broke through.
Fifty degrees below zero
The dog whined softly

12. Now copy in your journal the incomplete passage frame on the following slide using the phrases that you have slotted into the story elements. You may have to add additional words or phrases to make the story frame sound logical.
When you finish filling in the blanks,you will have a prediction of the plot of the short story.

13. The story takes place _____________________.
_________________ is the main character in the story who ______________________________.
A problem occurs when ___________________
______________________________. After that
______________________________________.
The story ends _________________________

14. Now that you have predicted the story’s plot, theme, setting, characters, resolution, and conflict, read the story to see if your guess was correct.
After reading the story, compare your prediction with the original for similarities and differences.
Write in your journal about these similarities and differences noting also any personal experiences which shaped the predictions.