Making Predictions in Nonfiction

Making Predictions in Nonfiction

Read each nonfiction passage carefully. Before reading the entire passage, make a prediction about what information you expect to learn. After reading, compare your prediction to the actual content and answer the questions.

Passage 1: The Great Barrier Reef

The Great Barrier Reef, located off the coast of Queensland, Australia, is the world's largest coral reef system. Composed of over 3,000 individual reefs and 900 islands stretching for over 2,300 kilometers, it is home to an incredible diversity of marine life. This includes 1,500 species of fish, 400 species of coral, and numerous types of whales, dolphins, and sea turtles. The reef is so vast that it can be seen from outer space. However, this natural wonder is facing significant threats from climate change, ocean acidification, and pollution, leading to widespread coral bleaching events.

Before reading, I predict this passage will be about  

1. Was your prediction accurate? Explain why or why not, citing specific details from the text.

2. What new information did you learn about the Great Barrier Reef that you did not predict?

Passage 2: The Invention of the Internet

The internet, as we know it today, began its journey in the late 1960s with a project called ARPANET (Advanced Research Projects Agency Network). Developed by the U.S. Department of Defense, ARPANET was initially designed to allow computers at different universities and research laboratories to share information. One of the key innovations was 'packet switching,' a method of breaking down data into small blocks, or packets, that could be sent independently and reassembled at their destination. This decentralized approach made the network more robust and less vulnerable to disruption. Over the decades, ARPANET evolved, and in the 1980s, the Domain Name System (DNS) was introduced, making it easier to locate websites. The World Wide Web, created by Tim Berners-Lee in 1989, made the internet accessible to a broader public, transforming it from a scientific tool into a global communication network.

Before reading, I predict this passage will be about  

3. Based on your initial prediction, what specific details were you expecting to find in the text?

4. How did the information about ARPANET and packet switching contribute to your understanding of the internet's invention?

Read the statements below and determine if they are true or false based on the passages.

5. The Great Barrier Reef is primarily threatened by volcanic activity.

6. ARPANET was initially created to allow computers to share information.

Complete the following sentences using information from the passages.

7. The Great Barrier Reef is located off the coast of  .

8. The World Wide Web was created by   in 1989.