The Very Cranky Bear: Making Predictions is a purposeful activity designed to accompany a whole class reading of the picture book The Very Cranky Bear by Nick Bland. These no-prep worksheets will allow you to check your students’ ability to make predictions based on text clues and prior knowledge.

Prior to reading the book, students will make a prediction based on the title, cover, and blurb. In addition, we have included an option for students to make a second prediction part way through the story, before the ending is revealed. This encourages them to actively engage with the text and think critically about story elements as they unfold.

The Very Cranky Bear: Making Predictions offers multiple worksheet options to suit a range of learning needs. Students can simply draw their prediction, draw and complete a sentence about it, or draw and write a short paragraph to explain their thinking.

This task is perfect for independent work, small group activities, scribing, assessment evidence, or your relief folder. It helps build comprehension and supports students in developing flexible thinking about texts.

Key Learning Outcomes:

• ✅ Make predictions based on text clues and prior knowledge
• ✅ Strengthen comprehension through active engagement with the text
• ✅ Practise drawing and writing to communicate ideas
• ✅ Build confidence in making text-based inferences
• ✅ Promote flexible thinking and creativity

What’s Included:

• Drawing their prediction
• Drawing their prediction and finishing a sentence to explain it (24mm and 18mm lines)
• Drawing and writing a short paragraph about their prediction (24mm and 18mm lines)
• Options for making predictions both before reading and during reading

Materials Needed:

• Printed The Very Cranky Bear: Making Predictions worksheets
• Pencils, crayons, markers or paint (optional)
• Optional craft materials for extension activities

How to Use:

1. Introduce The Very Cranky Bear to your class by exploring the cover, title, and blurb.
2. Discuss how readers can make predictions before and during reading.
3. Choose the worksheet option that best suits your students.
4. Students complete the worksheet by drawing and/or writing their prediction.
5. Encourage students to revisit and discuss their predictions after reading the story.

Ideas for Classroom Use:

• 💡 Use as an independent comprehension task before and during reading The Very Cranky Bear.
• 💡 Include in a literacy rotation for prediction practise.
• 💡 Use for assessment evidence of comprehension and prediction skills.
• 💡 Add to a relief folder as a quick, no-prep literacy activity linked to a familiar text.

Top Teacher Tips:

• 💛 Enlarge worksheets to A3 for Early Years and Foundation students to allow more space for drawing and writing.
• 💛 Turn the activity into an art project by:
  • Placing the drawing template on an easel for students to paint on
  • Providing magazines and newspapers for collage making
  • Offering craft materials such as pom poms, pipe cleaners, and buttons for a 3D image of their prediction
• 💛 Encourage students to explain the reasoning behind their predictions to promote oral language development and critical thinking.

The Very Cranky Bear: Making Predictions is a flexible and engaging way to build comprehension, critical thinking, and personal connection to text. It’s the perfect companion to your class exploration of this much-loved story!

Check out more amazing resources related to The Very Cranky Bear in our The Very Cranky Bear PACKAGE.

Available in our basic fun font and all Australian state fonts.