two elementary students reading the beginning of a book together

First Lines

First Lines is a pre-reading comprehension strategy in which students read the beginning sentences from a book and then make predictions about that book. This technique helps students focus their attention on what they can tell from the first lines of a story, play, poem, or other text. As students read the text in its entirety they discuss, revisit and/or revise their original predictions.

Key Information

Focus

Comprehension

When To Use This Strategy

Before reading

Appropriate Group Size

Individually
With small groups
Whole class setting

Why use first lines?

  • It helps students learn to make predictions about the content of what they’re about to read or what is about to be read to them.
  • It helps students focus their attention on what they can tell from the first lines of a story, play, poem, or other text.

How to use first lines

  1. Choose the assigned reading and introduce the text to the students. Ask students read only the first line of the assigned text, or if using your read aloud, read aloud only the first line.
  2. Ask students to make predictions for the reading based on the first sentence.
  3. Engage the class in discussion about the predictions.
  4. Encourage students to return to their original predictions after reading the text, assessing their original predictions and building evidence to support those predictions which are accurate. Students can create new predictions as well.

Just for teachers, just for fun

Watch this NPR story on famous lines from books appropriate for adults.

Differentiated instruction

For second language learners, students of varying reading skill, and younger learners

  • Include writing as a way of organizing predictions and/or thoughts generated from discussions.
  • Have students work in groups and support each other as they make a prediction.
  • Remind students that there is not a “right” or “wrong” way to make predictions about a text.
  • Emphasize that they should be able to support their predictions from the information in the sentence.

See the research that supports this strategy

Beers, K. (2003). When Kids Can’t Read — What Teachers Can Do: A Guide for Teachers 6-12. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

Children’s books to use with this strategy

Where The Wild Things Are

Where The Wild Things Are

Maurice Sendak
Age Level:
3-6
Genre:
Fiction, Fairytales, Folk Tales, and Tall Tales, Fantasy
The Complete Tales of Winnie the Pooh

The Complete Tales of Winnie the Pooh

A.A. Milne
Age Level:
3-6
Genre:
Fiction
Stink the Incredible Shrinking Kid

Stink the Incredible Shrinking Kid

Megan McDonald
Age Level:
6-9
Genre:
Fiction
Beezus and Ramona

Beezus and Ramona

Beverly Cleary
Age Level:
6-9
Genre:
Fiction
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