Anticipation Guide
for
The Old Man and the Sea
Image taken from
http://mag.awn.com/issue12.04/12.04images/bekins03_OldManAndTheSea.jp
Grierson, BYU, 2007
Name__________________________________ Date______________
Anticipation Guide Directions:
Before reading AThe Old Man and the Sea@ place a check in the column to indicated how
you feel about each statement. Do you agree or disagree? Discuss your choices in small
groups, and explain why you checked the statements that you did. Then read the book.
After reading the book, revisit these ideas and see if you still feel the same or if
something has changed.
I agree
I disagree
__________
___________
__________
___________
Something isn’t worth doing if you have nothing
to show for it.
__________
___________
Good character is worth more than money.
__________
___________
Success means you accomplished a lot.
__________
___________
If one works hard enough for something they
will always get it.
__________
___________
You are only successful if you win.
__________
___________
Fighting for what you believe is just as
important as achieving it.
__________
___________
Not giving up is more important than winning.
Ric ks, BYU, 2008
Success is measured by how much you have.
PURPOSE OF THE STRATEGY
This to get the students thinking about and interested in the text they are about to read.
The worksheet allows the student to individually consider his/her opinion on matters
and will allow the students to approach a text more thoughtfully in relation to
themselves. Anticipation guides, according to Frank Smith (1978) allow the reader to
make predictions about text that will be read by eliminating possibilities that are
unlikely. Also called reaction or prediction guides, the anticipation guide is a way to
prepare a reader prior to a reading assignment by asking them to react to a series of
statements related to the content of the material. Anticipation guides allow the students
to relate prior knowledge to the text, creat interest in the topic, and provide ideas to
expand upon in writing or discussion activities. .
DIRECTIONS: AS A CLASS
(This is only one way of applying the anticipation guide to The Old Man and the
Sea.) The teacher may opt for writing assignments or small group discussions in place
of class discussions.
STEP 1
Give students the anticipation guide before reading the novel to get them
thinking about their own beliefs and values. Have them discuss their reasoning
in small groups using examples to illustrate why they feel as they do.
STEP 2
READ THE BOOK AND DISCOVER
Read the book and discover the implicit and explicit themes of the text and talk about
them as a class. Talk about Santiago’s character. What are his attributes? (Is he
determined, honest, feisty, quiet, hard-working, etc.?) Carry this discussion further by
asking probing questions like: How do these attributes contribute to Santiago’s
experience? Do any of these cause him to fail? Was the old man successful or not?
Have the students support their answers with statements and examples from the text.
STEP 3
REVISIT THE GUIDE
When finished with the novel you may have students fill out the exact same
anticipation guide and then compare it to the original to see if their answers have
changed. If so, which ones have changed and why? How is their perspective different
from reading the novel?
Ric ks, BYU, 2008
If the teacher doesn’t wish to hand out another guide simply revisit the guide they
previously have answered. Allow students to compare and contrast their original
responses with current ones. Discuss differences of answers and meaning of statements
in light of the text.
The objective is to see what information the reading of the passage has allowed them to
assimilate or learn.
ASSESSMENT
The anticipation guide allows students to anticipate major concepts that will be
encountered during their reading of The Old Man and the Sea. Discussion stimulates
review of what students know and believe and allow them to expand these concepts.
This type of previewing allows students to take charge of their own learning and to
focus their reading. The teacher can use the anticipation guide to preview students=
beliefs and knowledge about a subject.
Ric ks, BYU, 2008