After finishing a read-aloud, give students 15 minutes to write what happens next. No rules. No rubric. Just: "What do you think happens after the story ends?"

This is creative writing, comprehension, inference, and character analysis wrapped in a single prompt. And students love it because they get to take ownership of a story they've invested in. Some will write a serious continuation. Some will write something absurd. Both are valid and both demonstrate deep understanding of the text.