Cengage Learning
National Geographic: Informational Text and Young Children [Pdf]
Research-based informative article on when, why and how to introduce and teach reading skills with informational texts to early-elementary students beginning as early as kindergarten.
Read Works
Read Works: Making Butter, Long Ago and Today
[Free Registration/Login Required] Intended to support early elementary students' reading comprehension, this passage compares how butter was made in the past with how it is made in the present. A questions sheet is available to help...
Christian Science Monitor
Christian Science Monitor: Pro Tennis Players Gear Up for Surface Switches
This site provides a sample comparison and contrast essay from a magazine. The article "Pro Tennis Players Gear Up for Surface Switches" by Suman Bandrapalli is about the grass tennis courses at Wimbledon versus other playing surfaces.
Love To Know Media
Your Dictionary: Elementary School Transition Words and Phrases
This article focuses on transition words and phrases including how to explain them to children and providing lists of transition words and phrases by types such as Time and Sequence, Cause and Effect, and Conclusion. It also provides a...
Other
Acadia University: Late Renaissance & Early Baroque Music
This article compares and contrasts Late Renaissance and Early Baroque music with narrative and a side-by-side chart.
Other
Info World: The Real Difference Between Sql Server and Oracle
InfoWorld Magazine compares and contrasts Oracle's and SQL Server's database management system--and provides students with a technical writing that provides database terms in an accessible context.
Read Works
Read Works: Desert or Rain Forest?
[Free Registration/Login Required] An informational text comparing and contrasting a desert and a rain forest. A question sheet is available to help students build skills in reading comprehension.
Georgia Department of Education
Ga Virtual Learning: Contemporary Issues: Extra Curricular Activities
This lesson focuses on the pros and cons of extra-curricular activities for kids; while positive effects have been proven, overscheduled kids may have trouble keeping up with the activities and school work. It features links to opposing...
Thinkport Education
Thinkport: Using Multiple Sources: Sea Turtle Populations
In this science-themed literacy lesson, students learn how to identify the central idea and key details in an article about sea turtles.
Read Works
Read Works: Passages: Making a Storyboard
[Free Registration/Login Required] Students read a nonfiction text about a girl whose aunt is a children's book author and answer questions about comprehension, sequencing, supporting details, main idea, vocabulary, and more. Links to a...
Read Works
Read Works: Passages: A Playground Problem
[Free Registration/Login Required] Students read a nonfiction text about building a model for a new playground and answer questions about comprehension, supporting details, main ideas, vocabulary, and more. Links to a paired text and...
Michael Blaber, PhD
Florida State University: Intermolecular Forces: Structures of Solids
Article from Michael Blaber and Florida State University. Amorphous and crystalline solids are compared and contrasted. The unit cell arrangements and the packing of unit cells into crystalline solids is explained and colorfully...
Other
Copyright Coalition: Piracy More Serious Than Burglary, Fraud, Bank Robbery
This article compares and contrasts piracy to other forms for theft in an attempt to determine the true threat of piracy.
South Carolina Educational Television
Etv: Artopia: Sculpture Critic: Bird by Alexander Calder
One-page article explainshow Alexander Calder uses humor in this hanging art piece called Bird, describes how the mobile is constructed, and gives a short biography of the artist. Students can then answer questions about the sculpture,...
Read Works
Read Works: The Battle of the Bagel
[Free Registration/Login Required] An informational text about the differences between Montreal and New York style bagels. A question sheet is available to help students build skills in reading comprehension.
Other
New York State Library: Student Activity: Primary Versus Secondary Sources
Read about the Railroad Strike of 1877 using three excerpts from textbooks and three original newspaper articles. Compare and contrast the information in the primary and secondary sources.
Smithsonian Institution
History and Archaeology: The Financial Panic of 1907: Running From History
In this article from Smithsonian Magazine, the author interviews Robert F. Bruner, who co-wrote the book, The Panic of 1907: Lessons Learned from the Market's Perfect Storm, published in 2007, before the meltdown in the U.S. economy...
Reading Rockets
Reading Rockets: Building World Knowledge: Informational Text
Before, during, and after-reading ideas for introducing students to informational texts in the early-elementary grades in order to boost reading achievement through the upper-elementary grades.
ACT360 Media
Writing Den
The WritingDEN includes feature articles with associated words, sentences, and paragraphs to aid in the writing process. Interactive features include pronunciation guides and content quizzes. The Tips-o-matic section offers grammar...
Thinkport Education
Thinkport: Multiple Sources: Climate Change and Mummies
In this science-themed literacy lesson, students learn how to identify the central idea and key details in an article about ancient mummies.
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Australian Broadcasting Corporation: News in Science: Chimp Dna Sheds Light on Humanity
From ABC News in Science, Richard Ingham's article sheds light on scientific research comparing and contrasting the DNA of Chimpanzees with the DNA of humans.
Read Works
Read Works: California and Mesopotamia: Similarities and Differences
[Free Registration/Login Required] An informational text about the similarities and differences between California and ancient Mesopotamia. A question sheet is available to help students build skills in reading comprehension.
Read Works
Read Works: Vanishing Frogs
[Free Registration/Login Required] Students read about a skin fungus causing the harlequin frog species to become endangered. A question sheet is available to help students build skills in classifying and categorizing.
Read Works
Read Works: Growing Up in Darfur: Sudanese Children Struggle to Survive
[Free Registration/Login Required] An informational text about a girl named Sumaya and her life in a refugee camp in Darfur. A question sheet is available to help students build skills in reading comprehension.