Ohio Literacy Resource Center
Compare & Contrast Essay
Comparing two texts can build a greater understanding of the texts and themes of the works. Take some time to follow the steps here to guide your pupils through the process of composing compare-and-contrast essays.
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Literary Comparison
Compare and contrast two pieces of literature with this lesson. With the use of a Venn diagram, pupils make connections between literature and real-life situations. They practice skills of surveying a text looking for important details,...
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About Life: The Photographs of Dorothea Lange Going to the Promised Land
To better understand the migrant experience during the Great Depression, pupils analyze two primary resources: photographs by Dorothea Lange and a U.S. Map that shows the Dust Bowl. They compare and contrast Lange's images to Steinbeck's...
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Comparisons
Second graders listen to read alouds of The Story of Ferdinand and Roberto and the Bull and view Little Red Riding Hood and The Three Little Pigs online. In this reading activity, 2nd graders compare and contrast the two stories using a...
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Compare and Chart the Stories
Elementary schoolers engage in a literature study. They make comparisons of two different versions of a story using a graphic organizer. Using the text and pictures elementary schoolers investigate three elements from the story. Then,...
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Different People/Different Times
Learners read and compare two selections by two different authors with the theme man vs. nature. They complete a literary analysis paper comparing and contrasting the author's treatment of the topic with emphasis on setting, historical...
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The Use of Language in "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings"
Readers of I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings are asked to craft an essay in which they compare how Maya Angelou uses figurative language to depict herself and Mrs. Flowers.
Star Wars in the Classroom
"Shakespeare and Star Wars": Lesson Plan Day 15
To conclude the study of the play, William Shakespeare's Star Wars: Verily, A New Hope, class members craft an in-class essay comparing Doescher's adaptation to George Lucas's film, Star Wars: A New Hope.
Channel Islands Film
The Legendary King
After viewing two documentaries about the history of the Channel islands, individuals craft an essay in which they compare the lives of Juana Maria, the Lone Woman San Nicolar Island, to Lester Holt and his family featured in the...
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Use Information in Line, Bar, Circle, and Picture Graphs to Make Comparisons and Predictions
Eighth graders explore the concept of graphs. In this graphs lesson, 8th graders compare and contrast picture graphs, bar graphs, line graphs, and circle graphs. Students examine each type of graph and answer questions and make...
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The Last Word: Using Critical Thinking and Analysis to Reach a Decision
Want to explore the process of writing a persuasive essay and tie it in with the upcoming elections? Class members use Venn diagrams and the hamburger model of persuasive writing to write a five-paragraph essay on elections and...
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A Visit to Hogwarts
Students collaborate in groups to read excerpts or entire selections from two Harry Potter books, use educational software to create concept maps detailing similarities and differences between first two Harry Potter books, and analyze...
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What Is the True Story of the Three Little Pigs?
Cozy up and listen to a recording of The True Story of the Three Little Pigs and The Three Little Javelinas. Then, lead your class in a compare and contrast of the two stories by creating a Venn diagram.
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Technology of the Times: A Comparison
Tenth graders compare and contrast how changes in technology impacted the growth of ancient civilizations and modern cities. Using internet research, they identify the positive and negative aspects of technology society. At the...
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The Final Analysis: Cause and Effect, Fact and Opinion
Middle schoolers read and review informational texts, analyze cause and effect, and distinguish fact from opinion. They assess a "one-minute mystery" you read aloud for cause and effect relationships. Resource includes complete set of...
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Sorting Gourds
Students discover different types of gourds. In this plant comparison lesson, students compare and contrast several types of gourds based on shape, color and texture. Students observe a video clip based on sorting gourds.
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Polar Food Web Comparison
Seventh graders practice the evaluation component of the scientific method while comparing and contrasting the similarities and differences of the food chains and webs of polar animal life. They study about classification and ecology...
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Goldie Girl and There, Their, and They're: Homophones and Homographs
Instruct your class on homonyms and homophones. Learners take a pre-test and examine a list of homophones. They also play online word games to practice spelling and usage and write a fairy tale in which they use at least 10 homophones....
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Major Religions in Ancient India
Sixth graders compare and contrast Hinduism and Buddhism. In this ancient India lesson, 6th graders use Inspiration software to create graphic organizers that show the similarities and differences between Hinduism and Buddhism.
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Comparative Genocides
Students examine genocidal events throughout history. Using the internet, they research these events and compare and contrast them with the Holocaust. They analyze the amount of inhumanity towards others throughout history. In groups,...
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Weapons of World War I
Ninth graders discover the weapons of World War I. They compare and contrast the weapons used during that time period with the weapons that are used in warfare today. They create a digital slide show with the history, uses, and...
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Fit For Life Presentations
Students use the internet to compare and contrast the diet, nutrition and fitness of a major language group and the United States. As a class, they are introduced to the vocabulary in the language related to health and fitness and share...
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The Telling: A Thanksgiving Story
students use literature to compare and contrast different points of view on the first Thanksgiving.
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Colonial Homes
Young scholars tour colonial homes in Connecticut and compare their features. In this colonial homes activity, students create a diorama after returning from a field trip to homes. Young scholars use their observations and...