How to Teach Students to Compare and Contrast

Learning Resource Type

Classroom Resource

Subject Area

English Language Arts

Grade(s)

3, 4, 5

Overview

This quick animation video provides a fun and engaging introduction to compare and contrast two or more characters, settings, events, drawing on specific details of a story.

English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 3

ELA21.3.22

Describe literary elements within a story, including setting, plot, characters, and themes.

UP:ELA21.3.22

Vocabulary

  • Describe
  • Literary elements
  • Story
  • Setting
  • Plot
  • Characters
  • Themes

Knowledge

Students know:
  • Literary elements within a story include the setting, plot, characters, and themes.
  • Setting is when and where a story takes place.
  • Plot is the main events of a story (often referred to as the beginning, middle, and end of a story).
  • Characters are any person, animal, or figure that affect the plot.
  • Theme is the main, recurring idea in a text.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Identify and describe the literary elements, including setting, plot, characters, and theme, within the text.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • Identifying and describing literary elements within a story will help in comprehending the text.
English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 4

ELA21.4.18

Identify the point of view in a narrative and describe how the narrative would be different if told from the perspective of a different character or narrator.

UP:ELA21.4.18

Vocabulary

  • Point of view
  • Narrative
  • Narrator
  • Character

Knowledge

Students know:
  • A narrative is a story that is told either by a narrator or a character in the story.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Identify the point of view in a narrative.
  • Describe how a narrative would be different if told from the perspective of a different character or narrator.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • Narratives can be told from different points of view that offer different perspectives.
  • A story will change if it is told by a different character or narrator.
English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 5

ELA21.5.21

Compare and contrast characters, points of view, or events in two or more literary texts.

UP:ELA21.5.21

Vocabulary

  • Compare
  • Contrast
  • Characters
  • Point of view
  • Events
  • Literary texts

Knowledge

Students know:
  • Compare means tell how things are alike or similar, and contrast means tell how things are different.
  • There will be similarities and differences between characters, points of view, and events among literary texts.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Identify similarities between characters, points, of view, or events in two or more literary texts.
  • Identify differences between characters, points, of view, or events in two or more literary texts.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • Although literary texts may have common elements, like characters, points of view, and plot events, there will similarities and differences among these elements.

CR Resource Type

Audio/Video

Resource Provider

McGraw Hill PreK-12

License Type

Custom
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