Education Standards
Comparing and Contrasting : Experiences that Shape Us
Overview
Comparing and contrasting our experiences with friends and family help us better understand our own identity. Students will learn comparison/contrast language and practice using it through an activity, two different graphic organizers, classroom discussion and conversations with their parents to better understand each other, their parents and themselves.
LESSON DESCRIPTION
Comparing and Contrasting : Experiences that Shape Us
Author of the Lesson: Teri Knight
Lesson Summary/Overview:
Comparing and contrasting our experiences with friends and family help us better understand our own identity. Students will learn comparison/contrast language and practice using it through an activity, two different graphic organizers, classroom discussion and conversations with their parents to better understand each other, their parents and themselves.
LESSON GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
Alignment and Objectives
Content Standards:
ELA W.2 - Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas, concepts and information using strategies such as comparison/contrast.
ELA W.4 - Produce clean and coherent writing win which the development, organization and style are appropriate to task, purpose and audience.
Content Objectives:
Student will be able to use compare and contrast words and phrases to identify and discuss similarities and differences with their peers and their parents in order to better understand their own identity.
ELP Standards:
ELD 6-8.3.4: An ELL can speak and write about grade appropriate complex literary and informational texts and topics and experiences.
ELD 6-8.2.4: Participate in grade appropriate oral and written exchanges of information, ideas and analyses; asking and answering relevant questions; adding relevant information & evidence
ELD 6-8.9.4: Create clear and coherent grade appropriate speech and text…with increasingly independent control, a variety of transitional words and phrases
Language (ELP) Objectives:
Students will use increasingly complex compare and contrast signal words and phrases to clarify similarities and differences.
Supporting Academic Language
Language Functions: Compare and Contrast
Language Modalities:
Speaking and Listening: Activity - Same and Different
Writing: Daily use of compare and contrast signal words and phrases
Reading Extension: Reading “Burrito Man” to compare and contrast Alex and her father
Vocabulary:
Comparison (same) similar, in common, by comparison
Contrast (different) but, different than, however, while, whereas, as opposed to,
Syntax or Sentence Structure(s):
Level 1
| Comparison | Contrast | |
| 1. Both ___ and ___ [have/are] ___. |
| |
| 2. ___ and ___ both [have/are] ___. |
| |
| 3. ___ and ___ are similar because ___. |
|
Level 2
| Comparison | Contrast | |
| 1. _____. By comparison, _____. | 1. _____. However, _____. | |
| 2. _____. Comparatively, _____. | 2. _____. In contrast, _____. | |
| 3. _____. Similarly, _____. | 3. _____. On the other hand, ____. |
Level 3
| Comparison | Contrast | |
| 1. Compared to ___, ___ also ___. | 1. Unlike ___, _____. | |
| 2. Just [like/as] ___, ___ also ___. | 2. Whereas ___, _____. | |
| 3. Another similarity between ___ and ___ is that they both [have/are] ____. | 3. _____, as opposed to ___ while ___. |
Note: As students begin to orally practice the above sentences that include a comma or period, require students say the word ‘comma’ or ‘period’. Explain that normally one doesn’t ‘read’ punctuation, but this is a critical step towards writing these sentences correctly.
Discourse:
- Focus on the concept that comparing is about what is the SAME while contrast is what is different. [Although many use ‘compare’ to talk about both what is the same and what is different, we are not going to use the term that way. For this class, ‘compare’ means SAME while contrast means DIFFERENT].
- As we talk about ourselves and someone else, which do you think it makes more sense to start with - what we have in common (compare) or what is different (contrast)? Why do you think this?
- In English, it is ALWAYS polite to talk about what we have in common before we talk about what is different. That is what we will practice. However, what is the tradition in your culture and language? Who do you talk about first?
Make it clear that for now, all students will use the SAME information we are using as a class. Applaud the fact some will want to write their own ideas about same and different, but for now, we are going to use the SAME information to compare and contrast two things. [Purpose: to practice and become proficient in the targeted language structures, it is important to keep the information used simple and consistant].
Throughout the lesson, constantly be explaining that sentence frames are only the beginning of a good sentence. The writer needs to make sure that the sentences ‘make sense’ or ‘sound right’ which is why reading them aloud is so important.
LESSON PREPARATION
Considerations
Prerequisite Knowledge and Skills:
Learning how to use sentence frames is an ongoing skill. Sentence frames should always be looked at as suggestions and starters. A student still needs to add the necessary grammar to proficiently communicate whatever content has been chosen.
Be prepared, as needed, to review pronouns, especially subject (I and we) vs object pronouns (me and us).
Instructional Materials
Resources, Materials, and Technology required or recommended for the lesson:
Posters with the 3 different levels of compare and contrast sentences (See Addendum 7).
Access to Youtube for playing opening video song from Encanto (use option with lyrics).
Graphic organizers
Links to all Addenda:
- Addendum 0.1 TK CC organizer
- Addendum 0.2 CC organizer Example
- Addendum 1 L1 CC Table
- Addendum 2 L2 CC Table
- Addendum 3 L3 CC Table
- Addendum 4 Leveled Frames
- Addendum 5 CC Ticket Out the Door 1
- Addendum 6 DLR Options
- Addendum 7 Pictures of Classroom Posters
- Addendum 8 Same and Different - Find Someone
Learning Supports
Socio-emotional supports: Celebrating both similarities and differences in all the areas we will be talking about.
Cultural & Linguistic Responsiveness: Compare English ‘rules of politeness’ with students’ language - who do you talk about first in your language?
Accessibility: Students can be given document in Google for voice typing if required.
Instructional Supports
Differentiation:
L1 Supports: translation of song, targeted translation of compare/contrast language
L2 Development (by level): Posters with 3 levels of sentence frames.
LESSON PROCEDURES
Day 1 - 50 Minute Lesson
Anticipatory Set/Motivation/Hook
Time: 15 minutes
Begin with opening song from Disney Encanto” “The Family Madrigal” (available on YouTube - if possible find the version with lyrics included; many other video clips could be substituted where one character is different than others) If you have time, play the clip in one or two of the languages represented in the room, with lyrics if possible. Try the vocal in one language and the lyrics in another.
Discuss the movie Disney Encanto bringing out what is in the opening song: Everyone had a gift…except Mira. Also discuss meaning of ‘encanto,’ looking it up if necessary.
How is Mira the same as her family? (She is part of the family Madrigal. They love her and she loves them.)
What was different about her? ( She doesn’t have a gift. She wears glasses).
Teacher Does/Students Do: Teacher leads discussion asking the questions. As students answer, Teacher completes the organizer and orally repeats the information using the target language.
For example:
Mira loves her family and they love her. Both Mira and her family live in a magical (charmed) house.
Her family members have gifts, but she does not. She wears glasses while the others do not.
Use this to explain how to use the form which is filled out like this:
| Mira | SAMEmisma/mismoтакой же | Her Family |
| love each other | ||
| live in a magical house | ||
| DIFFERENTdiferenteдругой | ||
| Wears glasses | Glasses | Doesn’t wear glasses |
| doesn’t have a gift | Magical Gifts | each have a gift |
(See Addendum 0.1)
Preassessment: As class discusses similarities and differences, teacher completes organizer. Students are then asked to look at the Compare/Contrast charts and verbally ‘write’ one compare and one contrast sentence using Level 1 sentence frames only.
For example:
Both Mira and her family love each other.
Mira doesn’t have a gift but her family each have a gift.
Focused Instruction (Teacher-as-Model)
Note: Go as quickly or as slowly as your class needs. Watch the time. At any point in the lesson, be sure to dedicate the last 3 - 5 minutes for the Ticket Out the Door: Writing a compare and a contrast sentence based on whatever information is currently being discussed by the class.
Time: 15 minutes
Teacher Does/Students Do:
- Discourse: Introduce students to Compare/Contrast Graphic Organizer ( Addendum 0.1 and Addendum 0.2).
- Focus on the concept that comparing is about what is the SAME while contrast is what is different. [Although many use ‘compare’ to talk about both what is the same and what is different, we are not going to use the term that way. For this class, ‘compare’ means SAME while contrast means DIFFERENT].
- As we talk about ourselves and someone else, which do you think it makes more sense to start with - what we have in common (compare) or what is different (contrast)? Why do you think this?
- In English, it is ALWAYS polite to talk about what we have in common before we talk about what is different. That is what we will practice. However, what is the tradition in your culture and language? Who do you talk about first?
- Model: Using the Compare/Contrast organizer (Addendum 0.1 OR Addendum 1) compare 2 things about myself with a fellow teacher
- Contrast 2 things about myself with a fellow teacher (Think aloud about how I got this information from Ms. G - friendship and asking questions - but the focus here is on the language, not the process of getting information)
- I model using “I” and the teacher’s name using COMPARE Level 1 frames.
ie: Both Ms. G and I are teachers.
Ms. G and I are similar because we are both teachers.
Ms. G and I are the same because we both are teachers..
- Then, practice orally using LEVEL 1 COMPARE frames with a partner using our names. (Both Ms. G and Ms. K are teachers.)
- Repeat using LEVEL 1 CONTRAST frames.
- Discourse: Ask the question: Why do people compare…and contrast…themselves with other people? Think….talk to a partner….share.
Frame: I think people compare and contrast themselves with other people because ________.
- Follow up question: How does this help me understand my own identity? See how discussion goes but be ready with giving them an example using your own comparison with a fellow teacher.
For example: Because we both grew up in large families, neither Ms. Golick nor I had parents who could help us with college and so we had to work our way through school. We are both very proud of the fact we got through school even though it was very difficult and we were very poor while doing so.
Because I grew up in Oregon, I learned to love the long rainy winters because I understood that is the price we pay for our lovely summers. Because she did not grow up with rain, it can be depressing for her.
Guided Instruction (Teacher-to-Student Joint Responsibility)
Time: 15 minutes
Teacher Does/Students Do:
- Ask for a volunteer (if possible, ask a student ahead of class). Use same form to compare / contrast myself with a student (see Addendum 1). Model how to come up with topics and information. Keep this information very general: Live/work in this town/state ; have a family ; have or don’t have a pet, etc.
- Demonstrate Level 1 Compare/contrast language - ORALLY
I do it: I give one sentence showing comparison.
Both _____ and I live in Gresham.
You do it: They repeat it with second info to their classmate.
Both Ms Knight and ____ lives in Gresham.
Repeat for contrast sentence.
- Discussion: How does this activity help you understand your own identity better?
Ms. Knight and I both live in Gresham, so we know places to go for walks and where the play grounds are for kids.
Ms. Knight can only speak English, but I know English and Spanish. That means when Ms. Knight travels to Spanish speaking countries, she has to find ways to communicate, but I don’t have any problems with that.
Group Application (Student-to-Student Joint Responsibility)
This will be picked up in the next lesson.
Closure
Time: 5 - 10 minutues
Teacher Does/Students Do:
- Pass out the simple Compare/Contrast Grid A (using only one similarity and one difference - ). See Addendum 1 Ask for two volunteers to be compared and contrasted. As a class, find one thing similar and if there is time, one thing different about the two students and as a class fill out Grid A.
Note: All students should fill out the SAME information on the form. (This is an important point - some students will want to write their own ideas of same and different - applaud that creativity, but tell them for now, we are all going to use the SAME information until we are ready to go on our own)
(Another option for PRETEST here, but otherwise, continue with instruction)
- Teacher demonstrates how to write a LEVEL 1 comparison sentence (and, if there is time, a LEVEL 1 contrast sentence) For example: Ms K and ___ both live in Gresham.
- Using the SAME information, instruct the students to use a DIFFERENT sentence frame to discuss similarity (and if time difference). For example: Both Ms. K and ___ live in Gresham.
- Ticket out the Door: Write one comparison sentence. Read it to your partner and listen to their feedback; make sure it makes sense to them. Be prepared to read it to the teacher on your way out the door (See Addendum 5)
Day 2 - 50 Minute Lesson
- Daily Warm up - (Formative Assessment):
a. As students come into the class, have the pick up a blank Compare/Contrast Level 1 (Addendum 1). On the overhead, have simple information already provided. (See Addendum 6 for other examples)
For example:
| Dogs | Same / Topic | Cats |
| are animals | ||
| bark | sounds | meow |
b. Assign Level 1 sentence frames. Students have 3 -5 minutes from the beginning of class to complete one comparison and one contrast sentence.
c. Ask for volunteers to read their sentences at the end of the time. Collect.
Formative assessment: This will let you know when to go to the next level of compare/contrast sentence frames. (Note: I do not grade daily warm ups but let the students know there will a quiz on Friday on this).
2. Review key points from yesterday:
- Talk about what is similar first, then what is different
- When talking about yourself and another person, always refer to the other person first.
- Sentence frames are the basic structure of a sentence, but you as the writer still need to make sense. It is not just about ‘filling in the blank’ but using the words that will communicate.
3. Guided Instruction (Teacher to Student Joint Responsibility)
Time - 5 minutes
Teacher Does / Students Do:
- Introduce the activity “Same and Different - Find Someone”. See Addendum 8
- Model how to fill it out
- Write my name CLEARLY on the top of the paper so other people can copy it if needed.
- First, fill out MY answers to the options.
- Then, model by asking different students questions that will produce the information needed. Add this information to the worksheet.
- Explain they need to find a DIFFERENT person for EACH box.
- Ask a student to model how to do this with another student using the same projected form.
- Review - How many people will they find something that is similar? (5) How many will they find who are different? (5)
- Students will have 10 minutes to complete the form.
Group Application (Student-to-Student Joint Responsibility)
- Pass out papers (Addendum 8).
- Students write their name clearly on the top of the paper so their classmates can copy it.
- They have 3-5 minutes to complete the information needed about themselves.
- Remind them they need 10 different names of classmates on the paper - 5 who are similar and 5 who are different.
2. Set the timer for 10 minutes and let students mingle to ask complete their worksheet.
3. Depending on the time left, students should write 2 - 4 sentences comparing and contrasting themselves to their classmates.
Closure
Time: 5 - 15 minutues (depending on discussion)
Teacher Does/Students Do:
- Discussion: How does this information help us better understand our own identity better? Are you more similar to or different from to your classmate? What does that tell you about yourself?
- Model Ticket out the Door: Today I learned that _______. [talk about a similarity or a difference] This helps me understand myself better because it lets me know that _________. (This can be a created TOD or students copy projected frames)
For example: Today I learned that other classmates like spicy candy. This helps me understand myself better because it lets me know that the candy I grew up eating with my family is the kind of candy I like the best.
- Students complete the Ticket out the Door. Read aloud to partner; make any changes they might suggest.
- How well do you understand how to create [Level 1] Compare / Contrast sentences? On your TOD paper, write:
:-) “I’ve got it!” :-l “I’m getting it” or :-( “I need more practice”)
Formative Assessment
Content: Compare/Contrast language
Language: See Addendum 4: Leveled Frames
Ticket in and out the door: Use targeted frame to express a comparison/contrast about given information:
Language Warmup: Each day (following initial lesson of this unit), students are asked to give a compare and a contrast sentence based on the information displayed when they walk in the door. They have 3-5 minutes to complete 2 sentences.
Ticket out the door: Use targeted frame to express a comparison/contrast about information from that day’s lesson.
While this is required work, it does not need to be graded. This should let you know who and what needs to be retaught.
Plans for Summative Assessments
Content: Compare/Contrast Language regarding ourselves and others - or any other content that is current to the classroom
Language: See Addendum 4: Leveled Frames
After a week of practice, a quiz is given using the targeted level of compare and contrast sentence frames (see Addendum 9). If the majority of the class has mastered this level, it is time to move on to Level 2 - being sure to carefully teach how to use those frames the first few days they are introduced.
Then, after those frames are mastered by the majority of the class, move on to Level 3.
EXTENSIONS
Ideas for Key Assignments, Extensions, and Adaptations for Online Learning Environments:
Day 3
Anticipatory set:
What kind of job do your parent(s) have? Have you even gone to ‘take your child to work’ day? If you went with your parent for a day, what do you think you would see / do? Would you like to do what they do when you are an adult?
- Do you think you are more similar to or different from your parents?
Frame: I think I am more ____ to /from my parents because ___.
- As a class, create some questions we could ask our parents that would help us understand how we are similar or different to our parents.
Content Ideas for questions:
Siblings
School (what is the same; different)
Work (did you work at our age?)
Dreams (What did you hope to accomplish in your life when you were my age?)
I do it: Demonstrate the information I received from my parent and demonstrate the assignment and how to collect the information.
Day 4
Teach how to write up comparison and contrast paragraphs. Model with previous content. Compare first, then contrast.
Day 5 - 7
“Burrito Man” is a short story in a book by LuLu Delacre called In Progresss - Short Stories About Young Latinos
“Burrito Man” - This is a short story about a father who sells burritos out of a cart in Washington D.C. While he originally hoped to earn money for a restaurant, he instead is saving their money so the main character, his daughter, can go to college. First she is embarrassed by her father, but after spending a day with him at the cart learns to appreciate him.
Opportunities for follow up compare / contrast:
Papi’s job vs her friends’ father’s jobs.
How she sees her Papi compared to how his customers see him.
Possible Essential Questions (goes with “Burrito Man”): How does comparing and contrasting my experiences with others help me understand my own identity? Other related questions:How does a person’s experiences shape their development as a person? How does a person’s heritage influence their perspective of life? How does a person’s experiences - good and bad - shape the understanding of their own identity?
General Extension
As students master ‘level 1’ compare and contrast frames, move on to level 2 and level 3. Each level needs direct instruction regarding how to use the frames. However, the content used for comparing and contrasting can be just about any topic you are currently teaching.
In my classroom, we practice daily with provided information on the organizer followed by a quiz on Friday. The goal is that eventually a student can take any topic within their reach, identify similarities and differences, and then choose the appropriate sentence form to express that.