Compare and contrast elements of texts (Inclusive Big Idea #9)

Reading Literature

Grade 3: English Language Arts

Inclusive Big Idea #9: Compare and contrast elements of texts

Standard: Compare and contrast the themes, settings, and plots of stories written by the same author about the same or similar characters (e.g., in books from a series). RL.3.9

• Anchor Text: Choose a series of books to read as a class throughout the year (for example, Magic Tree House by Mary Pope Osborne). Keep track of the plots of each story on an anchor chart and make comparisons of the events in each story. Learn more about accessing grade-level text in this TIP Sheet.
• Author Study: Compare two or more texts written by the same author. Notice how elements within the texts are the same and how elements within the texts are different. During and after reading or listening to a text, create a chart with the class to analyze how texts by the same author are similar/different. Provide model examples and templates of how to fill out the chart so students can develop this skill more independently.
• Topic Study: Using a T chart, compare two or more texts written by the same author. Notice how the texts are similar and how the texts are different. Learn more about graphic organizers in this TIP Sheet.
• Venn Diagram Sorting: Choose 2 texts written by the same author and create category cards with the titles of both texts. Next, create cards that have some information about the texts that are the same and create some cards that have some information about the texts that are different (e.g., characters, setting, themes, events). Ask students to sort the cards onto the Venn Diagram, placing the cards with similar information in the middle of the diagram and placing cards with dissimilar information in either the right or left circle. Note that the cards could have words or images and that they could be digital or paper versions. Learn more about graphic organizers in this TIP Sheet.
• Grand Conversations: Gather students to engage in a conversation about stories written by the same author or stories that address the same topic. Ask a series of questions to the group of students that requires them to explain how the stories are similar and how they are different. Record the answers someplace students can reference and access during or after the conversation. Questions may include:
  • How are these stories alike?
  • How are these stories different?
  • How does this author address the topic? How does this author address a similar topic?
  • How do the authors address the topic similarly? How do the authors address the topic differently?
• Think Aloud: Read aloud a story to your students. As you read the story aloud, explain how the author of multiple texts uses similarities/differences in each book.

For example, one possible barrier is if the lesson is not interesting or relevant to the student.

Ideas to reduce this barrier could include:

• provide opportunities for students to work together or alone as they prefer
• use task cards or a choice board for students to make a choice about what they will do first
• allow students to choose how they will represent the information (provide guidelines for what has to be included)

Use these Inclusive Strategies to help reduce barriers.

• Why is it Important to Build Background Knowledge?
  • Students can determine what is the same and what is different in the content of what they read or see.
  • Build background knowledge about how students can use information they already know in order to compare and contrast elements of a character’s experience. Background knowledge can be built directly and indirectly. Direct experiences (e.g., teacher modeling, think-aloud strategies, cross-curricular activities) or indirect experiences (e.g., field trips, video clips, class activities, simulations) may effectively build relevant background knowledge.
• What are "Story Elements"?
  • Story elements are, essentially, the parts of a story. These elements develop the actions or events in the story in a logical way to enable readers to easily follow the text. Knowing this can help students to compare and contrast.
    • characters- the individuals in the story
    • setting- the location and time period where the story takes place
    • plot- what happens in the story and should a clear beginning, middle, and end
    • conflict- the problem in the story; the plot in a story should be centered on the conflict
    • resolution- the solution to the problem or conflict

Common Student Misconceptions

• Background Knowledge: Many teachers assume students already know about a topic based on their age or what they should have learned in a previous grade or class. When background knowledge is not built or activated, students will lack the schema to understand new material and may not effectively learn and understand the topic or concept.
• Theme: Main idea and theme are often confused as being the same and so comparisons may be made that are not quite aligned. Although both can be related, theme is a broad topic, whereas main idea is more specific. For example, nature may be the theme of a story while the main idea is “littering is bad.”
• Story Elements: Students often miss aspects of story elements when summarizing a text. In addition, some texts are considered inconsiderate texts and do not provide enough to allow students to fully understand all story elements and must fill in the gaps with prior experiences and personal preferences, leading to problems with comprehension.
• Setting Purpose: Students may be overwhelmed when asked to compare ideas if they don’t understand which information is important. Set clear expectations about what characteristics of the story you want them to compare.
• Fact versus Opinion: When comparing aspects of stories, students should base their comparisons in facts about the stories, not in their opinions about the stories.
• Concrete versus Abstract Characteristics: Some points of comparison will be details that are explicitly stated within the story about characters or events, while other details may be implied or created by descriptions, language, or situations, such as mood or tone.

Links Across Content Areas

• Social Studies: Read a historical text and then watch a fictional reenactment of the same event.
• Science: Compare the results of an experiment using a different variable each time. 

Second Grade: Compare and contrast elements of texts (RL 9)

Fourth Grade: Compare and contrast elements of texts (RL 9)