Is a Venn diagram an anchor chart?

There are countless opportunities to teach the concept of comparing and contrasting - you can have students compare themselves and a classmate, two seasons, two sports... the list goes on and on! I will admit, I was still doing these types of compare and contrast writing activities with 4th and 5th graders a few years back. I would start with a Venn diagram, and then I would have students write a few paragraphs. I was confident that I was giving my students (many English language learners) plenty of opportunities to correctly form compare and contrast paragraphs using the appropriate signal words.

Recently, however, I've begun to question whether those past activities were enough. A few months ago, I was looking at the Common Core State Standards, and I was surprised to see how often some sort of comparing and contrasting task are included in the 5th grade reading standards! Therefore, I set out to create some materials that incorporate reading into my compare & contrast unit, by specifically addressing RL.5.3.

• RL.5.3:  Compare and contrast two or more characters, settings, or events, in a story or drama, drawing on specific details from the text.

I created some materials that I will share at the end of this post, but my main purpose for writing this blog post is to share the following lesson with you. This lesson uses the book Dinosaurs Before Dark, the first Magic Tree House book by Mary Pope Osbourne. (Amazon affiliate link below)

I chose this simple book because I have found that nearly every fifth grader has read this or another Magic Tree House book in the past... or a teacher has read it to them. That said, I truly believe you could successfully facilitate this lesson with students who have never read the book, as well.

Prior to the beginning of class, you need to cut apart the sentence strips and recreate the basics on the anchor chart shown below. (Leave the Venn diagrams blank for now.)

I would begin class by holding up the book and asking students who have previously read the book to raise their hands. I would state that these will be our book experts, and those who haven't read the book before might be asking them some questions.

I would then point out the Venn diagram, and tell them that we are going to be comparing and contrasting the characters, settings, and events within this book. After a quick review of what it means to compare and contrast, I would distribute a sentence strip to as many students as possible. (There are 18 strips, so a few students would have to share.)

Students would take turns reading their statement to the class. During his or her turn, each student needs to:

Venn Diagrams will help students identify shared features of two objects.  They can organize similarities and differences before comparing and contrasting:

• two characters.
• two different versions of the same story.
• a literary work and another piece of art work (song, painting, dramatic performance, or film).
• any two items that share some characteristics.

Where the circles overlap, students write shared characteristics (things that are the same).  In the circles to the left and right, students will list features that are specific to each object (things that are different).  Venn Diagrams may be used in any grade level or discipline.  If this graphic organizer is new to students, practice with topics that have obvious similarities and differences.

Venn-Diagrams

Venn diagrams use closed shapes (usually circles). Use Venn diagrams to depict logical relations between terms or topics. Venn diagrams illustrate inclusion, exclusion, or intersection. Their main purpose is to organize information visually so that relationships between sets of items can be easily seen.

Uses for Venn-Diagrams

• to compare two or more choices to see what they have in common
• problem-solving
• organization – to logically reason through information

Double Bubble Map

A double bubble map is similar to a Venn diagram. It is used to identify similar and different qualities of two things. The inside circles show similarities. The outside circles show differences.

Use a  double-bubble map when you have too much information to complete a Venn diagram.

How to Create a Double Bubble Maps

• List 2 items you plan to compare in the 2 center circles.
• In the connecting circles, show similarities.
• In the outside bubbles identify differences.
• Bubble maps can extend beyond the immediate circle. Add as many bubbles as needed for the information you have.

Uses for Double Bubble Maps

• compare and contrast story elements
• analyze similarities and differences in concepts 
• compare and contrast ideas
• think deeply about two items

T-Charts

T-charts are a type of organizer that lists two facets of a topic. They are used to either compare or contrast two items.

Uses for T-Charts

• Pros and Cons – Use T-charts to list two opposing views. Tell all the positive on one side and the negative issues of an idea on the other side of the chart.
• Advantages and Disadvantages or Strengths and Weaknesses – Use T-charts to list the advantages or strengths of an idea versus the disadvantages or weaknesses of the same idea.
• Facts and Opinions – Use T-charts to sort facts (true statements that can be proven) versus opinions (statements that are not always true and that cannot be proven).

• Analyze – Use T-charts to analyze two texts. These works may include poems, songs, videos, or art by their themes or another similar topic.
• Find Relationships – Use T-charts to find similarities between two unlike items such as two different animals.
• Characteristics of Two Topics – Use T-charts to compare two qualities such as character traits.

Matrix

A matrix is a logical chart, graphic organizer. It allows individuals to compare and contrast multiple topics. With a matrix map, you can see multiple similarities and differences.

Uses for a Matrix

• finding similarities and differences in characters or settings
• categorizing math or science properties
• classifying social studies topics
• comparing people or events in history
• great for organizing texts with several people, events, or places
• easy way to quickly see a lot of information

Check out this blog post to learn more. The post also includes this free monster matrix map.

Ways to Create Organizers

Compare and Contrast Chart Maker

Google Draw – Use Google Draw. It’s free and easy to use. If you need a little help here go to Google Draw: A Full Guide For Beginners.

Writing 

Once information is categorized using an organizer, students are often asked to turn the information into paragraph format. Students should use standard paragraph features. These include topic sentences, detail sentences, and conclusions. They should also focus on writing great transitions between these sentences.

Some signal words for comparisons include like, both, also, most, have in common, similarly, and like or likewise To contrast topics, students might use but, whereas, although, instead, on the other hand, even though, whereas, and however.

More Blog Posts on Compare and Contrast at Book Units Teacher

10 Christmas Compare and Contrast Writing Prompts

Teaching Compare & Contrast with Christmas Stories

Teaching Compare and Contrast with Animated Shorts Distracted and Dear Alice

Using Animated Shorts to Teach Compare and Contrast

Teaching Compare and Contrast with Songs

See the product that inspired this post.

Text Structure – Compare and Contrast Lessons and Activities includes lessons and activities teaching different ways fiction and nonfiction are compared and contrasted.  

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What is a an anchor chart?

Why is it called an anchor chart?

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