Comparisons

Designed by:Christi Jones and Jeanna Hoffman
Satchel Ford Elementary School

1) Core Curriculum Objective: Compare and contrast situations, characters, emotions, solutions, and texts.  (2-CM-8)

Grade level:   Second          Subject:  Language Arts

2)Overview: Students will view and compare web sites on Little Red Riding Hood and The Three Little Pigs.   Students will listen to the books The Story of Ferdinand and Roberto and the Bull.  The students will compare the books using their own venn diagram. 

3) Focus Question: How do I compare two stories?

4) Time Frame: 2 class periods  (55 minutes long)

5) Resources/ Materials:

The Story of Ferdinand by Munro Leaf

Roberto and the Bull by Syd Hoff

large venn diagram on chart paper

chart paper

markers

dry erase board

dry erase pen

paper

http://www.toddlertales.com/pigstorytitle.html

http://www.hiyah.com/library/red_riding_hood.html

6) Culminating Assessment: Students will create a venn diagram comparing The Story of Ferdinand and Roberto and the Bull.  The students will compare the characters, emotions and solutions in both stories.  The teacher will assess the venn diagram by using the following rubric:  

7) Instructional Activities: 

Activity One: 

 Begin by showing the children the web site http://www.hiyah.com/library/red_riding_hood.html on Little Red Riding Hood.  Briefly summarize the story with the kids.  Then show the web site

http://www.toddlertales.com/pigstorytitle.html on the Three Little Pigs.  Briefly summarize the story orally.  Tell the children that you would like them to help compare the two stories. Draw a venn diagram on the board and explain it.  Tell them it is a way a comparing information on a chart.  Ask the students, what are some things, characters or stories they have compared in the past. 

Tell the students they are going to compare the two stories aloud.  If the students give a fact explaining how the stories are different, the responses should be written on the outer part of the circles.  If the students give a fact explaining how the stories are the same, the responses should be written in the middle of the two circles.  Ask the students how the stories are different and how they are the same.  As the children give responses, put them on the venn diagram.  Show the children where each fact should go and explain why. Once they are finished giving responses, show them the diagram. 

It may look like this:  

Three Little Pigs Little Red Riding Hood

Tell the students that tomorrow they will compare two more stories and create their own venn diagrams. 

To close, ask the students when they would be able to use a venn diagram (i.e. to compare books, characters, people, places etc.)

Sometime during the same day, preferrably storytime, read The Story of Ferdinand aloud.  Have the students orally respond to the book. 

Activity Two

Tell the students that you are going to read them a story called Roberto and the Bull.  Tell them to think of The Story of Ferdinand (the book read to them the day before), and think about the similarities and differences while it is being read.

After reading the story, brainstorm similarities and differences between the stories (focusing on situations, characters, emotions and solutions).  Let the students choose a partner.  Give each pair of students a piece of white paper.  Tell them to draw a large venn diagram.  Explain that you want them to compare the stories and fill in the venn diagram.  Tell them they should have at least six facts on their diagram and they have to have some similarities and differences.  Ask each pair to think of one fact that they would like to write down.  Before they write, ask some students to share their fact and explain where it is going to be written on the diagram.  Give feedback as the students explain their facts and where they should go.  Tell the students to write their first fact down. 

Next, tell the students that each person needs to come up with another fact and think about where it should be written.  Give the students a couple minutes and ask them to trade the facts with their partners to receive some feedback.  Once feedback has been given, have them write these two facts on their diagram. 

Tell the students that they need to finish the diagram on their own.  When they are finished, collect and score using the rubric.