Compare and contrast characters’ experiences in stories.
: Students will orally compare and contrast the experiences that characters have had, comparing them to those experienced by other characters, in the same story or a different story. Those experiences can be expressed as events, feelings, or behaviors.
| Name |
Description |
| The Kissing Hand and A Pocket Full of Kisses: Compare and Contrast | In this close reading lesson, students will compare and contrast the actions of the characters in two of Audrey Penn's beloved books, The Kissing Hand and A Pocket Full of Kisses. They will answer text-dependent questions, and they will describe and sequence story elements as they analyze the two books. Students will truly enjoy interacting with these two delightful stories! |
| Around the World with Cinderella | It really is amazing that a familiar story such as Cinderella can be found in so many different places around the world. Each story adheres to very similar story elements, but also includes its own culture and traditions. In this lesson, students will identify story elements from two Cinderella stories, Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters which takes place in Zimbabwe and the French version of Cinderella by Marica Brown. Students will compare and contrast these stories using a Venn diagram. Additional versions can also be shared, culminating in students choosing their favorite version to write an opinion writing piece about. |
| Five Little Monkeys: Comparing and Contrasting | In this close reading lesson, students will compare and contrast the actions of the characters in two of Eileen Christelow's beloved books, Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed and Five Little Monkeys Sitting in a Tree. They will answer text-dependent questions and describe story elements as they analyze the two books. Students will truly enjoy interacting with these two delightful stories! |
| If You Give a Mouse a Cookie and Take Him to School: Comparing and Contrasting | In this close reading lesson, students will compare and contrast the actions of the characters in two of Laura Numeroff's beloved books, If You Give a Mouse a Cookie and If You Take a Mouse to School. They will answer text-dependent questions, and they will describe and sequence story elements as they analyze the two books. Students will truly enjoy interacting with these two delightful stories! |
| Going Camping | In this lesson, students will learn about camping by reading stories about familiar characters that have gone camping, including Little Critter, Fred and Ted, and Curious George. Students will learn about how to make a camping list and compare and contrast the experiences of the characters in the stories using a Venn Diagram. They will create an opinion explaining what they think are the most important items to take camping. |
| Gingerbread Boy or Gingerbread Girl? | This is a fun lesson where students will be asked to compare the characters two popular gingerbread tales using a graphic organizer. Then, they will write an opinion sentence explaining which book was their favorite and why. |
| Comparing and Contrasting with Frog and Toad | In this lesson, students will compare and contrast the experiences of the familiar characters, Frog and Toad, by completing t-charts and composing a response about the similarities and differences in the characters' experiences. |
| An Unlikey Friend or Foe | In this lesson, students will listen to The Grouchy Ladybug by Eric Carle and The Story of Ferdinand by Munro Leaf and will analyze the main character's actions and reactions to their adventures by comparing and contrasting using a Venn diagram. Students will also be given an opportunity to think and write about times that they have been grumpy or peaceful using grade-appropriate conventions of writing and phonetic spelling. |
