Home

Reading & Math for K-5

  • Kindergarten
  • Learning numbers
  • Comparing numbers
  • Place Value
  • Roman numerals
  • Subtraction
  • Multiplication
  • Order of operations
  • Drills & practice
  • Measurement
  • Factoring & prime factors
  • Proportions
  • Shape & geometry
  • Data & graphing
  • Word problems
  • Children's stories
  • Leveled Stories
  • Context clues
  • Cause & effect
  • Compare & contrast
  • Fact vs. fiction
  • Fact vs. opinion
  • Main idea & details
  • Story elements
  • Conclusions & inferences
  • Sounds & phonics
  • Words & vocabulary
  • Reading comprehension
  • Early writing
  • Numbers & counting
  • Simple math
  • Social skills
  • Other activities
  • Dolch sight words
  • Fry sight words
  • Multiple meaning words
  • Prefixes & suffixes
  • Vocabulary cards
  • Other parts of speech
  • Punctuation
  • Capitalization
  • Cursive alphabet
  • Cursive letters
  • Cursive letter joins
  • Cursive words
  • Cursive sentences
  • Cursive passages
  • Grammar & Writing

Breadcrumbs

  • Reading by topic

Reading Comprehension Workbooks and Leveled Readers

Download & Print Only $3.49

Compare & Contrast Worksheets

Learning to compare and contrast elements of stories.

These compare and contrast worksheets help students practice identifying how characters, story details or ideas are alike or different. Comparing and contrasting is a fundamental skill both for writing and reading comprehension.

Choose your grade / topic:

Grade 1 - Compare & Contrast Worksheets

Decide whether statements describe ways in which things are "alike" or "different".

Grade 3 - Compare & Contrast Texts

Identify details which characters have in common and ways in which they are different.

Grade 4 - Comparing and Contrasting Worksheets

Identify how are two short stories are similar or different.

Grade 5 - Compare & Contrast Details

Compare and contrast details from short texts.

compare and contrast writing grade 2

Sample Compare and Contrast Worksheet

What is K5?

K5 Learning offers free worksheets , flashcards  and inexpensive  workbooks  for kids in kindergarten to grade 5. Become a member  to access additional content and skip ads.

compare and contrast writing grade 2

Our members helped us give away millions of worksheets last year.

We provide free educational materials to parents and teachers in over 100 countries. If you can, please consider purchasing a membership ($24/year) to support our efforts.

Members skip ads and access exclusive features.

Learn about member benefits

This content is available to members only.

Join K5 to save time, skip ads and access more content. Learn More

  • Forgot Password?

Free Printable Comparing and Contrasting Characters Worksheets for 2nd Grade

Comparing and Contrasting Characters: Discover a collection of free printable Reading & Writing worksheets for Grade 2 students, designed to help them analyze and compare characters in stories effectively.

quizizz-hero

Explore Comparing and Contrasting Characters Worksheets by Grades

  • kindergarten

Explore Other Subject Worksheets for grade 2

  • Social studies
  • Social emotional
  • Foreign language
  • Reading & Writing

Explore printable Comparing and Contrasting Characters worksheets for 2nd Grade

Comparing and Contrasting Characters worksheets for Grade 2 are essential tools for teachers to help their students develop vital reading and writing skills. These worksheets focus on teaching students how to compare and contrast different characters in a story, which is a crucial aspect of reading comprehension strategies. By engaging with these worksheets, students in Grade 2 will learn how to analyze and evaluate the similarities and differences between characters, leading to a deeper understanding of the text. Teachers can use these worksheets to create engaging lesson plans that incorporate reading and writing activities, ensuring that their students are well-equipped to tackle more complex texts as they progress through their education.

Quizizz is an excellent platform that offers a wide range of educational resources, including Comparing and Contrasting Characters worksheets for Grade 2, to support teachers in their quest to enhance their students' reading and writing abilities. In addition to these worksheets, Quizizz also provides interactive quizzes and games that can be used to reinforce reading comprehension strategies, such as comparing and contrasting. Teachers can easily integrate Quizizz into their lesson plans, using the platform's various offerings to create a dynamic and engaging learning environment for their Grade 2 students. By utilizing Quizizz and its extensive collection of resources, teachers can ensure that their students are well-prepared to excel in reading and writing, setting them up for success in their academic journey.

EL Education Curriculum

You are here.

  • ELA G2:M4:U2:L4

Comparing Two Texts and Shared Writing: Why People Should Protect Bats

In this lesson, daily learning targets, ongoing assessment.

  • Technology and Multimedia

Supporting English Language Learners

Universal design for learning, closing & assessments, you are here:.

  • ELA Grade 2
  • ELA G2:M4:U2

Like what you see?

Order printed materials, teacher guides and more.

How to order

Help us improve!

Tell us how the curriculum is working in your classroom and send us corrections or suggestions for improving it.

Leave feedback

These are the CCS Standards addressed in this lesson:

  • RI.2.8: Describe how reasons support specific points the author makes in a text.
  • RI.2.9: Compare and contrast the most important points presented by two texts on the same topic.
  • W.2.1: Write opinion pieces in which they introduce the topic or book they are writing about, state an opinion, supply reasons that support the opinion, use linking words (e.g., because , and , also ) to connect opinion and reasons, and provide a concluding statement or section
  • L.2.1b: Form and use frequently occurring irregular plural nouns (e.g., feet, children, teeth, mice, fish ).
  • I can compare and contrast A Place for Bats with "Bats' Roosts in Danger!" (RI.2.9)
  • I can plan the introduction and focus statement for a shared opinion piece about why people should work to protect bats. (W.2.1)
  • After the lesson, use the Reading Informational Text Checklist to review students' Protecting Pollinators research notebook and track progress toward RI.2.9 (see Assessment Overview and Resources).
  • Preview Work Time C and Shared Opinion Writing: "People Should Protect Bats" (example, for teacher reference) to familiarize yourself with the outcomes for shared writing (see supporting materials).
  • Pre-distribute copies A Place for Bats and Protecting Pollinators research notebooks at student workspaces for Work Time A.
  • Post: Learning targets and all applicable anchor charts (see materials list).

Tech and Multimedia

Consider using an interactive white board or document camera to display lesson materials.

  • During the shared writing in Work Time C, consider the use of tablets and streaming technology instead of white boards and dry-erase markers, allowing the display of students' writing ideas for discussion, revision, and inclusion in the shared writing piece.

Supports guided by in part by CA ELD Standards 2.I.B.7, 2.I.C.10, and 2.II.B.4

Important points in the lesson itself

  • The basic design of this lesson supports ELLs with multiple opportunities to orally process their ideas with peers and to participate in a shared writing experience similar to the writing required on their forthcoming Unit 2 Assessment.
  • ELLs may find it challenging to skim each text for specific information as they compare and contrast two different texts. Consider offering additional models and think-alouds to support students with this activity. Make the task more manageable by limiting the amount of information each student is responsible for finding (see Meeting Students' Needs).

Levels of support

For lighter support

  • During Work Time A, give students roles to support their partner work (examples: reader, recorder).

For heavier support

  • During Work Time A, consider working closely with a small group of students to compare and contrast texts as a guided activity.
  • Multiple Means of Representation (MMR): In this lesson, students are introduced to the poem "The Butterfly Garden." Some students may benefit from having an individual copy of the poem to follow along in near-point as it is read aloud. Support transfer of learning by offering multiple representations of the poem. Consider providing an annotated or illustrated copy of the poem for students as support for information-processing strategy development and comprehension .
  • Multiple Means of Action and Expression (MMAE): In this lesson, students are invited to chorally read the poem aloud. Some students may not feel confident in their reading skills and may benefit from modeling and supported practice. Provide differentiated mentors by seating students who may be more confident reading aloud near students who may not feel as confident .
  • Multiple Means of Engagement (MME): Invite students to reflect on their learning from previous lessons in this unit to help students understand the value and relevance of the activities in this lesson. Continue to provide prompts and sentence frames for those who require them.

Key:  Lesson-Specific Vocabulary (L); Text-Specific Vocabulary (T); Vocabulary Used in Writing (W)

  • irregular (L)
  • noun, singular, plural noun, compare, contrast, introduction, opinion (L)
  • "The Butterfly Garden" (new; teacher-created; see supporting materials)
  • "The Butterfly Garden" (example, for teacher reference)
  • Comparing Two Texts about Bats anchor chart (new; co-created with students during Work Time A; see supporting materials)
  • Comparing Two Texts about Bats anchor chart (example, for teacher reference)
  • "Bats' Roosts in Danger!" (from Lesson 3; one to display; for teacher read-aloud)
  • A Place for Bats (from Lesson 1; one per pair and one to display; for teacher read-aloud)
  • Protecting Pollinators research notebook (from Lesson 3; added to during Work Time A; one per student)
  • "Bats' Roosts in Danger!" (from Lesson 3; page 2 of the Protecting Pollinators research notebook)
  • Comparing Two Texts about Bats (page 4 of the notebook)
  • Protecting Pollinators research notebook (from Lesson 3; example, for teacher reference)
  • Dangers That Bats Face and Reasons Bats Are Important: Class Notes (completed in Lesson 3; one to display)
  • Chart paper (two pieces; used by the teacher for shared writing)
  • Shared Opinion Writing: "People Should Protect Bats" (example, for teacher reference)
  • Markers (permanent; red and green; one of each used by the teacher for shared writing)
  • Vote with Your Feet Protocol anchor chart (begun in Lesson 2)

Materials from Previous Lessons

New materials.

Each unit in the K-2 Language Arts Curriculum has one standards-based assessment built in. The module concludes with a performance task at the end of Unit 3 to synthesize their understanding of what they accomplished through supported, standards-based writing.

Copyright © 2013-2024 by EL Education, New York, NY.

Get updates about our new K-5 curriculum as new materials and tools debut.

Help us improve our curriculum..

Tell us what’s going well, share your concerns and feedback.

Terms of use . To learn more about EL Education, visit  eleducation.org

  • Try for free

Writing a Compare-and-Contrast Essay (Gr. 2)

compare and contrast writing grade 2

Scott Foresman, an imprint of Pearson

Featured 2nd grade resources.

Dig Deeper Black History Month PBL Unit

Related Resources

sandbbox logo

  • Chess (Gr. 1-4)
  • TV (Gr. 1-4)
  • Metal Detectors (Gr. 2-6)
  • Tetris (Gr. 2-6)
  • Seat Belts (Gr. 2-6)
  • The Coliseum (Gr. 2-6)
  • The Pony Express (Gr. 2-6)
  • Wintertime (Gr. 2-6)
  • Reading (Gr. 3-7)
  • Black Friday (Gr. 3-7)
  • Hummingbirds (Gr. 3-7)
  • Worst Game Ever? (Gr. 4-8)
  • Carnivorous Plants (Gr. 4-8)
  • Google (Gr. 4-8)
  • Honey Badgers (Gr. 4-8)
  • Hyperinflation (Gr. 4-8)
  • Koko (Gr. 4-8)
  • Mongooses (Gr. 5-9)
  • Trampolines (Gr. 5-9)
  • Garbage (Gr. 5-9)
  • Maginot Line (Gr. 5-9)
  • Asian Carp (Gr. 5-9)
  • Tale of Two Countries (Gr. 6-10)
  • Kevlar (Gr. 7-10)
  • Tigers (Gr. 7-11)
  • Statue of Liberty (Gr. 8-10)
  • Submarines (Gr. 8-12)
  • Castles (Gr. 9-13)
  • Gutenberg (Gr. 9-13)
  • Author's Purpose Practice 1
  • Author's Purpose Practice 2
  • Author's Purpose Practice 3
  • Fact and Opinion Practice 1
  • Fact and Opinion Practice 2
  • Fact and Opinion Practice 3
  • Idioms Practice Test 1
  • Idioms Practice Test 2
  • Figurative Language Practice 1
  • Figurative Language Practice 2
  • Figurative Language Practice 3
  • Figurative Language Practice 4
  • Figurative Language Practice 5
  • Figurative Language Practice 6
  • Figurative Language Practice 7
  • Figurative Language Practice 8
  • Figurative Language Practice 9
  • Figurative Language of Edgar Allan Poe
  • Figurative Language of O. Henry
  • Figurative Language of Shakespeare
  • Genre Practice 1
  • Genre Practice 2
  • Genre Practice 3
  • Genre Practice 4
  • Genre Practice 5
  • Genre Practice 6
  • Genre Practice 7
  • Genre Practice 8
  • Genre Practice 9
  • Genre Practice 10
  • Irony Practice 1
  • Irony Practice 2
  • Irony Practice 3
  • Making Inferences Practice 1
  • Making Inferences Practice 2
  • Making Inferences Practice 3
  • Making Inferences Practice 4
  • Making Inferences Practice 5
  • Main Idea Practice 1
  • Main Idea Practice 2
  • Point of View Practice 1
  • Point of View Practice 2
  • Text Structure Practice 1
  • Text Structure Practice 2
  • Text Structure Practice 3
  • Text Structure Practice 4
  • Text Structure Practice 5
  • Story Structure Practice 1
  • Story Structure Practice 2
  • Story Structure Practice 3
  • Author's Purpose
  • Characterizations
  • Context Clues
  • Fact and Opinion
  • Figurative Language
  • Grammar and Language Arts
  • Poetic Devices
  • Point of View
  • Predictions
  • Reading Comprehension
  • Story Structure
  • Summarizing
  • Text Structure
  • Character Traits
  • Common Core Aligned Unit Plans
  • Teacher Point of View
  • Teaching Theme
  • Patterns of Organization
  • Project Ideas
  • Reading Activities
  • How to Write Narrative Essays
  • How to Write Persuasive Essays
  • Narrative Essay Assignments
  • Narrative Essay Topics
  • Persuasive Essay Topics
  • Research Paper Topics
  • Rubrics for Writing Assignments
  • Learn About Sentence Structure
  • Grammar Worksheets
  • Noun Worksheets
  • Parts of Speech Worksheets
  • Punctuation Worksheets
  • Sentence Structure Worksheets
  • Verbs and Gerunds
  • Examples of Allitertion
  • Examples of Hyperbole
  • Examples of Onomatopoeia
  • Examples of Metaphor
  • Examples of Personification
  • Examples of Simile
  • Figurative Language Activities
  • Figurative Language Examples
  • Figurative Language Poems
  • Figurative Language Worksheets
  • Learn About Figurative Language
  • Learn About Poetic Devices
  • Idiom Worksheets
  • Online Figurative Language Tests
  • Onomatopoeia Worksheets
  • Personification Worksheets
  • Poetic Devices Activities
  • Poetic Devices Worksheets
  • About This Site
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Understanding CCSS Standards
  • What's New?

Ereading Worksheets

Free reading worksheets, activities, and lesson plans., site navigation.

  • Learn About Author’s Purpose
  • Author’s Purpose Quizzes
  • Character Types Worksheets and Lessons
  • List of Character Traits
  • Differentiated Reading Instruction Worksheets and Activities
  • Fact and Opinion Worksheets
  • Irony Worksheets
  • Animal Farm Worksheets
  • Literary Conflicts Lesson and Review
  • New Home Page Test
  • Lord of the Flies Chapter 2 Worksheet
  • Lord of the Flies Chapter 5 Worksheet
  • Lord of the Flies Chapter 6 Worksheet
  • Lord of the Flies Chapter 10 Worksheet
  • Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass
  • Sister Carrie
  • The Count of Monte Cristo
  • The Odyssey
  • The War of the Worlds
  • The Wizard of Oz
  • Mood Worksheets
  • Context Clues Worksheets
  • Inferences Worksheets
  • Main Idea Worksheets
  • Making Predictions Worksheets
  • Nonfiction Passages and Functional Texts
  • Setting Worksheets
  • Summarizing Worksheets and Activities
  • Short Stories with Questions
  • Story Structure Activities
  • Story Structure Worksheets
  • Tone Worksheets
  • Types of Conflict Worksheets
  • Reading Games
  • Figurative Language Poems with Questions
  • Hyperbole and Understatement Worksheets
  • Simile and Metaphor Worksheets
  • Simile Worksheets
  • Hyperbole Examples
  • Metaphor Examples
  • Personification Examples
  • Simile Examples
  • Understatement Examples
  • Idiom Worksheets and Tests
  • Poetic Devices Worksheets & Activities
  • Alliteration Examples
  • Allusion Examples
  • Onomatopoeia Examples
  • Onomatopoeia Worksheets and Activities
  • Genre Worksheets
  • Genre Activities
  • Capitalization Worksheets, Lessons, and Tests
  • Contractions Worksheets and Activities
  • Double Negative Worksheets
  • Homophones & Word Choice Worksheets
  • ‘Was’ or ‘Were’
  • Simple Subjects & Predicates Worksheets
  • Subjects, Predicates, and Objects
  • Clauses and Phrases
  • Type of Sentences Worksheets
  • Sentence Structure Activities
  • Comma Worksheets and Activities
  • Semicolon Worksheets
  • End Mark Worksheets
  • Noun Worksheets, Lessons, and Tests
  • Verb Worksheets and Activities
  • Pronoun Worksheets, Lessons, and Tests
  • Adverbs & Adjectives Worksheets, Lessons, & Tests
  • Preposition Worksheets and Activities
  • Conjunctions Worksheets and Activities
  • Interjections Worksheets
  • Parts of Speech Activities
  • Verb Tense Activities
  • Past Tense Worksheets
  • Present Tense Worksheets
  • Future Tense Worksheets
  • Point of View Activities
  • Point of View Worksheets
  • Teaching Point of View
  • Cause and Effect Example Paragraphs
  • Chronological Order

Compare and Contrast

  • Order of Importance
  • Problem and Solution
  • Text Structure Worksheets
  • Text Structure Activities
  • Essay Writing Rubrics
  • Narrative Essay Topics and Story Ideas
  • Narrative Essay Worksheets & Writing Assignments
  • Persuasive Essay and Speech Topics
  • Persuasive Essay Worksheets & Activities
  • Writing Narrative Essays and Short Stories
  • Writing Persuasive Essays
  • All Reading Worksheets
  • Understanding Common Core State Standards
  • Remote Learning Resources for Covid-19 School Closures
  • What’s New?
  • Ereading Worksheets | Legacy Versions
  • Online Figurative Language Practice
  • Online Genre Practice Tests
  • Online Point of View Practice Tests
  • 62 School Project Ideas
  • 2nd Grade Reading Worksheets
  • 3rd Grade Reading Worksheets
  • 4th Grade Reading Worksheets
  • 5th Grade Reading Worksheets
  • 6th Grade Reading Worksheets
  • 7th Grade Reading Worksheets
  • 8th Grade Reading Worksheets
  • 9th Grade Reading Worksheets
  • 10th Grade Reading Worksheets
  • Membership Billing
  • Membership Cancel
  • Membership Checkout
  • Membership Confirmation
  • Membership Invoice
  • Membership Levels
  • Your Profile

Want Updates?

Compare and Contrast Graphic Organizer

29 Comments

I can’t even begin to tell you how much this website has helped my students! Please don’t let it go away!! We use it all the time and it really helps. Thank you so very much.

Simplicio Japsay Alovera

Thank you for this lesson. It was very helpful.

Garinger S Togba

i love this website.

Meh. Nothing I didn’t know. Good info though.

I LOVE THE WEBSITE IT SO HELP ME LOTS SO I WISH THERE WERE MORE WEBSITE LIKE THIS ONE CAN YOU MAKE MORE FOR ME AND ME TWIN SISTER YA THANK FOR ALL THE HELP THANK YOU SO MUSH ❤❤❤❤

Christian James

I Very Thankful in this website . I learned a lot and it give’s me more knowledge

Nice website, amazing, and helpful.

Thanks a lot on this website ! It was very helpful to me as a Student

this website is very good and it’s helps me a lot in my assignment and task on finding the differences and similarities two things.

cindy kosasi

I found this website useful! thanks

Tami Snyder

This website is very useful.

this was really helpful.

This page has many amazing worksheets. I gladly appreciate the efforts made by its Admin.

Rhonda Logan

I love this website. It is easy to understand and worksheets are accessible without the worry of finding out you have to become a member and make a payment. Without a budget I would not have the money to download such great work for my students.

I go to this site often. The worksheets are efficient and to the point. I love how the site is structured.

I’m so happy to hear it. I am continuing to develop and improve the site. Best wishes.

dawsen turner

i like this website

I love this website, I can understand what I missed in school thank youuuu

love this website

Thank you for this kind of site. it really aids me in my tutorial class. God bless you workers of this site!

Compare and Contrast is a text structure or pattern of organization where the similarities and differences of two or more things are explored. It is important to remember that with the compare and contrast text structure the text should be discussing similarities and differences. If the text only discusses similarities, it is only comparing. Likewise, if it only discusses ways that the things are different, it is only contrasting. The text must do both to be considered compare and contrast.

Hmm… That sounds familiar.

This website helped me study for my Common assessment in school. Thanks!

I cannot get through a lesson plan without adding something from this website! Thank you so much!

Exactly what I was hoping for. 😀 Please come back again. Best wishes!

Patti Manus

I love this website. It covers all the common core standards and is very adaptable.

Mason Waring

Love this website. Helps me out a lot! 🙂

I hate that I didn’t know about this website till today

jzaria cartwtight

I love this website.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Subscribe Now

Popular content.

  • Author's Purpose Worksheets
  • Characterization Worksheets
  • Common Core Lesson and Unit Plans
  • Online Reading Practice Tests
  • Plot Worksheets
  • Reading Comprehension Worksheets
  • Summary Worksheets
  • Theme Worksheets

New and Updated Pages

  • Capitalization Worksheets
  • Contractions Worksheets
  • Double Negatives Worksheets
  • Homophones & Word Choice Worksheets

BECOME A MEMBER!

Compare & Contrast Map

Compare & Contrast Map

About this Interactive

Related resources.

This interactive graphic organizer helps students develop an outline for one of three types of comparison essays: whole-to-whole, similarities-to-differences, or point-to-point. A link in the introduction to the Comparison and Contrast Guide give students the chance to get definitions and look at examples before they begin working. The tool offers multiple ways to navigate information including a graphic on the right that allows students to move around the map without having to work in a linear fashion. The finished map can be saved, e-mailed, or printed.

  • Student Interactives
  • Lesson Plans

The Persuasion Map is an interactive graphic organizer that enables students to map out their arguments for a persuasive essay or debate.

The Essay Map is an interactive graphic organizer that enables students to organize and outline their ideas for an informational, definitional, or descriptive essay.

This interactive tool allows students to create Venn diagrams that contain two or three overlapping circles, enabling them to organize their information logically.

Students explore picture books to identify the characteristics of four types of conflict. They then write about a conflict they have experienced and compare it to a conflict from literature.

  • Print this resource

Explore Resources by Grade

  • Kindergarten K

compare and contrast writing grade 2

Language & Grammar

compare and contrast writing grade 2

Science & Social Studies

compare and contrast writing grade 2

Digital Learning

4 engaging compare and contrast anchor charts.

compare and contrast writing grade 2

Comparing and contrasting are important skills for students to learn. Not only will these skills be pertinent in reading fiction and nonfiction text, but they will help students in science, social studies, math, and the arts. Anchor charts are going to be a huge help when working with compare and contrast. Compare and contrast anchor charts are visual, interactive, and they can help students organize their thoughts.

Introducing the Compare and Contrast Skills

Compare and contrast anchor chart

When first introducing the skill, you will want to go over the terminology. It can also be helpful to include the types of questions that students can ask themselves when comparing and contrasting. This simple compare and contrast anchor chart shows what each word means and lists some of the clue words that students can look for in their texts. These are also terms they can learn to use in their descriptions of texts.

Compare and contrast anchor chart

Additionally, students should be introduced to the Venn Diagram or Tophat. I would start by comparing and contrasting things that students already know a lot about. It is easy to learn how to use this helpful diagram if they aren’t also searching for information in a text. In the example above, the teacher and students compared two animals, the elephant, and the rhino. With practice, students will learn to list individual descriptors on the outside and shared descriptors in the middle.

Anchor Charts to Compare and Contrast Two Stories

compare and contrast writing grade 2

The goal is for students to be able to compare and contrast two texts, in this case, fiction stories. After some introduction, you and your students can begin practice with stories that are familiar. Stories like Cinderella, The Three Little Pigs, and Goldilocks, and the Three Bears are great to start with. Each of these stories has a variety of fractured or adapted versions. It is easy to see the similarities and differences between fractured fairy tales and their “original” story.

Anchor chart with three venn diagrams to compare and contrast story elements

The next step is to take a deeper dive into stories by focusing your comparison to each of the story elements. The anchor chart above includes a Venn Diagram and guiding questions for each of the story elements: character, setting and events. This will help students look for similarities and differences in more parts of each story. It will also help students understand how writers deliver similar messages within stories that you may not initially think are alike.

Interactive anchor chart to use with two stories, compare and contrast activity

Another great compare and contrast anchor chart is this simple t-chart. I love anchor charts that are interactive and easily recreated. After reading two stories, students can record traits that are unique to each story on a sticky note, placing them under each title. Then, they can record similarities, things that fall under both stories, at the bottom.

Lastly, a major benefit of using compare and contrast anchor charts is that they are great tools that students can easily create on their own. So, if a student is reading a story, they could draw a Venn Diagram or T-chart on a blank sheet of paper. They can easily recall all of the modeling and practice that you did as a class and it will help them master the compare and contrast skill!

Do you want a free compare and contrast activity? Practice this skill with printable paired passages and graphic organizers! This freebie comes with two stories, The Three Little Pigs and Slime or Lime? With three recording pages, students can practice comparing and contrasting independently or with a partner!

Interested in a *free* Compare and Contrast activity?

compare and contrast writing grade 2

FREE COMPARE AND CONTRAST ACTIVITY!

Get this Compare & Contrast freebie sent directly to your inbox.

Looking for complete Compare and Contrast Units?

compare and contrast writing grade 2

If you’re looking for complete Compare and Contrast units, I have those, too! Each unit comes with everything you need to teach RL.9: Lesson plans, graphic organizers, comprehension passages, assessments, and more!

Want to read more about Compare and Contrast?

  • Best Books for Compare and Contrast
  • How to Teach Compare and Contrast in Fiction Texts
  • How to Teach Compare and Contrast in Nonfiction Texts
  • Read more about: Anchor Charts , Common Core Aligned , Comprehension , Reading Blog Posts

You might also like...

compare and contrast writing grade 2

Teaching Sentences Editing with Checklists, Worksheets, and More

Editing is an essential skill in writing, necessary for polishing a piece to make it readable and engaging. But, it is also important for students

compare and contrast writing grade 2

Main Topic vs. Main Idea & How to Teach Both in the Classroom

Hello fellow educators! Bringing the core concepts of main topic and main idea into your elementary classrooms can be so exciting! Throughout this journey, you’re

compare and contrast writing grade 2

3 Ways to Easily Review Grammar Skills Every Day

Today, we will discuss three simple yet effective strategies to reinforce grammar skills. In most elementary classrooms, it can feel daunting to try and “fit”

Join these happy teachers

Join the email list.

Get teaching tips, how-to guides, and freebies delivered right to your inbox every Wednesday!

Hi, I'm Jessica

compare and contrast writing grade 2

I help elementary teachers master the standards by providing helpful standards-based tips, guides, and resources.

compare and contrast writing grade 2

Let's Connect

Access your purchases

© Elementary Nest • Website by KristenDoyle.co

compare and contrast writing grade 2

  • Grades 6-12
  • School Leaders

Black History Month for Kids: Google Slides, Resources, and More!

80 Intriguing Compare and Contrast Essay Topics for Kids and Teens

Android vs. iPhone? Capitalism vs. communism? Hot dog vs. taco?

First day of school vs. the last day of school.

In compare and contrast essays , writers show the similarities and differences between two things. They combine descriptive writing with analysis, making connections and showing dissimilarities. Remind students that in this type of writing, they’re not necessarily trying to sway the reader to one opinion or another—they’re just presenting and analyzing facts. These compare and contrast essay topics will give them plenty of practice.

  • School and Life Essay Topics
  • Entertainment Essay Topics
  • History and Politics Essay Topics
  • Just for Fun Essay Topics

School and Life Compare and Contrast Essay Topics

  • Public and private schools
  • Online school and in-person school
  • Any two schools or colleges
  • Going to college vs. starting work full-time

Going to college vs. starting work full-time

  • Working your way through college as you go or taking out student loans
  • Parents and grandparents
  • Elementary school and high school
  • Learning to read vs. learning to write
  • The importance of any two school subjects
  • Wearing glasses vs. having braces
  • You and your best friend
  • Friendship vs. romantic love

Friendship vs. romantic love

  • Group work and individual work
  • Only child vs. having siblings
  • Nature vs. nurture
  • Anxiety and depression
  • Old friends and new friends
  • Your teacher vs. your parent/guardian
  • Car ownership and public transportation

Car ownership and public transportation

  • Learning to ride a bike vs. learning to drive a car

Entertainment Compare and Contrast Essay Topics

  • iPhone vs. Android
  • Instagram vs. Twitter (or choose any other two social media platforms)
  • Xbox vs. PlayStation

Xbox vs. PlayStation

  • Any two sports, like American football vs. soccer
  • Cooking at home and dining out
  • A movie based on a book and the book it was based on
  • Reading and watching TV
  • Opera music and pop music (or any two music genres)
  • Vegetarian and vegan

Vegetarian and vegan

  • Giving and receiving gifts
  • Going to a play vs. going to a movie
  • Playing a video game and watching a movie
  • Horse racing vs. NASCAR
  • Laptop vs. tablet
  • Sprint vs. marathon
  • Poetry and rap music
  • Ping-Pong vs. tennis
  • DC vs. Marvel
  • Netflix and YouTube
  • Shopping online and shopping in person

Shopping online and shopping in person

History and Politics Compare and Contrast Essay Topics

  • Capitalism vs. communism
  • Socialism vs. communism
  • Monarchy/dictatorship and democracy
  • Two political candidates in a current race

Two political candidates in a current race

  • Spanish flu pandemic vs. COVID-19 pandemic
  • World War I and World War II
  • American pioneers vs. first space explorers
  • Gen X vs. Gen Z
  • Abraham Lincoln vs. Barack Obama (or any other two presidents)
  • Any two U.S. states

Any two U.S. states

  • Any two historic eras
  • Queen Elizabeth I vs. Queen Elizabeth II
  • Republicans and Democrats
  • Hitler and Stalin
  • The first airplane flight vs. the first manned spaceflight
  • American president vs. U.K. prime minister

American president vs. U.K. prime minister

  • Fox News vs. CNN
  • Legislative branch and executive branch and/or judicial branch
  • Equality and equity
  • Elected politicians vs. lobbyists

Just for Fun Compare and Contrast Essay Topics

  • Dogs vs. cats as pets

Dogs vs. cats as pets

  • Paper books or e-books
  • Hot dogs vs. tacos
  • Summer and winter
  • Fall and spring
  • Big Mac vs. Whopper
  • Coke vs. Pepsi
  • Chocolate shake vs. hot chocolate
  • Any two superheroes or villains
  • Mondays and Fridays
  • Mornings vs. evenings

Mornings vs. evenings

  • First day of school vs. last day of school
  • Christmas vs. birthdays
  • Hurricane vs. tornado
  • Birthday as a kid and birthday as an adult
  • Going barefoot vs. wearing shoes
  • Appetizers and desserts

Appetizers and desserts

  • Phone calls and texting
  • Pants vs. skirts
  • Electric cars vs. gas-powered cars

What are some of your favorite compare and contrast essay topics? Come share your prompts on the WeAreTeachers HELPLINE group on Facebook .

Plus, check out the big list of essay topics for high school (100+ ideas).

80 Intriguing Compare and Contrast Essay Topics for Kids and Teens

You Might Also Like

compare and contrast writing grade 2

34 Compelling Compare and Contrast Essay Examples

Topics cover education, technology, pop culture, sports, animals, and more. Continue Reading

Copyright © 2023. All rights reserved. 5335 Gate Parkway, Jacksonville, FL 32256

Teaching Made Practical

  • Character Traits
  • Compare and Contrast
  • Read Alouds
  • Point of View
  • Reading Response Ideas
  • Summarizing
  • Text Features
  • Text Structures
  • Find the Fib
  • Reusable Ideas
  • Disclosure Policy
  • Lifetime Access
  • Research Project
  • Free Activity
  • BHM Biographies
  • 8 Activity Ideas

helping students be successful writing a compare and contrast essay in 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade

Scaffolding a Compare and Contrast Essay With Frames and Templates

helping students be successful writing a compare and contrast essay in 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade

Writing can be hard and frustrating for upper elementary students; writing a compare and contrast essay can be even harder and more frustrating.

Often, this skill gets pushed to the back burner.  It is a lot easier to practice comparing and contrasting with things that take less time - like by using a Venn Diagram.  

However, teaching 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students to compare and contrast topics within their writing is an important skill. Scaffolding student writing through sentence or paragraph frames and essay templates can minimize the frustration of students, save valuable time, and help your students become better writers.  Providing structure helps focus yoru students.

Below, find ideas for scaffolding so that your 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students can be successful with comparing and contrasting in their writing - and eventually writing a compare and contrast essay!

Start Small - With Compare and Contrast Sentence Starters or Frames

Students don't have to write an entire essay every time you want them to practice comparing and contrasting within their writing - they can practice this skill by simply writing a sentence that compares or contrasts two things.

Providing students with sentence starters is a great way to ease them into using compare and contrast language in their writing.  This is especially beneficial for your ELL and low language students, but ALL of your students will benefit from this strategy.

Example Sentence Starters

1. __________ and __________ are different because __________.

2. __________ and __________ are alike because __________.

3. The most important difference between __________ and __________ is __________.

4. An important similarity between __________ and __________ is __________.

5.  While __________ and __________ are alike because __________, they have different __________.

Using a Paragraph Template or Frame

After students have been successful at writing sentences that compare and contrast, expand to short paragraphs. Provide scaffolding similar to the sentence frames to help your 3rd grade, 4th grade, or 5th grade students be successful.

Using scaffolding like this will not only help them with comparing and contrasting language, but will improve their overall writing as well.

(You might find some of these other writing tips and ideas helpful.)

Example Paragraph Frames

1. __________ and __________ have many differences. The most important difference is _________________________. Another difference is _________________________. Finally, _________________________.

2. __________ and __________ are similar in many ways. For example, ____________________. Furthermore, they both ____________________. A final similarity is ____________________.

3.  __________ and __________ are similar in some ways, but different in others.  For example, they both ____________________.  Despite this similarity, they are different because ____________________.  This difference is important because ____________________.

comparing and contrasting scaffolded essay template / outline for upper elementary

Compare and Contrast Essay Template / Structure / Outline

Writing an essay can be overwhelming.  Teachers often try to support students by modeling good essay writing - which is an essential step.  But having students go straight from having a compare and contrast essay modeled for them to writing their own independently can be a huge jump for some.  They are going straight from "I do" to "You do."

A scaffolded essay outline makes a good "we do" for upper elementary students.  Provide students with a scaffolded template that clearly lays out the structure of a good compare and contrast essay.  This helps students stay on topic and reminds them what a good compare and contrast essay should look like.

Eventually, you will take this scaffolding away.  Or, you can use the scaffolding to differentiate.  Provide more scaffolding for students that needed, while students have a good grasp might only have topic students scaffolded for them - or maybe even no scaffolding at all.

no prep scaffolded compare and contrast essay to help your 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students be successful writers

If you know your students would benefit from this type of scaffolding, but don’t have the time to create it yourself, check out my Compare and Contrast Writing Resource.

It walks students through the writing process with scaffolding each step of the way. This resource also provides a model essay so that you can model expectations for your students. Plus, it can be used over and over again with different topics.

You might also like these other ideas for scaffolding your instruction, or these compare and contrast activities and ideas.  

Want a Compare and Contrast Freebie?

Free reading comprehension practice for third, fourth, and fifth graders - paired passages about Thomas Edison and Benjamin Franklin

Download these reading passages with a compare and contrast activity for free and use it to today!

I will try the strategy, seems easy to follow

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Compare and Contrast

The ability to compare and contrast is critical for comprehending literary and informational texts—and for writing them. Learners practice this skill via compare and contrast worksheets, graphic organizers and Venn diagrams, paired texts, reading response sheets, close reading activities, and report writing. 

TRY US RISK-FREE FOR 30 DAYS!

ADD TO YOUR FILE CABINET

THIS RESOURCE IS IN PDF FORMAT

Printable Details

  • Number of pages:
  • Guided Reading Level:
  • Common Core:

 alt=

Logo for M Libraries Publishing

Want to create or adapt books like this? Learn more about how Pressbooks supports open publishing practices.

10.7 Comparison and Contrast

Learning objectives.

  • Determine the purpose and structure of comparison and contrast in writing.
  • Explain organizational methods used when comparing and contrasting.
  • Understand how to write a compare-and-contrast essay.

The Purpose of Comparison and Contrast in Writing

Comparison in writing discusses elements that are similar, while contrast in writing discusses elements that are different. A compare-and-contrast essay , then, analyzes two subjects by comparing them, contrasting them, or both.

The key to a good compare-and-contrast essay is to choose two or more subjects that connect in a meaningful way. The purpose of conducting the comparison or contrast is not to state the obvious but rather to illuminate subtle differences or unexpected similarities. For example, if you wanted to focus on contrasting two subjects you would not pick apples and oranges; rather, you might choose to compare and contrast two types of oranges or two types of apples to highlight subtle differences. For example, Red Delicious apples are sweet, while Granny Smiths are tart and acidic. Drawing distinctions between elements in a similar category will increase the audience’s understanding of that category, which is the purpose of the compare-and-contrast essay.

Similarly, to focus on comparison, choose two subjects that seem at first to be unrelated. For a comparison essay, you likely would not choose two apples or two oranges because they share so many of the same properties already. Rather, you might try to compare how apples and oranges are quite similar. The more divergent the two subjects initially seem, the more interesting a comparison essay will be.

Writing at Work

Comparing and contrasting is also an evaluative tool. In order to make accurate evaluations about a given topic, you must first know the critical points of similarity and difference. Comparing and contrasting is a primary tool for many workplace assessments. You have likely compared and contrasted yourself to other colleagues. Employee advancements, pay raises, hiring, and firing are typically conducted using comparison and contrast. Comparison and contrast could be used to evaluate companies, departments, or individuals.

Brainstorm an essay that leans toward contrast. Choose one of the following three categories. Pick two examples from each. Then come up with one similarity and three differences between the examples.

  • Romantic comedies
  • Internet search engines
  • Cell phones

Brainstorm an essay that leans toward comparison. Choose one of the following three items. Then come up with one difference and three similarities.

  • Department stores and discount retail stores
  • Fast food chains and fine dining restaurants
  • Dogs and cats

The Structure of a Comparison and Contrast Essay

The compare-and-contrast essay starts with a thesis that clearly states the two subjects that are to be compared, contrasted, or both and the reason for doing so. The thesis could lean more toward comparing, contrasting, or both. Remember, the point of comparing and contrasting is to provide useful knowledge to the reader. Take the following thesis as an example that leans more toward contrasting.

Thesis statement: Organic vegetables may cost more than those that are conventionally grown, but when put to the test, they are definitely worth every extra penny.

Here the thesis sets up the two subjects to be compared and contrasted (organic versus conventional vegetables), and it makes a claim about the results that might prove useful to the reader.

You may organize compare-and-contrast essays in one of the following two ways:

  • According to the subjects themselves, discussing one then the other
  • According to individual points, discussing each subject in relation to each point

See Figure 10.1 “Comparison and Contrast Diagram” , which diagrams the ways to organize our organic versus conventional vegetables thesis.

Figure 10.1 Comparison and Contrast Diagram

Comparison and Contrast Diagram

The organizational structure you choose depends on the nature of the topic, your purpose, and your audience.

Given that compare-and-contrast essays analyze the relationship between two subjects, it is helpful to have some phrases on hand that will cue the reader to such analysis. See Table 10.3 “Phrases of Comparison and Contrast” for examples.

Table 10.3 Phrases of Comparison and Contrast

Create an outline for each of the items you chose in Note 10.72 “Exercise 1” and Note 10.73 “Exercise 2” . Use the point-by-point organizing strategy for one of them, and use the subject organizing strategy for the other.

Writing a Comparison and Contrast Essay

First choose whether you want to compare seemingly disparate subjects, contrast seemingly similar subjects, or compare and contrast subjects. Once you have decided on a topic, introduce it with an engaging opening paragraph. Your thesis should come at the end of the introduction, and it should establish the subjects you will compare, contrast, or both as well as state what can be learned from doing so.

The body of the essay can be organized in one of two ways: by subject or by individual points. The organizing strategy that you choose will depend on, as always, your audience and your purpose. You may also consider your particular approach to the subjects as well as the nature of the subjects themselves; some subjects might better lend themselves to one structure or the other. Make sure to use comparison and contrast phrases to cue the reader to the ways in which you are analyzing the relationship between the subjects.

After you finish analyzing the subjects, write a conclusion that summarizes the main points of the essay and reinforces your thesis. See Chapter 15 “Readings: Examples of Essays” to read a sample compare-and-contrast essay.

Many business presentations are conducted using comparison and contrast. The organizing strategies—by subject or individual points—could also be used for organizing a presentation. Keep this in mind as a way of organizing your content the next time you or a colleague have to present something at work.

Choose one of the outlines you created in Note 10.75 “Exercise 3” , and write a full compare-and-contrast essay. Be sure to include an engaging introduction, a clear thesis, well-defined and detailed paragraphs, and a fitting conclusion that ties everything together.

Key Takeaways

  • A compare-and-contrast essay analyzes two subjects by either comparing them, contrasting them, or both.
  • The purpose of writing a comparison or contrast essay is not to state the obvious but rather to illuminate subtle differences or unexpected similarities between two subjects.
  • The thesis should clearly state the subjects that are to be compared, contrasted, or both, and it should state what is to be learned from doing so.

There are two main organizing strategies for compare-and-contrast essays.

  • Organize by the subjects themselves, one then the other.
  • Organize by individual points, in which you discuss each subject in relation to each point.
  • Use phrases of comparison or phrases of contrast to signal to readers how exactly the two subjects are being analyzed.

Writing for Success Copyright © 2015 by University of Minnesota is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

Have a language expert improve your writing

Run a free plagiarism check in 10 minutes, generate accurate citations for free.

  • Knowledge Base
  • Comparing and contrasting in an essay | Tips & examples

Comparing and Contrasting in an Essay | Tips & Examples

Published on August 6, 2020 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on July 23, 2023.

Comparing and contrasting is an important skill in academic writing . It involves taking two or more subjects and analyzing the differences and similarities between them.

Instantly correct all language mistakes in your text

Upload your document to correct all your mistakes in minutes

upload-your-document-ai-proofreader

Table of contents

When should i compare and contrast, making effective comparisons, comparing and contrasting as a brainstorming tool, structuring your comparisons, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about comparing and contrasting.

Many assignments will invite you to make comparisons quite explicitly, as in these prompts.

  • Compare the treatment of the theme of beauty in the poetry of William Wordsworth and John Keats.
  • Compare and contrast in-class and distance learning. What are the advantages and disadvantages of each approach?

Some other prompts may not directly ask you to compare and contrast, but present you with a topic where comparing and contrasting could be a good approach.

One way to approach this essay might be to contrast the situation before the Great Depression with the situation during it, to highlight how large a difference it made.

Comparing and contrasting is also used in all kinds of academic contexts where it’s not explicitly prompted. For example, a literature review involves comparing and contrasting different studies on your topic, and an argumentative essay may involve weighing up the pros and cons of different arguments.

Prevent plagiarism. Run a free check.

As the name suggests, comparing and contrasting is about identifying both similarities and differences. You might focus on contrasting quite different subjects or comparing subjects with a lot in common—but there must be some grounds for comparison in the first place.

For example, you might contrast French society before and after the French Revolution; you’d likely find many differences, but there would be a valid basis for comparison. However, if you contrasted pre-revolutionary France with Han-dynasty China, your reader might wonder why you chose to compare these two societies.

This is why it’s important to clarify the point of your comparisons by writing a focused thesis statement . Every element of an essay should serve your central argument in some way. Consider what you’re trying to accomplish with any comparisons you make, and be sure to make this clear to the reader.

Comparing and contrasting can be a useful tool to help organize your thoughts before you begin writing any type of academic text. You might use it to compare different theories and approaches you’ve encountered in your preliminary research, for example.

Let’s say your research involves the competing psychological approaches of behaviorism and cognitive psychology. You might make a table to summarize the key differences between them.

Or say you’re writing about the major global conflicts of the twentieth century. You might visualize the key similarities and differences in a Venn diagram.

A Venn diagram showing the similarities and differences between World War I, World War II, and the Cold War.

These visualizations wouldn’t make it into your actual writing, so they don’t have to be very formal in terms of phrasing or presentation. The point of comparing and contrasting at this stage is to help you organize and shape your ideas to aid you in structuring your arguments.

When comparing and contrasting in an essay, there are two main ways to structure your comparisons: the alternating method and the block method.

The alternating method

In the alternating method, you structure your text according to what aspect you’re comparing. You cover both your subjects side by side in terms of a specific point of comparison. Your text is structured like this:

Mouse over the example paragraph below to see how this approach works.

One challenge teachers face is identifying and assisting students who are struggling without disrupting the rest of the class. In a traditional classroom environment, the teacher can easily identify when a student is struggling based on their demeanor in class or simply by regularly checking on students during exercises. They can then offer assistance quietly during the exercise or discuss it further after class. Meanwhile, in a Zoom-based class, the lack of physical presence makes it more difficult to pay attention to individual students’ responses and notice frustrations, and there is less flexibility to speak with students privately to offer assistance. In this case, therefore, the traditional classroom environment holds the advantage, although it appears likely that aiding students in a virtual classroom environment will become easier as the technology, and teachers’ familiarity with it, improves.

The block method

In the block method, you cover each of the overall subjects you’re comparing in a block. You say everything you have to say about your first subject, then discuss your second subject, making comparisons and contrasts back to the things you’ve already said about the first. Your text is structured like this:

  • Point of comparison A
  • Point of comparison B

The most commonly cited advantage of distance learning is the flexibility and accessibility it offers. Rather than being required to travel to a specific location every week (and to live near enough to feasibly do so), students can participate from anywhere with an internet connection. This allows not only for a wider geographical spread of students but for the possibility of studying while travelling. However, distance learning presents its own accessibility challenges; not all students have a stable internet connection and a computer or other device with which to participate in online classes, and less technologically literate students and teachers may struggle with the technical aspects of class participation. Furthermore, discomfort and distractions can hinder an individual student’s ability to engage with the class from home, creating divergent learning experiences for different students. Distance learning, then, seems to improve accessibility in some ways while representing a step backwards in others.

Note that these two methods can be combined; these two example paragraphs could both be part of the same essay, but it’s wise to use an essay outline to plan out which approach you’re taking in each paragraph.

Receive feedback on language, structure, and formatting

Professional editors proofread and edit your paper by focusing on:

  • Academic style
  • Vague sentences
  • Style consistency

See an example

compare and contrast writing grade 2

If you want to know more about AI tools , college essays , or fallacies make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!

  • Ad hominem fallacy
  • Post hoc fallacy
  • Appeal to authority fallacy
  • False cause fallacy
  • Sunk cost fallacy

College essays

  • Choosing Essay Topic
  • Write a College Essay
  • Write a Diversity Essay
  • College Essay Format & Structure
  • Comparing and Contrasting in an Essay

 (AI) Tools

  • Grammar Checker
  • Paraphrasing Tool
  • Text Summarizer
  • AI Detector
  • Plagiarism Checker
  • Citation Generator

Some essay prompts include the keywords “compare” and/or “contrast.” In these cases, an essay structured around comparing and contrasting is the appropriate response.

Comparing and contrasting is also a useful approach in all kinds of academic writing : You might compare different studies in a literature review , weigh up different arguments in an argumentative essay , or consider different theoretical approaches in a theoretical framework .

Your subjects might be very different or quite similar, but it’s important that there be meaningful grounds for comparison . You can probably describe many differences between a cat and a bicycle, but there isn’t really any connection between them to justify the comparison.

You’ll have to write a thesis statement explaining the central point you want to make in your essay , so be sure to know in advance what connects your subjects and makes them worth comparing.

Comparisons in essays are generally structured in one of two ways:

  • The alternating method, where you compare your subjects side by side according to one specific aspect at a time.
  • The block method, where you cover each subject separately in its entirety.

It’s also possible to combine both methods, for example by writing a full paragraph on each of your topics and then a final paragraph contrasting the two according to a specific metric.

Cite this Scribbr article

If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.

Caulfield, J. (2023, July 23). Comparing and Contrasting in an Essay | Tips & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved February 19, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/academic-essay/compare-and-contrast/

Is this article helpful?

Jack Caulfield

Jack Caulfield

Other students also liked, how to write an expository essay, how to write an argumentative essay | examples & tips, academic paragraph structure | step-by-step guide & examples, what is your plagiarism score.

101 Compare and Contrast Essay Topics

Great Ideas for Essays

  • Teaching Resources
  • An Introduction to Teaching
  • Tips & Strategies
  • Policies & Discipline
  • Community Involvement
  • School Administration
  • Technology in the Classroom
  • Teaching Adult Learners
  • Issues In Education
  • Becoming A Teacher
  • Assessments & Tests
  • Elementary Education
  • Secondary Education
  • Special Education
  • Homeschooling
  • M.Ed., Curriculum and Instruction, University of Florida
  • B.A., History, University of Florida

Compare and contrast essays are taught in school for many reasons. For one thing, they are relatively easy to teach, understand, and format. Students can typically understand the structure with just a short amount of instruction. In addition, these essays allow students develop critical thinking skills to approach a variety of topics.

Brainstorming Tip

One fun way to get students started brainstorming their compare and contrast essays is to create a Venn diagram , where the overlapping sections of the circle contain similarities and the non-overlapping areas contain the differing traits.

Following is a list of 101 topics for compare and contrast essays that you are welcome to use in your classroom. As you look through the list you will see that some items are academic in nature while others are included for interest-building and fun writing activities.

  • Apple vs. Microsoft
  • Coke vs. Pepsi
  • Renaissance Art vs. Baroque Art
  • Antebellum Era vs. Reconstruction Era in American History
  • Childhood vs. Adulthood
  • Star Wars vs. Star Trek
  • Biology vs. Chemistry
  • Astrology vs. Astronomy
  • American Government vs. British Government (or any world government)
  • Fruits vs. Vegetables
  • Dogs vs. Cats
  • Ego vs. Superego
  • Christianity vs. Judaism (or any world religion )
  • Republican vs. Democrat
  • Monarchy vs. Presidency
  • US President vs. UK Prime Minister
  • Jazz vs. Classical Music
  • Red vs. White (or any two colors)
  • Soccer vs. Football
  • North vs. South Before the Civil War
  • New England Colonies vs. Middle Colonies OR vs. Southern Colonies
  • Cash vs. Credit Cards
  • Sam vs. Frodo Baggins
  • Gandalf vs. Dumbledore
  • Fred vs. Shaggy
  • Rap vs. Pop
  • Articles of Confederation vs. U.S. Constitution
  • Henry VIII vs. King Louis XIV
  • Stocks vs. Bonds
  • Monopolies vs. Oligopolies
  • Communism vs. Capitalism
  • Socialism vs. Capitalism
  • Diesel vs. Petroleum
  • Nuclear Power vs. Solar Power
  • Saltwater Fish vs. Freshwater Fish
  • Squids vs. Octopus
  • Mammals vs. Reptiles
  • Baleen vs. Toothed Whales
  • Seals vs. Sea Lions
  • Crocodiles vs. Alligators
  • Bats vs. Birds
  • Oven vs. Microwave
  • Greek vs. Roman Mythology
  • Chinese vs. Japanese
  • Comedy vs. Drama
  • Renting vs. Owning
  • Mozart vs. Beethoven
  • Online vs. Traditional Education
  • North vs. South Pole
  • Watercolor vs. Oil
  • 1984 vs. Fahrenheit 451
  • Emily Dickinson vs. Samuel Taylor Coleridge
  • W.E.B. DuBois vs. Booker T. Washington
  • Strawberries vs. Apples
  • Airplanes vs. Helicopters
  • Hitler vs. Napoleon
  • Roman Empire vs. British Empire
  • Paper vs. Plastic
  • Italy vs. Spain
  • Baseball vs. Cricket
  • Jefferson vs. Adams
  • Thoroughbreds vs. Clydesdales
  • Spiders vs. Scorpions
  • Northern Hemisphere vs. Southern Hemisphere
  • Hobbes vs. Locke
  • Friends vs. Family
  • Dried Fruit vs. Fresh
  • Porcelain vs. Glass
  • Modern Dance vs. Ballroom Dancing
  • American Idol vs. The Voice
  • Reality TV vs. Sitcoms
  • Picard vs. Kirk
  • Books vs. Movies
  • Magazines vs. Comic Books
  • Antique vs. New
  • Public vs. Private Transportation
  • Email vs. Letters
  • Facebook vs. Twitter
  • Coffee vs. an Energy Drink
  • Toads vs. Frogs
  • Profit vs. Non-Profit
  • Boys vs. Girls
  • Birds vs. Dinosaurs
  • High School vs. College
  • Chamberlain vs. Churchill
  • Offense vs. Defense
  • Jordan vs. Bryant
  • Harry vs. Draco
  • Roses vs. Carnations
  • Poetry vs. Prose
  • Fiction vs. Nonfiction
  • Lions vs. Tigers
  • Vampires vs. Werewolves
  • Lollipops vs. popsicles
  • Summer vs. Winter
  • Recycling vs. Landfill
  • Motorcycle vs. Bicycle
  • Halogen vs. Incandescent
  • Newton vs. Einstein
  • . Go on vacation vs. Staycation
  • Rock vs. Scissors
  • Write a Compare and Contrast Essay
  • Beef Up Critical Thinking and Writing Skills: Comparison Essays
  • How to Teach the Compare and Contrast Essay
  • Topical Organization Essay
  • Writing About Literature: Ten Sample Topics for Comparison & Contrast Essays
  • Comparing and Contrasting in English
  • 25 Essay Topics for American Government Classes
  • Expository Essay Genre With Suggested Prompts
  • Venn Diagrams to Plan Essays and More
  • Teaching Comparative and Superlative Forms to ESL Students
  • Cause and Effect Essay Topics
  • Comparative and Superlatives for Beginners
  • How to Teach Topic Sentences Using Models
  • Exercise in Using the Comparative and Superlative Forms of Adjectives
  • Climate in the Northern vs Southern Hemispheres
  • Miss Nelson Is Missing Lesson Plan

The Writing Center • University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Comparing and Contrasting

What this handout is about.

This handout will help you first to determine whether a particular assignment is asking for comparison/contrast and then to generate a list of similarities and differences, decide which similarities and differences to focus on, and organize your paper so that it will be clear and effective. It will also explain how you can (and why you should) develop a thesis that goes beyond “Thing A and Thing B are similar in many ways but different in others.”

Introduction

In your career as a student, you’ll encounter many different kinds of writing assignments, each with its own requirements. One of the most common is the comparison/contrast essay, in which you focus on the ways in which certain things or ideas—usually two of them—are similar to (this is the comparison) and/or different from (this is the contrast) one another. By assigning such essays, your instructors are encouraging you to make connections between texts or ideas, engage in critical thinking, and go beyond mere description or summary to generate interesting analysis: when you reflect on similarities and differences, you gain a deeper understanding of the items you are comparing, their relationship to each other, and what is most important about them.

Recognizing comparison/contrast in assignments

Some assignments use words—like compare, contrast, similarities, and differences—that make it easy for you to see that they are asking you to compare and/or contrast. Here are a few hypothetical examples:

  • Compare and contrast Frye’s and Bartky’s accounts of oppression.
  • Compare WWI to WWII, identifying similarities in the causes, development, and outcomes of the wars.
  • Contrast Wordsworth and Coleridge; what are the major differences in their poetry?

Notice that some topics ask only for comparison, others only for contrast, and others for both.

But it’s not always so easy to tell whether an assignment is asking you to include comparison/contrast. And in some cases, comparison/contrast is only part of the essay—you begin by comparing and/or contrasting two or more things and then use what you’ve learned to construct an argument or evaluation. Consider these examples, noticing the language that is used to ask for the comparison/contrast and whether the comparison/contrast is only one part of a larger assignment:

  • Choose a particular idea or theme, such as romantic love, death, or nature, and consider how it is treated in two Romantic poems.
  • How do the different authors we have studied so far define and describe oppression?
  • Compare Frye’s and Bartky’s accounts of oppression. What does each imply about women’s collusion in their own oppression? Which is more accurate?
  • In the texts we’ve studied, soldiers who served in different wars offer differing accounts of their experiences and feelings both during and after the fighting. What commonalities are there in these accounts? What factors do you think are responsible for their differences?

You may want to check out our handout on understanding assignments for additional tips.

Using comparison/contrast for all kinds of writing projects

Sometimes you may want to use comparison/contrast techniques in your own pre-writing work to get ideas that you can later use for an argument, even if comparison/contrast isn’t an official requirement for the paper you’re writing. For example, if you wanted to argue that Frye’s account of oppression is better than both de Beauvoir’s and Bartky’s, comparing and contrasting the main arguments of those three authors might help you construct your evaluation—even though the topic may not have asked for comparison/contrast and the lists of similarities and differences you generate may not appear anywhere in the final draft of your paper.

Discovering similarities and differences

Making a Venn diagram or a chart can help you quickly and efficiently compare and contrast two or more things or ideas. To make a Venn diagram, simply draw some overlapping circles, one circle for each item you’re considering. In the central area where they overlap, list the traits the two items have in common. Assign each one of the areas that doesn’t overlap; in those areas, you can list the traits that make the things different. Here’s a very simple example, using two pizza places:

Venn diagram indicating that both Pepper's and Amante serve pizza with unusual ingredients at moderate prices, despite differences in location, wait times, and delivery options

To make a chart, figure out what criteria you want to focus on in comparing the items. Along the left side of the page, list each of the criteria. Across the top, list the names of the items. You should then have a box per item for each criterion; you can fill the boxes in and then survey what you’ve discovered.

As you generate points of comparison, consider the purpose and content of the assignment and the focus of the class. What do you think the professor wants you to learn by doing this comparison/contrast? How does it fit with what you have been studying so far and with the other assignments in the course? Are there any clues about what to focus on in the assignment itself?

Here are some general questions about different types of things you might have to compare. These are by no means complete or definitive lists; they’re just here to give you some ideas—you can generate your own questions for these and other types of comparison. You may want to begin by using the questions reporters traditionally ask: Who? What? Where? When? Why? How? If you’re talking about objects, you might also consider general properties like size, shape, color, sound, weight, taste, texture, smell, number, duration, and location.

Two historical periods or events

  • When did they occur—do you know the date(s) and duration? What happened or changed during each? Why are they significant?
  • What kinds of work did people do? What kinds of relationships did they have? What did they value?
  • What kinds of governments were there? Who were important people involved?
  • What caused events in these periods, and what consequences did they have later on?

Two ideas or theories

  • What are they about?
  • Did they originate at some particular time?
  • Who created them? Who uses or defends them?
  • What is the central focus, claim, or goal of each? What conclusions do they offer?
  • How are they applied to situations/people/things/etc.?
  • Which seems more plausible to you, and why? How broad is their scope?
  • What kind of evidence is usually offered for them?

Two pieces of writing or art

  • What are their titles? What do they describe or depict?
  • What is their tone or mood? What is their form?
  • Who created them? When were they created? Why do you think they were created as they were? What themes do they address?
  • Do you think one is of higher quality or greater merit than the other(s)—and if so, why?
  • For writing: what plot, characterization, setting, theme, tone, and type of narration are used?
  • Where are they from? How old are they? What is the gender, race, class, etc. of each?
  • What, if anything, are they known for? Do they have any relationship to each other?
  • What are they like? What did/do they do? What do they believe? Why are they interesting?
  • What stands out most about each of them?

Deciding what to focus on

By now you have probably generated a huge list of similarities and differences—congratulations! Next you must decide which of them are interesting, important, and relevant enough to be included in your paper. Ask yourself these questions:

  • What’s relevant to the assignment?
  • What’s relevant to the course?
  • What’s interesting and informative?
  • What matters to the argument you are going to make?
  • What’s basic or central (and needs to be mentioned even if obvious)?
  • Overall, what’s more important—the similarities or the differences?

Suppose that you are writing a paper comparing two novels. For most literature classes, the fact that they both use Caslon type (a kind of typeface, like the fonts you may use in your writing) is not going to be relevant, nor is the fact that one of them has a few illustrations and the other has none; literature classes are more likely to focus on subjects like characterization, plot, setting, the writer’s style and intentions, language, central themes, and so forth. However, if you were writing a paper for a class on typesetting or on how illustrations are used to enhance novels, the typeface and presence or absence of illustrations might be absolutely critical to include in your final paper.

Sometimes a particular point of comparison or contrast might be relevant but not terribly revealing or interesting. For example, if you are writing a paper about Wordsworth’s “Tintern Abbey” and Coleridge’s “Frost at Midnight,” pointing out that they both have nature as a central theme is relevant (comparisons of poetry often talk about themes) but not terribly interesting; your class has probably already had many discussions about the Romantic poets’ fondness for nature. Talking about the different ways nature is depicted or the different aspects of nature that are emphasized might be more interesting and show a more sophisticated understanding of the poems.

Your thesis

The thesis of your comparison/contrast paper is very important: it can help you create a focused argument and give your reader a road map so she/he doesn’t get lost in the sea of points you are about to make. As in any paper, you will want to replace vague reports of your general topic (for example, “This paper will compare and contrast two pizza places,” or “Pepper’s and Amante are similar in some ways and different in others,” or “Pepper’s and Amante are similar in many ways, but they have one major difference”) with something more detailed and specific. For example, you might say, “Pepper’s and Amante have similar prices and ingredients, but their atmospheres and willingness to deliver set them apart.”

Be careful, though—although this thesis is fairly specific and does propose a simple argument (that atmosphere and delivery make the two pizza places different), your instructor will often be looking for a bit more analysis. In this case, the obvious question is “So what? Why should anyone care that Pepper’s and Amante are different in this way?” One might also wonder why the writer chose those two particular pizza places to compare—why not Papa John’s, Dominos, or Pizza Hut? Again, thinking about the context the class provides may help you answer such questions and make a stronger argument. Here’s a revision of the thesis mentioned earlier:

Pepper’s and Amante both offer a greater variety of ingredients than other Chapel Hill/Carrboro pizza places (and than any of the national chains), but the funky, lively atmosphere at Pepper’s makes it a better place to give visiting friends and family a taste of local culture.

You may find our handout on constructing thesis statements useful at this stage.

Organizing your paper

There are many different ways to organize a comparison/contrast essay. Here are two:

Subject-by-subject

Begin by saying everything you have to say about the first subject you are discussing, then move on and make all the points you want to make about the second subject (and after that, the third, and so on, if you’re comparing/contrasting more than two things). If the paper is short, you might be able to fit all of your points about each item into a single paragraph, but it’s more likely that you’d have several paragraphs per item. Using our pizza place comparison/contrast as an example, after the introduction, you might have a paragraph about the ingredients available at Pepper’s, a paragraph about its location, and a paragraph about its ambience. Then you’d have three similar paragraphs about Amante, followed by your conclusion.

The danger of this subject-by-subject organization is that your paper will simply be a list of points: a certain number of points (in my example, three) about one subject, then a certain number of points about another. This is usually not what college instructors are looking for in a paper—generally they want you to compare or contrast two or more things very directly, rather than just listing the traits the things have and leaving it up to the reader to reflect on how those traits are similar or different and why those similarities or differences matter. Thus, if you use the subject-by-subject form, you will probably want to have a very strong, analytical thesis and at least one body paragraph that ties all of your different points together.

A subject-by-subject structure can be a logical choice if you are writing what is sometimes called a “lens” comparison, in which you use one subject or item (which isn’t really your main topic) to better understand another item (which is). For example, you might be asked to compare a poem you’ve already covered thoroughly in class with one you are reading on your own. It might make sense to give a brief summary of your main ideas about the first poem (this would be your first subject, the “lens”), and then spend most of your paper discussing how those points are similar to or different from your ideas about the second.

Point-by-point

Rather than addressing things one subject at a time, you may wish to talk about one point of comparison at a time. There are two main ways this might play out, depending on how much you have to say about each of the things you are comparing. If you have just a little, you might, in a single paragraph, discuss how a certain point of comparison/contrast relates to all the items you are discussing. For example, I might describe, in one paragraph, what the prices are like at both Pepper’s and Amante; in the next paragraph, I might compare the ingredients available; in a third, I might contrast the atmospheres of the two restaurants.

If I had a bit more to say about the items I was comparing/contrasting, I might devote a whole paragraph to how each point relates to each item. For example, I might have a whole paragraph about the clientele at Pepper’s, followed by a whole paragraph about the clientele at Amante; then I would move on and do two more paragraphs discussing my next point of comparison/contrast—like the ingredients available at each restaurant.

There are no hard and fast rules about organizing a comparison/contrast paper, of course. Just be sure that your reader can easily tell what’s going on! Be aware, too, of the placement of your different points. If you are writing a comparison/contrast in service of an argument, keep in mind that the last point you make is the one you are leaving your reader with. For example, if I am trying to argue that Amante is better than Pepper’s, I should end with a contrast that leaves Amante sounding good, rather than with a point of comparison that I have to admit makes Pepper’s look better. If you’ve decided that the differences between the items you’re comparing/contrasting are most important, you’ll want to end with the differences—and vice versa, if the similarities seem most important to you.

Our handout on organization can help you write good topic sentences and transitions and make sure that you have a good overall structure in place for your paper.

Cue words and other tips

To help your reader keep track of where you are in the comparison/contrast, you’ll want to be sure that your transitions and topic sentences are especially strong. Your thesis should already have given the reader an idea of the points you’ll be making and the organization you’ll be using, but you can help her/him out with some extra cues. The following words may be helpful to you in signaling your intentions:

  • like, similar to, also, unlike, similarly, in the same way, likewise, again, compared to, in contrast, in like manner, contrasted with, on the contrary, however, although, yet, even though, still, but, nevertheless, conversely, at the same time, regardless, despite, while, on the one hand … on the other hand.

For example, you might have a topic sentence like one of these:

  • Compared to Pepper’s, Amante is quiet.
  • Like Amante, Pepper’s offers fresh garlic as a topping.
  • Despite their different locations (downtown Chapel Hill and downtown Carrboro), Pepper’s and Amante are both fairly easy to get to.

You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Make a Gift

IMAGES

  1. Compare and Contrast Writing Pack by Second Grade Wonder

    compare and contrast writing grade 2

  2. compare and contrast worksheets

    compare and contrast writing grade 2

  3. Briefly Explain One Significant Difference or Contrast Between

    compare and contrast writing grade 2

  4. Compare and Contrast Writing Pack by Second Grade Wonder

    compare and contrast writing grade 2

  5. Compare and Contrast Graphic Organizers Passages Anchor Charts Text

    compare and contrast writing grade 2

  6. compare and contrast worksheet with pictures to help students

    compare and contrast writing grade 2

VIDEO

  1. Second Grade Compare and Contrast Informational Writing

  2. 5th Grade Compare and Contrast in Informational Texts

  3. Compare and Contrast Essay Outline

  4. ENGLISH 5 QUARTER 4 WRITING PARAGRAPHS THAT SHOW COMPARISON AND CONTRAST

  5. CSS ESSAY WRITING LECTURE 4-Compare and Contrast Writing

  6. Gradual Release Video ( 3rd Grade) Compare and Contrast

COMMENTS

  1. Browse Printable 2nd Grade Comparing and Contrasting in Fiction

    Our 2nd grade comparing and contrasting worksheets are made by teachers for students ages 6 to 8-years-old. Browse Printable 2nd Grade Comparing and Contrasting in Fiction Worksheets. Award winning educational materials designed to help kids succeed. Start for free now!

  2. Comparison and Contrast Guide

    The Compare & Contrast Map is an interactive graphic organizer that enables students to organize and outline their ideas for different kinds of comparison essays. Grades K - 12 | Student Interactive | Organizing & Summarizing Venn Diagram

  3. Compare & contrast worksheets

    These compare and contrast worksheets help students practice identifying how characters, story details or ideas are alike or different. Comparing and contrasting is a fundamental skill both for writing and reading comprehension. Choose your grade / topic: Grade 1 - Compare & Contrast Worksheets

  4. 51 Great Compare and Contrast Writing Prompts

    Compare and Contrast Writing Prompts Following you will find a variety of compare and contrast writing prompts. 1. Compare and contrast a cartoon and a TV sitcom. 2. Compare and contrast a chapter book and a picture book. 3. Compare and contrast differences/similarities between friends and family. 4.

  5. Free Printable Comparing and Contrasting Worksheets for 2nd Grade

    Comparing and Contrasting: Discover a collection of free printable Reading & Writing worksheets for Grade 2 students, designed by Quizizz to enhance their learning experience and develop critical thinking skills. grade 2 Comparing and Contrasting Recommended Topics for you Comparing and Contrasting in Nonfiction Comparing and Contrasting in Fiction

  6. 50+ Comparing and Contrasting Characters worksheets for 2nd Grade on

    Comparing and Contrasting Characters worksheets for Grade 2 are essential tools for teachers to help their students develop vital reading and writing skills. These worksheets focus on teaching students how to compare and contrast different characters in a story, which is a crucial aspect of reading comprehension strategies.

  7. Compare, Contrast, Comprehend: Using Compare-Contrast Text Structures

    Compare, Contrast, Comprehend: Using Compare-Contrast Text Structures with ELLs in K-3 Classrooms By: Mariam Jean Dreher, Jennifer Letcher Gray This article explains how to teach students to identify the compare-contrast text structure, and to use this structure to support their comprehension.

  8. Comparing Two Texts and Shared Writing: Why People ...

    Comparing Two Texts and Shared Writing: Why People Should Protect Bats These are the CCS Standards addressed in this lesson: RI.2.8: Describe how reasons support specific points the author makes in a text. RI.2.9: Compare and contrast the most important points presented by two texts on the same topic.

  9. Compare and Contrast Activities for Fiction Texts

    2nd Grade: Compare and contrast two or more versions of the same story (e.g., Cinderella stories) by different authors or from different cultures. 3rd Grade: 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).

  10. Writing a Compare-and-Contrast Essay Printable (2nd Grade)

    Writing a Compare-and-Contrast Essay (Gr. 2) Add to Favorites Use this printable writing packet to teach your students how to write a compare/contrast essay. A model graphic organizer, a blank graphic organizer, and a revising checklist are provided. Incorporate this packet into your class lesson or as an in-class supplement. Authored by:

  11. Compare and Contrast

    Compare and Contrast is a text structure or pattern of organization where the similarities and differences of two or more things are explored. It is important to remember that with the compare and contrast text structure the text should be discussing similarities and differences. If the text only discusses similarities, it is only comparing.

  12. Second Grade English Language Arts Common Core State Standards

    Reading & Writing. Second Grade English Language Arts Common Core State Standards. workbooks, games, lesson plans. RL.2.7. Use information gained from the illustrations and words in a print or digital text to demonstrate understanding of its characters, setting, or plot. See related worksheets, workbooks, games, lesson plans. RL.2.8.

  13. Compare and Contrast Rubric

    Teaching with this printout. When assigning a compare and contrast writing assignment, students need to be aware of what makes an outstanding written work. This rubric is a great tool to show students what is expected of them in a concrete way. Additionally, this rubric will help teachers assess this student writing and inform further instruction.

  14. Compare and Contrast Essays: The Ultimate Guide

    Matt Ellis Updated on June 2, 2022 Students A compare-and-contrast essay is a style of essay that points out the similarities and differences between two or more subjects. It's ideal for showing what separates and unites related things or concepts, particularly if the subjects are often confused for each other or unjustly lumped together.

  15. Compare & Contrast Map

    The Comparison and Contrast Guide outlines the characteristics of the genre and provides direct instruction on the methods of organizing, gathering ideas, and writing comparison and contrast essays. This interactive tool allows students to create Venn diagrams that contain two or three overlapping circles, enabling them to organize their ...

  16. 4 Engaging Compare and Contrast Anchor Charts

    Anchor Charts to Compare and Contrast Two Stories. The goal is for students to be able to compare and contrast two texts, in this case, fiction stories. After some introduction, you and your students can begin practice with stories that are familiar. Stories like Cinderella, The Three Little Pigs, and Goldilocks, and the Three Bears are great ...

  17. 80 Compare and Contrast Essay Topics for Kids and Teens

    Learning to read vs. learning to write. The importance of any two school subjects. Wearing glasses vs. having braces. You and your best friend. Friendship vs. romantic love. Group work and individual work. Only child vs. having siblings. Nature vs. nurture. Anxiety and depression.

  18. Scaffolding a Compare and Contrast Essay With Frames and Templates

    It is a lot easier to practice comparing and contrasting with things that take less time - like by using a Venn Diagram. However, teaching 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students to compare and contrast topics within their writing is an important skill. Scaffolding student writing through sentence or paragraph frames and essay templates can minimize ...

  19. Compare and Contrast

    The ability to compare and contrast is critical for comprehending literary and informational texts—and for writing them. Learners practice this skill via compare and contrast worksheets, graphic organizers and Venn diagrams, paired texts, reading response sheets, close reading activities, and report writing. < ALL CATEGORIES. FILTERS.

  20. 10.7 Comparison and Contrast

    The Purpose of Comparison and Contrast in Writing. Comparison in writing discusses elements that are similar, while contrast in writing discusses elements that are different. A compare-and-contrast essay, then, analyzes two subjects by comparing them, contrasting them, or both.. The key to a good compare-and-contrast essay is to choose two or more subjects that connect in a meaningful way.

  21. Comparing and Contrasting in an Essay

    In the block method, you cover each of the overall subjects you're comparing in a block. You say everything you have to say about your first subject, then discuss your second subject, making comparisons and contrasts back to the things you've already said about the first. Your text is structured like this: Subject 1.

  22. 101 Compare and Contrast Essay Ideas for Students

    Recycling vs. Landfill. Motorcycle vs. Bicycle. Halogen vs. Incandescent. Newton vs. Einstein. . Go on vacation vs. Staycation. Rock vs. Scissors. Cite this Article. These compare and contrast essay topics provide teachers and students with great and fun ideas for home and class work.

  23. Comparing and Contrasting

    One of the most common is the comparison/contrast essay, in which you focus on the ways in which certain things or ideas—usually two of them—are similar to (this is the comparison) and/or different from (this is the contrast) one another.

  24. Hoboken Public School District on Instagram: "4th Grade at Brandt

    15 likes, 0 comments - hobokenpublicschooldistrict on February 7, 2024: "4th Grade at Brandt School Happy February! We are halfway through the year! In Social Studies