compare and contrast essay lesson plans

Examining Plot Conflict through a Comparison/Contrast Essay

• Resources & Preparation
• Instructional Plan
• Related Resources

Students explore picture books to identify the characteristics of four types of conflict: character vs. character, character vs. self, character vs. nature, and character vs. society. Next, students write about conflict in their own lives and then look for similarities among all the conflicts shared by the class, ultimately classifying each conflict into one of the four types. Finally, after investigating the compare and contrast format, students conclude with a compare and contrast essay that focuses on two conflicts—one from their own experience and one from a picture book or story that they have read.

Featured Resources

Plot Conflict PowerPoint Presentation : This brief presentation introduces the plot diagram, and offers examples of each type of conflict.

Comparison and Contrast Guide : This student-centered online guide provides a thorough introduction to the compare and contrast essay format, including definitions, transitions, graphic organizers, checklists, and examples.

From Theory to Practice

"Where do good writers come from? . . . [T]hey develop through creative instruction, caring adult models, well-structured peer interaction, and lots and lots of practice. But we also know, both from composition research, and from our own lives, that good writers also grow by reading" (58).

This testimonial from Harvey Daniels speaks directly to the power of using literature to teach writing. In this lesson, students are doing just that-They look at examples of plot development and conflict resolution as they grow into their own definitions. Building bridges from literature to writing, students then write their own piece about conflict resolution.

Further Reading

Common Core Standards

This resource has been aligned to the Common Core State Standards for states in which they have been adopted. If a state does not appear in the drop-down, CCSS alignments are forthcoming.

State Standards

This lesson has been aligned to standards in the following states. If a state does not appear in the drop-down, standard alignments are not currently available for that state.

NCTE/IRA National Standards for the English Language Arts

• 3. Students apply a wide range of strategies to comprehend, interpret, evaluate, and appreciate texts. They draw on their prior experience, their interactions with other readers and writers, their knowledge of word meaning and of other texts, their word identification strategies, and their understanding of textual features (e.g., sound-letter correspondence, sentence structure, context, graphics).
• 4. Students adjust their use of spoken, written, and visual language (e.g., conventions, style, vocabulary) to communicate effectively with a variety of audiences and for different purposes.
• 5. Students employ a wide range of strategies as they write and use different writing process elements appropriately to communicate with different audiences for a variety of purposes.
• 6. Students apply knowledge of language structure, language conventions (e.g., spelling and punctuation), media techniques, figurative language, and genre to create, critique, and discuss print and nonprint texts.
• 11. Students participate as knowledgeable, reflective, creative, and critical members of a variety of literacy communities.

Materials and Technology

• Selected books from the booklist  
• Plot Conflict PowerPoint Presentation  
• Chalkboard/Chart Paper/Overhead Projector
• Conflict Type Chart  
• Literary Elements Mapping: Conflict Map  
• Compare and Contrast Chart Graphic Organizer (optional instead of Compare and Constrast Map)  
• Comparison and Contrast Rubric  
• Using Picture Books to Teach Plot Conflict Handout

Preparation

• In preparation for this lesson, students should have experience with personal reading response journals.  
• Arrange for a computer and projector to show the PowerPoint presentation.  
• Prepare a 4-column chart, using chart paper or an overhead transparency, that matches the Conflict Type Chart . You'll record class details on this chart during the sessions. If desired, you can duplicate the Chart for students to record their observations on individually as well.  
• Preview the PowerPoint presentation and download a copy to your machine, if desired, to share with your class. You can also make copies of the PowerPoint slides to distribute to students.  
• Compile books from the booklist . Select the passages or illustrations to use to illustrate plot conflict.  
• Make copies or overhead transparencies of the Comparison/Contrast Rubric .  
• Test the Story Map , Online Comparison and Contrast Guide , Compare and Contrast Map , and Venn Diagram Student Interactive on your computers to familiarize yourself with the tools.

Student Objectives

Students will

• make predictions about the conflicts in the selected pieces of literature, based on selected illustrations from the stories.  
• identify four types of conflict in literature (character vs. character, character vs. self, character vs. nature, character vs. society).  
• make personal connections to plot conflict.  
• discuss specific conflicts as a small group or whole class.  
• identify the variables that contributed to the conflicts through completion of a graphic organizer.  
• write a comparison/contrast essay, comparing a conflict they have had to one that a character has in a story they have read.

Session One

• Ask your students to respond in writing or verbally to the question, "What is plot conflict?" If they respond in writing first, follow the writing session with a general discussion of students' understanding of the literary element.  
• After students have discuss plot conflict, craft a working definition of plot conflict in their notebooks or reading responses or writing journals.  
• Using their initial definition of plot conflict, ask students to write their interpretation of each of the above types of conflicts. Students can also add examples from literature of events that fit into the four categories.  
• Help students work through their definition of plot conflict by viewing the Plot Conflict PowerPoint Presentation (or hand out copies of the slides to the students).  
• After examining the PowerPoint presentation, invite students to revise and add to their working definitions.  
• As a class, create a working definition and record the definition on the board or chart paper.  
• Using a book from the booklist , read a selected passage or show an illustration which demonstrates one of the types of conflict.  
• Ask the students to write short sentences about each passage or illustration in their journals or notebooks. In addition, ask the students to identify the type of conflict and the reasons for the category they have chosen.  
• Ask students to share what they have written for each illustration in pairs, small groups, or as a whole class. Listen to the discussion to assess the students' understanding of the conflicts.  
• If there is time left at the end of the session, allow students to explore the picture books from the booklist . Listen for any comments students make about the plot or the illustrations.

Session Two

• Write the following prompt on the board, "Have you ever had a problem or conflict with another person? Write about a problem or conflict, and include an example."  
• Explain that the problem or conflict does not have to involve physical confrontations.  
• Provide an example for students, such as disagreement with a friend, to ensure that students understand the question.  
• Allow students five to ten minutes to respond in their reading response or writing journals.  
• Once students have written their responses, ask them to share their responses with the class or in small groups.  
• Explain that like the problems they have had in their own lives, characters in the stories we read also experience conflicts and challenges.  
• Divide students into small groups. Be sure that the working definition of conflict is posted on the board for the class to view.  
• Ask each group to make a list in their reading response/writing journals of three examples of conflicts in literature.  
• Once students have gathered their examples, ask each team to share their findings. Record the examples on a sheet of chart paper or on the board.  
• Once the list is compiled, ask students to identify any similarities they see among the conflicts.  
• Post your Conflict Type Chart where all students can see it. Ideally, create a chart paper or overhead transparency version of the chart. If desired, distribute copies of the chart to students or ask them to create similar charts in their notebooks or journals.  
• Ask students to categorize the conflicts on their list by placing them on the Conflict Type Chart , under the appropriate column (character vs. character, character vs. nature, character vs. self, or character vs. society).  
• Listen to students' discussion and assess their ability to categorize. You should be able to determine if they understand the differences between the four types of conflict. If your assessment shows that the students need further practice identifying the kinds of conflicts, follow this session with the activities on the Using Picture Books to Teach Plot Conflict handout. This additional practice will require multiple, additional sessions.

Session Three

• Ask students to select a picture book from the booklist . Give them time to read the books they've chosen.  
• Introduce the Conflict Map, which can be found on the Story Map interactive. If you prefer that students work offline, pass out copies of the print Conflict Map . Note that this step may need to be completed in a separate setting depending upon scheduling and availability of computers.  
• Once students understand how to use the interactive, ask them to complete the graphic organizer using the Story Map interactive. If students are working offline, ask them to complete the print Conflict Map .  
• As students complete their graphic organizers, invite them to share their observations and books in small groups or with the entire class.

Session Four

• Make sure that the charts about conflict from previous sessions are still posted.  
• Ask students to make a list of conflicts they have had in their lives in their reading response or writing journals.  
• As the students create their lists, they should identify what type of conflict they had in each case. For example if a student identifies an argument with a friend as a conflict, next to that idea he should write "character vs. character."  
• Begin a list of your own on the board or on a transparency to model for students. Use "think aloud" to demonstrate how to refer to the posted charts for help as needed. Continue adding to your list as students work on their own lists.  
• After students have had time to create their lists, explain that you'll use the list to find a topic for a comparison/contrast paper that focuses on a conflict they have gone through and one that a character has gone through in a story they've read.  
• Before continuing with the lesson, make sure students have a good understanding of the terms compare and contrast . If students need additional support, use chart paper to post the definitions of the words in the room for reference.  
• Using an LCD projector, or in a computer lab, view and discuss the Compare and Contrast Guide .  
• After viewing the Compare and Contrast Guide , ask students to revisit their brainstormed list and identify any of the conflicts that are similar to those of characters they have read about.  
• Invite students to share their responses.  
• Choosing one of the conflicts from your list, use the "Think Aloud" strategy to share the reasons that the conflict reminds you of a conflict that a character has in a story that the class is familiar with.  
• Use the "Graphic Organizer" tab on the Comparison and Contrast Guide to introduce the 2-Circle Venn Diagram. Alternately, you can use the Compare and Contrast Chart Graphic Organizer if you prefer. Use your "Think Aloud" example to model through the process of gathering information using the graphic organizer.  
• Open the Venn Diagram Student Interactive . Alternately, you can draw a simple graphic organizer of a Venn diagram (two overlapping circles) on the board. Label the circles-one for your personal conflict and the other for the conflict from the story.  
• Brainstorm characteristics about the two conflicts and drag them to the appropriate circle. Print your finished organizer to complete your demonstration.  
• Use the "Organizing a Paper" tab on the Comparison and Contrast Guide to introduce the Similarities-to-Differences structure.  
• Demonstrate how to use the structure to organize ideas with the Compare and Contrast Map . Alternately, you can open a new word processor file and compose the first sections of an essay as a group.  
• Model for the students how to cut, copy, and paste commands for your word processor software.  
• Use the "Transitions" tab on the Comparison and Contrast Guide to introduce the use of transitional words to increase coherence.  
• As you read back through the sample that you've written as a class, note the existing transitional words and add transitions as needed.

Sessions Five and Six

• Introduce the Comparison and Contrast Rubric so students know what expectations are for the writing project. Answer any questions that they have about the guidelines. Alternately, you can use the "Checklist" tab from the Comparison and Contrast Guide to explain the requirements for the finished essay.  
• Explain that during these sessions, students will complete complete Venn Diagrams .  
• Remind students of the details for the project that are posted around the classroom.  
• While students work, circulate through the classroom, aiding students who need help.  
• After the graphic organizers are complete, students can at their own pace go on to the next steps in the writing process including, drafting, self editing, peer editing, self editing and re-drafting.  
• As appropriate, point students to the Comparison and Contrast Guide online, which they can use for reference as they work.  
• When the students have completed their compare/contrast essay, ask them to read through their draft with the rubric in mind. Encourage students to make revisions to their work, in line with the requirements listed in the rubric, before submitting their work.
• Since conflict is so critical in the development of plot, invite the students to map out the plot of a story using the Plot Diagram Tool .  
• While students in this lesson are writing a comparison/contrast essay on conflict in their lives and in literature, invite students to compare books and related films using the Get The Reel Scoop: Comparing Books to Movies lesson plan.  
• If your students need additional practice with the compare and contrast essay, use the ReadWriteThink lesson Teaching the Compare and Contrast Essay through Modeling .

Student Assessment / Reflections

• Take students’ oral and written responses into consideration to gauge which students need more individual attention for the following lessons.  
• Use the Conflict Map from group work to determine how well a student understands plot conflict and the four different types of conflict that have been introduced. If a group has trouble with this exercise, revisit the topic with small groups, using an additional picture book to provide students with more experience with plot conflict.  
• If possible, read each students essay individually with the student and provide direct feedback. When this option is not available, constructive written comments are helpful. As you read the essays, keep notes on the aspects to review and share with the class later. For more structured feedback, use the Comparison and Contrast Rubric .  
• After you have finished responding to the essays, review them with the class, adding advice as needed. You might go back and model an area where students needed more practice. Alternately, you can use the Comparison and Contrast Tour to review the area.
• Student Interactives
• Professional Library

The Story Map interactive is designed to assist students in prewriting and postreading activities by focusing on the key elements of character, setting, conflict, and resolution.

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

• Print this resource

Explore Resources by Grade

• Kindergarten K

Trending Post : Easy Fixes for Behavior Challenges

How to effectively teach compare & contrast using a mentor text

Teaching compare and contrast is a great lesson for early in the school year because it is approachable for students and can be used in so many different ways. Comparative thinking is great for building connections between background knowledge and new concepts. It’s also great to incorporate into your explicit vocabulary instruction.

Venn diagrams are the most commonly seen graphic organizer for teaching this skill, and students must be taught how to use this tool to help them organize their thinking. Since they are also commonly included in state assessments, teaching students to use this type of organizer early in the school year can help ease the stress as testing approaches.

Today I want to share a great resource for teaching students how to use a Venn diagram to find similarities and differences between themselves and characters in a text.

While we often introduce this skill during a mini-lesson on character traits , it is also a great way to ease students into higher-level thinking skills. However, comparative thinking can be challenging for some students and others will be able to recognize it in a reading passage but will struggle to reproduce it in their writing. This is why modeling and pointing out the compare-contrast structure in a read-aloud is so important.

As you start to plan your lessons, there is lots to think about. To help you get started, I’ve included some great digital learning activities designed to facilitate effective instruction for these skills. You can find them at the end of this post.

Disclosure: I’ve included Amazon Affiliate links where applicable. These products won’t cost you any extra, but the earnings from the use of these links help support the maintenance of this site.

Why teach compare & contrast?

Humans are constantly examining the similarities and differences in life, but it is still important to explicitly teach them how to compare and contrast.

Teaching students how to compare and contrast using a graphic organizer is great for supporting higher level thinking skills. Since this is a skill often seen on standardized tests, these are skills students will use far beyond just reading. Science and social studies, for example, consistently involve having students be able to apply these skills to understand the world around them.

By explicitly teaching students to compare and contrast in reading, they’ll easily be able to access this skill in other contexts.

In addition, making connections by teaching compare and contrast to elementary students is a relatively easy task, making it great for the beginning of the school year.

How to incorporate other

Helping students make text-to-self connections by comparing and contrasting is an important foundational skill. Teaching students to look beyond just surface level comparisons can help them dig deeper into their reading and build understanding.

Whether this is your first year teaching reading or you’re looking for some new ideas to incorporate into your classroom, my hope is you’ll find some ideas and ready-to-use resources you can add to your lesson plans for this skill.

Before we dive into the lesson plan, here’s some background information on how this skill fits into the larger picture of teaching reading.

What standards address compare and contrast?

This skill is introduced in very different grade levels depending on what standards you use. This is a second grade standard in Texas, and students are expected to apply this skill to analyze character relationships by third grade, The Common Core standards introduce character analysis in third grade and expand upon it through the remaining elementary years.

Here are the Texas standards (TEKS) and Common Core State Standards (CCSS to aid with lesson plan documentation:

• TEKS 4.6E Make connections to personal experiences, ideas in other texts, and society
• TEKS Figure 19 Use a flexible range of metacognitive reading skills…to understand the author’s message
• CCSS R.1 Read closely to determine what text says explicitly and make logical inferences from it

What books are good for introducing & modeling comparing and contrasting?

There are so many great compare and contrast books to use with your lessons. While we tend to look at picture books as mentor texts, informational texts are great for teaching this skill.

Here are my 10 favorite books for teaching students to compare & contrast:

• The Pain & The Great One by Judy Blume
• Apples & Oranges: Going Bananas with Pairs by Sara Pinto
• Stellaluna by Janell Cannon
• Shark vs. Train by Chris Barton
• The Relatives Came by Cynthia Rylant
• Aaron and Alexander by Don Brown
• Who Would Win series
• What’s the Difference Between an Alligator & a Crocodile by Lisa Marie Bullard
• Poles Apart by Jeanne Willis
• Now and Ben by Gene Barretta

Before Reading: Introducing Compare & Contrast

Moving beyond the surface level can be hard for younger learners to grasp. While students can easily see external similarities and differences, it can be hard to dig deeper without prompting and support.

When introducing this skill to your students, it is important to begin by helping them define the terms and modeling the difference between a surface-level comparison and a deeper analysis.

Students need to be able to move beyond outward appearances when making connections. They must also move beyond what the author explicitly states in the text. Both of these skills require time and modeling to master successfully.

A great way to get started is by creating a Venn diagram comparing yourself to a student in your class. Have students take turns giving examples of physical attributes first. Then push students to move beyond these basic responses to identify similarities and differences that require more thoughtful analysis. When you finish, compare the two lists to help students internalize the differences between comparing and contrasting on a surface level and digging deep to think critically.

Here’s a great example of an anchor chart you may consider using with your class as you begin this foundational work.

Once you’ve done this as a group, you can have students break off into groups and complete an example using themselves or another classmate.

The positive about this approach is that it doesn’t require text. This means that your struggling readers get the chance to understand the skill without using up all their mental energy on decoding.

Transitioning to Text & Making Cross-Cultural Connections

Once your students have a solid grasp on how to compare and contrast two things are, you’re likely ready to transition them toward doing this using text.

At this point, I like to use Everybody Cooks Rice by Norah Dooley . As you read, have students pay attention to how each family’s mealtime looks. Also, discuss how each family cooks rice in a different way depending on where they are from.

After you finish reading, have students compare and contrast mealtime at home to one of the families in the story.

Give students a chance to share out how their family uses rice as a part of their meals. You’ll likely be surprised just how many different ways your class experiences rice as a meal staple.

Once students solidify this skill, you can transition them toward writing compare and contrast essays. However, they must master the foundations of comparing and contrasting first.

Here are a few ways you can offer some fun additional practice:

• Use free online games to practice the skill & keep students engaged
• Introduce t-charts to have students practice comparing and contrasting
• Consider using hula hoops to create a lifesize Venn diagram

Grab the free resources for teaching compare and contrast

Now that you’ve read about how you can get students to understand how to compare and contrast beyond just the surface level, I’m sure you’re ready to tackle this in your classroom.

That’s why I created a set of free resources for teaching this skill. In this free digital practice pack , you’ll find:

• Digital Read Aloud for Everybody Cooks Rice by Norah Dooley
• Interactive Everybody Cooks Rice Digital Story Organizer
• Venn diagram digital graphic organizer

Sign up to access these great freebies and enter your name to win a set of diverse mentor texts that are perfect for teaching reading skills inclusively this year.

Get the freebies:

Find more reading lessons using diverse mentor texts.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Similar Posts

Book Study Benefits: Enhancing Education with Group Reading

The Giver Novel Study: Unlocking Lois Lowry’s Classic

Reading Interest Inventory- Why you need one & how to use it

Bridge to Terabithia Novel Study: Free Activities, Ideas, & Inexpensive Resources

How to get cheap books to build your classroom library

Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone Novel Study: Lesson Plans, Resources, & Activities