Compare and ContrastThis strategy takes students beyond a simple list of similarities and differences. It requires students to find similarities and differences and then to: Categorize them Assess their significance Look for patterns among them Interpret, evaluate, and draw conclusionsStudents select their own factors to consider. As a result, class-wide sharing results in many factors being considered and discussed.Benefits:1. Requires students to categorize and assess the significance of similarities and differences1. Requires students to interpret, evaluate, and draw conclusions1. Very engagingCompare & Contrast Graphic OrganizerYou can use the Compare/Contrast Organizer to compare and contrast two events, people, perspectives, policies, or ideas from your study. The organizer can be used in different ways, some of which are identified below: Compare and contrast the effects of two events or two policies. Compare and contrast the qualities of two famous people. Compare and contrast two big ideas like democracy and totalitarianism.This organizer should help you get your thoughts together before you write or present about the compare/contrast topic.Questions to be asked during open Compare & Contrast1. How are they similar?2. How are they different?3. What similarities and differences seem significant?4. What categories or pattern(s) do you see in the significant similarities and differences?5. What interpretation or conclusion is suggested by the significant similarities and differences?The procedures:1. Identify the topic and the two items to be compared and contrasted.2. Brainstorm everything you know about each of the two items being compared one at a time. Write down everything you know. Look for additional information in your resource materials (textbook, notebook, other). You can do this work on your own but you will get many more ideas if you do it with other students. If you are doing it with another student, you could also split the task and then share your ideas. Have one-person brainstorm everything s/he knows about one item and the other person brainstorm everything s/he knows about the other item. Then compare notes and add other ideas. 3. Sort the features you came up with in Step #2 into two categories: the things that are the same for each of the two items and the things about each item that are different.4. Identify a conclusion you have come to about the relationship between the two items. In the Conclusion portion of the graphic organizer, answer the following three questions. Your answers will describe the relationship between the two items.a. Do similarities or differences exist between the two items? b. What were the important areas of similarity and difference?c. Was one of the items you compared and contrasted better, more important, more effective, or equal to the other itemand why? Compare & Contrast Graphic OrganizerCompare and contrast

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How different ?????.How alike ?

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Conclusion/interpretation

ActivityRead the following paragraph and then use open or focused graphic organizer to compare and contrast between the "Apples and oranges".

"Apples and oranges are both fruits, which means that they have seeds inside of them. Each has a skin, but orange skins are thick and easy to peel. Apple skins are thinner and do not peel easily. Oranges also contain more acid than apples, but both fruits are delicious."