25 Writing Comparison-Contrast Essays
When your students look at the similarities and differences between two topics, they analyze both topics closely. That's critical thinking.
Warm up your students' critical thinking by drawing a Venn diagram (two side-by-side, overlapping circles) on the board. Above each circle write a topic to compare (for example, George Washington on the left and Abraham Lincoln on the right). Ask students what the two topics have in common. Write similarities in the overlapping section. Ask about differences, and write them in the crescents that don't overlap. Lead a discussion about comparing and contrasting.
Think About It
“Understanding is a two-way street.”
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State Standards Covered in This Chapter
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.4.1
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.4.2
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.4.5
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.2
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.2.A
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.2.B
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.5.1
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.5.2
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.5.5
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.2
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.2.A
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.2.B
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.2.D
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.2.D
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.5
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.5
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.2.C
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.4
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.2.C
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.4
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.2.E
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.2.E
LAFS Covered in This Chapter
LAFS.4.RI.1.1
LAFS.4.RI.1.2
LAFS.4.RI.2.5
LAFS.4.W.1.2
LAFS.5.RI.1.1
LAFS.5.RI.1.2
LAFS.5.RI.2.5
LAFS.5.W.1.2
LAFS.4.W.2.5
LAFS.5.W.2.5
LAFS.4.W.2.4
LAFS.5.W.2.4
TEKS Covered in This Chapter
110.6.b.9.D
110.6.b.9.D.i
110.6.b.9.D.iii
110.6.b.11.B
110.6.b.12.B
110.6.b.11.B.i
110.6.b.11.B.ii
110.7.b.9.D
110.7.b.7.D
110.7.b.9.D.iii
110.7.b.11
110.7.b.12.B
110.7.b.11.A
110.7.b.11.B.i
110.7.b.11.B.ii
110.6.b.3
110.7.b.3
110.6.b.11.A
110.6.b.11.C
110.6.b.11.D
110.7.b.11.C
110.7.b.11.D
TEKS Covered in This Chapter
Page 182 from Writers Express
Sample Comparison-Contrast Essay
Ask for student volunteers to read the sample essay, paragraph by paragraph. Then point out the features mentioned in the side notes. This essay uses a point-by-point pattern of organization, one of three main types for comparison-contrast writing:
- Point-by-point: Write about one point for each subject, then the next point of each subject, and so on. (The points in this essay are frames, wheels, gears, and riding experience.)
- Subject-by-subject: Write about one subject completely, and then write about the other subject completely.
- Similarities-and-differences: Write about the similarities between the two subjects, and then write about the differences.
The pattern students choose depends on their subjects and the way the similarities and differences are split. (This writer wanted to focus on contrasts, and so chose a point-by-point pattern.) See more on pages 186-187 of the student handbook.
State Standard Reference:
- CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.4.1
- CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.4.2
- CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.4.5
- CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.2
- CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.2.A
- CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.2.B
- CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.5.1
- CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.5.2
- CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.5.5
- CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.2
- CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.2.A
- CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.2.B
