How To: Use Comparing Strategies

DQ3: HELPING STUDENTS PRACTICE AND DEEPEN THEIR

UNDERSTANDING OF NEW KNOWLEDGE
Element 17
Examining Similarities and Differences

Comparing is the process of identifying similarities and differences between ideas or things. A variety of
strategies can be used when designing comparison activities. We will discuss sentence stems, Venn diagrams,
double bubble diagrams and comparison matrices.

Sentence Stem Comparisons

This strategy can be used to have the students compare and contrast people, characters, places, events,
concepts or processes. The comparisons can be general or specific. Marzano’s Becoming a Reflective Teacher,
gives the following examples:

General – House cats are similar to lions because ____________________. House cats are different than lions
because _______________________.

Specific – Sherlock Holmes and Gandalf are both characters who enjoy solving mysteries, but they are different
because ____________________________.

After a gym teacher has provided a series of critical-input experiences on baseball and fast pitch softball, he
might assign a sentence stem assignment comparing and contrasting the two sports. A completed example can
be found in Marzano’s A Handbook for the Art and Science of Teaching and looks something like this.

Baseball and fast pitch softball are similar because they both…
• Have 4 bases in a diamond shape
• Have 9 defensive players.
• Have the same ball/strike counts: 4 balls = walk & 3 strikes = out

Baseball and fast pitch softball are different because…

• In baseball, the bases are 90 feet apart, but in fast pitch softball the bases are 60 feet apart.
• In baseball, the pitching distance is 60 feet, 6 inches, but in fast pitch softball, the pitching distance is
between 40 and 46 feet depending on the level of play.
• In baseball, the pitcher throws overhand, bit in fast pitch softball, the pitcher throws underhand.

Another sentence stem example comparing monarchy and dictatorship is presented in The Art and Science of
Teaching on page 72. An empty sentence stem template is attached.

How To: Use Comparing

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 Sentence Stem Comparison A

______________________ and _____________________ are similar because they both:

_______________________________________________________________________.

_______________________________________________________________________.

_______________________________________________________________________.

__________________________ and ________________________ are different because:

________________________________________________________________________.

________________________________________________________________________.

________________________________________________________________________.

Sentence Stem Comparison B

______________________ and _____________________ are similar because they both:

_______________________________________________________________________.

_______________________________________________________________________.

_______________________________________________________________________.

__________________________ and ________________________ are different because:

________________is______________, but _________________is__________________.

________________is______________, but _________________is__________________.

________________is______________, but _________________is__________________.

How To: Use Comparing

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 Venn Diagrams
Students use these visual representations to compare and contrast two or three people, characters, places,
things, events, concepts or processes. Similarities between the topics of comparison are written where the
circles intersect and characteristics that they do not have in common are written where the circles do not
intersect. They can be used for specific, general, abstract or concrete comparisons.

A Venn diagram could be used in all subjects to compare and contrast information.

• Science example – used to compare and contrast two or three ecosystems

• Math example – used to compare and contrast different quadrilaterals
• History example – used to compare and contrast figures in history or presidential candidates
• English example – used to compare and contrast two characters from a novel

Below is a Venn diagram example that is found in The Art and Science of Teaching.

1. Can coexist with Often perceived 1.

representative as police states.
government. Forms of
government.

Not uncommon for Government dominated

2. people to show great Not uncommon 2.
by a single person.
affection for the ruler. for ruler to be
hated or feared.

History has examples

of rulers who were
Usually comes in to considered by many Usually comes
3. power through as tyrants. into power through 3.
heritage. coercion or force.

Monarchy Dictatorship

A Venn diagram template that can be used to compare two concepts is attached.

How To: Use Comparing

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VENN DIAGRAM

Things in Common

Concept 1__________________________ Concept 2__________________________

Written Explanation of Comparisons Discovered:

_________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________

How To: Use Comparing

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Double-Bubble Diagrams
This strategy compares the attributes of two people, places, things, concepts, etc. Students write the two topics
being compared in the large gray circles. Common attributes are listed in the center smaller circles connected
to the topic bubbles and the unique attributes are written on the outside edge of the diagram connected to the
appropriate topic bubble. Please see the monarchy, dictatorship example below.

1. Coexists with 1. Often perceived

Forms of
representative as police states.
government.
governments.

2. Not uncommon 2. Not uncommon

for people to Monarchy Dominated by a
Dictatorship for ruler to be
show great single person.
hated or feared.
affection.

3. Usually comes Both had historical 3. Usually comes

into power examples of tyrants. into power through
through heritage. coercion or force.

A foreign language class could use this strategy to compare the customs or beliefs of the United States to a
country that uses the foreign language they are studying. Similarities in customs or practices would be put in the
middle circles and areas of differences would be written on the left and the right sides.

A blank double-bubble template is attached that can be used to compare two concepts.

How To: Use Comparing

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Double-Bubble Comparison

How To: Use Comparing

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Comparison Matrix
A comparison is a more formal way to compare two or more concepts. A matrix (chart) is completed with the
concepts to be compared written across the top of each column of the grid and the identifying attributes or
questions written in the rows at the left side of the grid. The students then record their information or answers
in each cell of the grid. The final column can be used to share the similarities and differences between the
concepts. This last column helps summarize the similarities and differences discovered while completing the
matrix. Please see the monarchy, dictatorship, and democracy matrix below for an example.

Figure 3.9 Comparison Matrix from The Art and Science of Teaching, (page 75)

Monarchy Dictatorship Democracy

How the leaders King or queen gains The dictator usually Leaders are elected by Similarities & Differences
come to power throne out of heritage. takes power through the people, sometimes Actually, monarchy and dictatorship are
Sometimes a monarch coercion or force. influenced by others. more alike and democracy is different.
takes over country by Often is leader for life. The leader doesn't Monarchs and dictatorships are similar
force. Often a leader have total power. May in that power over people is taken
for life. be voted out of office. by, or given to, an individual, but in a
democracy, the people decide who will
have the power. Even though mon-
archy and dictatorship are somewhat
similar, they are also different in that
the dictator takes over by force, but the
monarch is usually designated as a
result of heritage.

The reaction Throughout history are Often in history the People are often split Similarities & Differences
from the people examples of monarchs dictator is hated on their reactions but
loved by the people, or feared by most accept the elected
but some were hated people. leader, knowing they
by certain persecuted can try to elect a new
groups. one before too long.

The role of the People are generally People must obey the Generally the people Similarities & Differences
people expected to obey the dictator. Often there are seen to have
rule of the monarch. are serious conse- power through their
Monarch holds power quences to not being votes. If they don't like
and can change laws. loyal. what's happening, they
Can become like can elect new leaders.
dictators.

Another example where students can use a comparison matrix is comparing different eras like the Middle Ages,
the European Renaissance and the Age of Enlightenment. The questions on the left side of the grid could
include: What are the major forms of government in each era? What is the enduring legacy from each era?
How did class structures change during each era? A customizable template that can be used to compare two
concepts is attached.

How To: Use Comparing

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Comparison Matrix for __________________________ & _________________________________

Items to
Concept 1 Concept 2 Similarities & Differences
Compare

Attribute 1

Attribute 2

Attribute 3

Attribute 4

How To: Use Comparing

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