Scott Foresman Reading Street

SKILLS

STRATEGIES IN CONTEXT

Compare/Contrast Ask Questions

Test

Selection Test,
Unit 4;
Benchmark Test Unit 5

Reteach/
Review

TE: 3.3 399b, DI•56; 3.4 59b, DI•53; 3.5 169b, 181, 203, 211, DI•52

PB: 3.1 143, 147, 148; 3.2 13, 17,
18, 53, 57, 58, 66, 77

Practice

TE: 3.3 380–381; 3.4 36–37; 3.5 146–147

Introduce/
Teach

Compare and Contrast

	Understand compare and contrast.
	Ask questions to understand and to make comparisons and contrasts.

INTRODUCE

Write "Kindergarteners and Third Graders" on the board. Discuss how they are alike and different. Write students' ideas as they call them out. (Possible responses: Alike: Both play on the school playground; both have teachers; Different: Kindergarteners print their words, and third graders use cursive; kindergarteners play more, and third graders study more.)

Have students read the information on
p. 36. Explain the following:

When we compare, we look at how things are alike, and when we contrast, we look at how things are different.
Asking questions about how things are alike and different as you read can help you better understand what you are reading.

Use Skill Transparency 17 to teach compare and contrast.

TEACH

STRATEGY Use paragraphs

1 and 2 to model asking questions to identify comparisons and contrasts.

MODEL I've never visited New
York City or Los Angeles, but I’ve seen pictures of them. I

know that people in New York City ride the subway, the bus, or take taxis. Los Angeles is more spread out and has lots of highways, so more people drive. I know that both cities have many restaurants and museums.

SKILL Use paragraph 4 to

model how to use clue words to identify compare and contrast.

MODEL I know that certain
clue words, such as like,
same, too, different, but, and

however, signal compare and contrast. I see two of those words in paragraph 4: different and however. Those two words signal a contrast, so the author must be writing about how the two cities are different.

PRACTICE AND ASSESS

STRATEGY Students should write

what they know about the cities of New York City and Los Angeles.

SKILL Two clue words signal

contrast in paragraph 4: different and however.

WRITE Have students complete

steps 1 and 2 of the Write to Read activity. You might consider using this as a whole class activity.

then… use Practice Book 3.2 p. 13 to provide additional practice.

If… students are unable to complete Write to Read on
p. 36,

Compare and Contrast

Available as Skill Transparency 17

Strategy
Ask Questions

Skill
Compare
and Contrast

Thing 2

Thing 1

When you read, look for clue words that
signal comparisons and contrasts, such
as like, both, different, and however.

When you compare and contrast, you
tell how things are alike and different.

Compare
and Contrast

Many people from other
countries live in both New York
City and Los Angeles. Which
large city would you like
to visit?

The weather in New York City is very different
from the weather in Los Angeles. New York City
has cold winters with snow. It has warm summers. However, Los Angeles has mild weather all
year long.

New York City is on the East Coast. It lies
mostly on islands in a harbor. Los Angeles is on the
West Coast of the country. It has the Pacific Ocean
on one side of the city and mountains on the other.

Los Angeles, California, is the second largest
city in the United States. More than 3 million
people live in Los Angeles.

Which city do you think is the largest in the
United States? If you guessed New York City, you
are correct. More than 7 million people live there!

Strategy: How
does this information
compare with what
you already know
about New York
City or Los Angeles?
Ask yourself, “What
else might be alike
and different about
these two cities?”

Skill: Which clue
words signal a
contrast in this
paragraph?

Strategy: Ask Questions

Good readers ask themselves questions
when they read. Doing this will give you
a purpose for reading. As you read, you
might ask yourself, “How are these things
alike? How are they different? What do
I already know about these things?”

Both

2. Write a question that calls for
    comparing the two cities. Use
    your completed diagram to
    answer the question.

1. Read “The Two Largest U.S.
    Cities.” Make a Venn diagram
    like the one above. Write New
    York City and Los Angeles as
    headings. Write Both in the
    middle. Fill in the diagram.



	Close
	Access Content Beginning/Intermediate For a Picture It! lesson on compare and contrast, see the ELL Teaching Guide, pp. 113–114. Advanced Before students read "The Two Largest U.S. Cities," have them share what they know about New York City and Los Angeles, or about American cities in general. Compare and Contrast Use a three-column chart to help students develop the skill of comparing and contrasting. Write the information from the introduction in the chart: Kindergarteners, Third Graders, Both. Brainstorm ideas with students, and write their ideas in the appropriate column. Then have them work with partners to write 2–4 sentences telling how the two groups are alike and different. Provide them with a list of clue words to use in their sentences, such as both, neither, like, same, too, different, however, but, and in contrast. Practice Book 3.2 p. 13 with \| without Answers